Light Industrial Manufacturing: A Navus Visual Case Study

March 12, 2022

Light Industrial Manufacturing: A Navus Visual Case Study

Navus

At Navus, we pride ourselves on our ability to meet whatever light industrial manufacturing challenges our clients may throw at us. Whether you’re interested in additive manufacturing, decreased safety risks, or just want to improve throughput, our engineers are ready to help you achieve your goals.

A client recently approached us about implementing automated processes to increase their production time. We partnered with ABB Robotics and CTM Labeling Systems to create a system that sorts the parts and puts them together. This new system increased their production to a rate of 24 finished parts per minute with the ability to have future layouts that won’t require changing their floor space requirements.

Goal: Update an Existing Light Industrial Manufacturing Process

A client recently presented us with an interesting challenge: utilize automation to improve production time in a complicated, multi-step light industrial manufacturing process. They wanted to speed up each part of the automation process to be completed in less than 2.5 seconds.

However, the automation system needed to be flexible in order to account for all the different parts of the production process. Another challenge was cost savings and efficiency. Our client wanted to automate the assembly process in line with their existing equipment without having to change their facility’s floor plan.

This required our system to:

Operate from a remote control panel
Rely on a flexible automation process connected to other processes within the facility
Automate the label application process
Insert nails into the part
Correctly nest different parts together
Monitor processes in real-time

On top of that, the system would need to be able to conduct a robotic quality check. This would ensure that nails would be inserted at a certain depth and parts would be nested correctly.

Click here our top 5 free custom automation resources!

Our Solution

Our team of Navus engineers partnered with ABB Robotics and CTM Labeling Systems to bring our client’s vision to life. They were able to develop a machine that fits in line with other pre-existing light industrial manufacturing processes to increase affordability. They were also able to achieve this without changing the floor plan of the client’s manufacturing facility.

How It Works

Our client’s new light industrial manufacturing machine starts by loading injection-molded plastic parts onto the feed conveyor. These parts are then singulated with an adhesive-backed paper UPC label at the in-feed conveyor escapement. From there, the parts continue down the conveyor to a side escapement where their height is checked with a thru-beam sensor.

Once the height has been checked, an IRB 360 robot moves the part from the side escapement nest and places it on a nail insertion nest. There, nails are blow-fed and inserted into the part. Any box that fails the height inspection is dropped into the rejection chute. The UPC code is read and verified by a Keyence SR-750 barcode reader.

A vibratory feeder escapes the next nail into a blow-feed and nail insertion is verified by the machine’s sensors. The IRB 360 robot then moves the first part that’s passed inspection to an out-feed nest. The second part that passes inspection is moved to a flip-over nest. This part is picked up by an IRB 120 robot and is placed for interlocking with the first part. The interlocked boxes are sent down a chute onto an out-feed conveyor by the out-feed pusher actuator.

To learn more about our work in light industrial manufacturing, click here!

Analyzing the Results

Navus’s engineers were able to significantly improve our client’s output. Once completed, the new system was able to produce items at a rate of 24 finished parts per minute. This actually exceeded our client’s expectations and greatly simplified the part changeover process.

The new machine was easily integrated into the existing system thanks to the use of injection molding equipment and packaging conveyor systems. This enabled our client to save a considerable amount of time and money compared to other alternatives. It also works as a foundation for future layouts that won’t require changing their floor space requirements.

What is Light Manufacturing?

The light manufacturing industry covers a broad range of products so it can seem hard to define on the surface. However, the definition of light industrial manufacturing on its most basic level means:

the manufacture of products, the process of which does not create and emit fumes, gases, smokes, vapours, vibrations, noise or glare or other factors which are regarded as nuisances which would cause adverse effects to the users of adjacent land.

Most manufacturers can be classified as light industry. Light manufacturing industry examples can include:

Consumer goods (e.g. office supplies)
Durable goods (e.g. household appliances)
Energy
Electronics

The team at Navus are experts in light industry manufacturing as well as medium and heavy. We’re experienced in finding solutions for industries of all scales and sizes. With our 20+ years legacy, we have a proven track record of providing automated solutions for light industry manufacturers.

Do you need help finding solutions for your light manufacturing problems? Click here to contact us today!

We recently completed a project for a client who wanted to boost their production using automated processes. Our Navus engineers accomplished this task by partnering with ABB Robotics and CTM Labeling Systems to create a system that sorts the parts and puts them together. This increased our client’s throughput to 24 finished parts per minute with the option to have future layouts that won’t require changing their floor space requirements.

Navus Automation Inc. is a leading full-service automation integrator. Our world-class team has a reputation for applying ingenuity to solve complex challenges and deliver customized turn-key systems solutions. From concept to completion, Navus provides robotic welding and automation systems built upon our unwavering commitment to excellence, precision and reliability

Custom Automation Company News

January 28, 2022

5 Free Custom Automation Resources [Complete With Downloads]

Navus

Here at Navus, we’ve spent over 20 years tackling the biggest challenges in custom automation. We take our biggest wins and share those stories through free custom automation resources, letting you know how we can solve your automation challenges, create efficiency, and mitigate risks in your facility.

Engineering the Future with Remotely Operated, Multi-Function Robotic Workcells

Robots have been used in the past to perform repetitive, low-skill labor. However, contemporary tools and features provide them with a much broader range of capabilities.

This includes:

Offline programming
Sensing
Tool changing
Remote monitoring

These features allowed us to design an extraordinary system for a client that increases safety as well as efficiency. They can now take advantage of a system that moves the robotic workcell 100 feet into position in an environment that poses certain risks to their employees. Meanwhile, the operator is able to work in a remote location where they’re not in any danger.

This allows the operator to oversee:

Joints being prepped
Welds being prepped
Inter-pass cleanings
Vacuuming of welds

With multi-function robotics, the new system is able to reduce risk to the operator and increase productivity. It also drives down the costs brought on by traditional methods due to time and expense in order to achieve the same goal.

This helped our client:

Reduce safety risks in a harsh work environment
Save time and money by bringing the weld cell to the part
Improve the quality of welds with only one operator
Reduce man-hours by only needing one operator

Download our free white paper to learn more about how we were able to help our client with remotely operated, multi-function robotic work cells!

Custom Automation for Dynamic Productivity in Light Industrial Manufacturing

At Navus, we are adept at designing and developing projects at all scales and levels. We jump at every challenge to streamline complex processes and adapt them to your needs.

A perfect example is a recent client of ours who already had automated processes in their facility. These processes dealt with the production of a specific product, but they still needed help downstream for packaging without human intervention. Our engineers were tasked with creating new, custom processes and integrating them with our client’s current processes.

What made the project truly challenging were the stringent parameters they had to work in. This included goals, materials, and space. However, the product itself was complicated with multiple parts that required assembly. Our team had to design the new system with this goal and in the client’s parameters to be truly successful.

Fortunately, what would intimidate other companies intrigued us. We worked with our vendors to develop an automated process that exceeded our client’s imagination.

To download the free visual case study and learn how we created a system that produced 24 parts per minute with only one operator, click here!

Transforming Medium-Industry Manufacturing Through Vision Guided Robotics & CAD to Path Generation

Using robotics in automation isn’t a new concept and many medium-industry manufacturers are taking full advantage of their potential. However, residential construction is still lagging behind. While building prefabricated residential structures may seem like a heavy-industry project, it’s actually just combining multiple medium-industry pieces into a larger whole.

This is the challenge we faced for one of our clients. In the past, they had their employees measure and cut all the floorboards by hand for their prefabricated buildings. The main problem they faced was consistency. Each piece of floorboard required a different length so they would match the layouts in different building plans. They wanted to make their process more efficient.

What made this project especially exciting for our team is that the client didn’t have any pre-existing automation in their facilities. This would be their first, and we were thrilled to be chosen to develop it for them. They needed a process that would translate from 2-D CAD drawings to a finished product ready for installation.

Our challenge was to create an automated process that required:

Vision-guided robotics
Custom software
Adaptability with minimal input from an operator

Although it seemed complicated on the surface, the Navus team had confidence that they could meet all the client’s needs. Not only that, but the new system resulted in faster production times and reduced safety risks.

Download our free white paper to learn how we were able to help our medium-industry manufacturing client with vision-guided robotics and CAD-to-path generation!

Making the Impossible, Possible with Sensor-Guided Robotics

Medium-industry automation isn’t the only field we work in. We’ve also had the opportunity to work in heavy-industry manufacturing where custom automation can provide a variety of benefits for clients. A recent client had worked with multiple custom automation specialists in the past who had failed. Fortunately, they eventually found their way to Navus.

Our client’s old manual process consumed time and exhausted the employees. Things needed to change not only to improve efficiency, but also to mitigate certain risks for employees.

They gave us an opportunity to try the impossible and build a machine that could:

Locate individual parts that weigh up to 14,000 lbs
Identify parts by shape and features
Create a toolpath for parts
Mill sharp edges of parts to a precise radius

The client’s old manual process had employees using electric grinders to smooth sharp edges. This left them exhausted and significantly increased the risk of an incident. This new process helped ensure the safety of employees and allowed them to supervise the process from a safe distance.

To download our free white paper on using custom automation to make the impossible possible in heavy-industry manufacturing, click here!

Increasing Productivity in Manufacturing with New Weld Technology

The ability to weld heavy and complex parts is an important aspect of heavy-industry manufacturing. We were recently able to transform a client’s welding process from outdated and unreliable to one that’s much more accurate and safe.

Despite using 15,000 lbs of force to hold them in place, their old system had a tendency of parts slipping during the welding process. This was impeding their process by slowing down production as well as their throughput as a whole.

They knew they needed a solution that:

Produced accurate welds
Kept parts in place through the process
Kept their line operators safe

This project gave us an opportunity to partner with Miller Electric and beta test a brand new welding system. We were also able to design a unique spring-loaded system to prevent the slipping they experienced with their old system.

Another important factor was creating a system that could hold parts that ranged from 50 to 1,500 lbs. Our solution needed to recognize parts of different sizes and follow the correct steps without human input. Faster welding times were also a must to increase productivity.

Despite feeling nearly impossible at times, our engineers were confident they could meet the client’s needs. The end result was an easy-to-use system that integrated with their other processes to improve output and employee safety.

Download our free white paper to learn more about how we were able to meet our heavy-industry client’s custom automation welding needs!

Custom Automation

April 7, 2021

The Team at Navus: Forerunners of Technology Advancement

career, custom automation, custom fabrication, custom programming, robotic solutions, robotic welding, technology advancement

Navus

Navus has a reputation of delivering systems that work for our clients. We talk about solving client challenges regularly because it’s what we do every day! But how do we do it? We constantly look for ways to use, and even develop, the latest advanced technologies to ensure that our solutions work.

From robotics programming to bridging the gap between academic and hands-on engineering, our team takes their wealth of experience and knowledge to work with them every day of the week. They collaborate to make our solutions the best choice on the market, and think about challenges from every possible angle.

Meet Matt: Automation Technician

Matt N. recently joined the Navus team at the end of 2020, but he’s jumped right into his role creating solutions for our clients’ challenges. He’s been an impressive addition to our team, and we can’t wait to see how he continues to grow in knowledge and expertise at Navus.

Creating Something New Every Day

Navus: Describe what you do in your role at Navus.

Matt: I assemble and install electrical components as an aspect of our automation systems.

Navus: How did you end up in this career, and ultimately at Navus?

Matt: I was in the right place at the right time! In Fall of 2020, I was in my last semester of Electrical Engineering at Pellissippi State Community College. Navus came to visit our class to let us know about them and the work they do, but also to get to know us a little bit. I talked to them, and they thought I’d be a good fit at Navus, and I thought it would be a good opportunity for my career..

Navus: What’s your favorite part about your job and working at Navus?

Matt: I just like that it’s not always the same thing. Every day is a little different. Sometimes it’s similar to something I’ve done before, but oftentimes it’s something completely new. Especially for me, since I’m coming from the academic side of engineering rather than the experience side of it like some of my co-workers. It’s good for me to learn the practical side of some of the academic things that I learned about electrical engineering.

It’s also nice that Navus is a smaller company. We’re able to have input into the projects we’re working on, and to associate with everyone who’s involved with the project. I get to talk to the engineers, the project managers, the other fabricators, and the other technicians. We tend to work closely together that way to find the best multi-disciplinary solutions to the challenges that we face. I like that a lot about our company.

A Team That’s Not Afraid of Challenges

Navus: Describe some of the ways you’ve seen the team at Navus work together to overcome challenges.

Matt: Everyone brings their own expertise to any challenge we face. When we look for solutions, everybody brings a different perspective based on what they know about that type of issue, what the end goal is, and how best to attain it for our client.

We can collaborate and work together, and you end up getting input from other sides that you may not have thought about. Our team is familiar with all types of materials and the processes for fabricating them. They always bring their knowledge into play, and being a smaller operation allows us to share in those ways and come up with solutions for challenges.

Navus: What have been your favorite projects to work on?

Matt: Right now we’re working on a line that’s going to be a huge part of the future of the automobiles. It feels good to play a small part in the next generation of the automotive industry.

Navus: What do you hope for your future at Navus?

Matt: Honestly, I just like to see the robots dance. As advanced as robot technology is, and the constant advancement of the different tools we have to use with robots, we’re able to bring more and more of them into play and have greater precision with less waste and more efficiency. We create a better product for the end consumer—not only the client we’re working with, but also their ultimate client. It’s nice to be on the forefront of technology advancing.

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex of Custom Automation

Navus’ team is made up of hand-picked individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to our work. One of our values as a team is the ability to collaborate and overcome any challenges our clients face. Team members like Matt are part of the reason that our high standards for the solutions and products we deliver are possible!

If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help overcome your challenges through custom automation solutions, or if you’re interested in joining the Navus family, reach out to us today. You can contact us by emailing info@navusinc.com.

Custom Automation

March 24, 2021

The Team at Navus: Overcoming Challenges for Clients Every Day

career, custom automation, custom fabrication, water jet, welding

Navus

At Navus, every day is a little different. Our team is always working on different machines for different projects to make different parts to satisfy all of our clients. We only deliver projects to our clients that have been tested to perfection and are ready to be installed immediately.

The reason why we can deliver on our high standards is the very heart and soul of our operation: our team of expert engineers and technicians. The team at Navus works together relentlessly to solve any and all challenges that our clients face.

Meet Alan: Automation Technician, Mechanical Level 4

Alan R. has been a part of our team for nine years. He found his way to Navus while he was studying Mechanical Engineering at Pellissippi State Community College. He began working for our company when he was still in school, and then started working here full-time once he graduated with his degree.

Alan is the reason we can make the different parts for our clients’ projects, and make them well! He’s responsible for translating plans from the engineers into tangible parts used for client projects. We couldn’t serve our clients like we do without Alan’s hard work and dedication!

Translating Engineering Solutions to Physical Parts

Navus: Describe what you do in your role at Navus.

Alan: I take the prints from the engineers and work out how to actually make the parts [for our clients’ projects]. Anything that requires any tolerances, I work out what we have the capacity to do in-house, and make jigs or anything that needs to be made to actually make the parts workable.

Navus: What’s your favorite part about your job and working at Navus?

Alan: It’s varied and challenging. It’s certainly not [typical] production. Everything we do is usually custom to the client’s install. I’m not a big fan of doing the same thing every day. Here, there’s always something new to stretch yourself.

A Team That Forges a Future for Custom Automation

Navus: Describe some of the ways you’ve seen the team at Navus work together to overcome challenges.

Alan: We have developed quite a few welding techniques [at Navus]. We’ve gone through different robotic programming languages to get welds specific to the customer’s satisfaction and needs. We’ve used more than one program in the same part to get the ideal result. I usually spend my time in awe of the technical knowledge and creativity around here.

Navus: What have been your favorite projects to work on?

Alan: One of the jobs in the shop at the moment was one that I worked on when we originally built it. The first iteration of this job had a lot of detail and challenging parts for me to make. It’s been a while since it was here, so I get to restart that project anew and face the same challenges again. I think that’s a fun and an exciting part of my job.

Navus: What do you hope for your future at Navus?

Alan: We’ve got a few jobs coming in that are going to require utilizing some more of the features of the water jet, and getting the parts closer to being completely finished before they come into the machine area. Ideally, I’d like to get to the point where we have the capability of having parts made to much tighter tolerances, and produce much cleaner parts to the customer’s satisfaction. Some of our newer engineers have this same mindset and motivation. It’s nice to see the chance for our team to continue to improve for the sake of our customers’ satisfaction.

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex of Custom Automation

Navus’ team is made up of hand-picked individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to our work. One of our values as a team is the ability to collaborate and overcome any challenges our clients face. Team members like Alan are part of the reason that our high standards for the solutions and products we deliver are possible!

Custom Automation

March 10, 2021

The Team at Navus: A Workplace to Grow & Learn

career, custom automation, custom fabrication, welding

Navus

Ask anyone who’s been working in their career for a while, and no matter their industry, they’ll tell you that you don’t learn everything in school. Once you’ve graduated college and start your first job in your professional career, you’ll continue to find opportunities to learn and master new skills that will help you in your future.

At Navus, we take pride in investing in our employees. Our staff is encouraged to learn and grow in areas they’re interested in. The result is a safe, fun, and rewarding workplace with opportunities for professional growth.

Meet Mike: Weld Engineer, Programmer, and CWI (Certified Welding Inspector)

Mike T. has worked at Navus for a total of 13 years. He began his career with us directly after graduating from Ferris State University as a welder with a degree in Welding Engineering and Welding Education. Mike worked in this position for a total of two years before working a different job for a short period of time before returning to Navus as a Weld Engineer and CWI, and he’s been here ever since.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mike and ask him some questions about his job at Navus. He’s a crucial part of our team, and we’re excited to share just a portion of his story!

Work That’s Different Every Day

Navus: Describe what you do in your role at Navus.

Mike: It depends on the job. If there’s a robotics job, I’ll be in charge of a lot of the robotics programming. If there’s a welding development job, I’ll be in charge of the development for [that job]. Any sort of welder certification or inspection, I would be over [that process]. And then I provide random tech support.

Navus: How did you end up in this career, and ultimately at Navus?

Mike: I went to Ferris State University for Welding Engineering and Welding Education with the intention of being a Welding Engineer or a Welding Instructor. I pretty much picked an area where I wanted to live (I lived in Michigan at the time), and I decided that near the Smoky Mountains was where I wanted to live, so I moved and then found a job here at Navus as a welder.

I was drawn to the area because I am an avid hiker and motorcyclist. There are some pretty epic trails here, some nice riding, and just a beautiful area compared to Michigan. And I HATE cold (not ideal for living in Michigan).

Navus: What’s your favorite part about your job and working at Navus?

Mike: I like how it always changes. It’s not the same thing week to week. I get to learn new things. I did not go to school for programming, but I’ve been able to learn programming here. If you can learn it here, you can move into it. I really like that you’re not stuck in one job if you’re willing to learn new things.

A Team That Works Together to Overcome Challenges

Mike: I also like that Navus is a small company. Everyone knows everybody, and everyone’s willing to help each other out. Nobody’s like, “That’s not my job.” I like that aspect.

Navus: Describe some of the ways you’ve seen the team at Navus work together to overcome challenges.

Mike: We recently worked on a project with a cable management issue, and pretty much the whole engineering team and the guys out on the floor (including the welders and fabricators), were all pitching in ideas to come up with different ways to solve a really complicated problem with cabling and a robot that had to do a bunch of very complicated moves. It took time to get the final product, but nobody gave up on it.

Navus: What have been your favorite projects to work on?

Mike: I’ve been working on one project for almost 11 years. It’s one of the first things I worked on, and we’re still continuing to do things for the client. It’s where I started learning programming, and I’m still involved with it since it’s a more complicated project. Some of the other projects I enjoy are anything involving ABB [robotics] and programming, just because it’s such fun code to write.

Navus: What do you hope for your future at Navus?

Mike: I’d like to get into PLC programming. I’ve started dabbling in HMI programming and screen setup. Pretty much any new language that I can dabble in, so I can basically move into more of just a programming role.

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex of Custom Automation

Navus’ team is made up of hand-picked individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to our work. One of our values as a team is the ability to collaborate to overcome any challenges our clients face. Team members like Mike are part of the reason that our high standards for the solutions and products we deliver are possible!

Custom Automation

February 17, 2021

Solving Production Delays & Programming Issues

custom automation, custom programming, manufacturing floor space, programming issues

Navus

No matter what’s being produced, the manufacturing process can get complicated quickly. Every one of our manufacturing clients come to us with unique challenges somewhere in their process—including programming issues. Recently, a client approached us with recurring challenges they were facing in their manufacturing process due to the architecture of their control systems and its inability to do what they needed to without manual input. They needed a reliable system that could improve overall production and make it easier to operate.

There’s a reason we claim to solve complex challenges — our team is known for solving the challenges that our clients face. We’ve proven it time and time again. No matter the scale of the challenge you’re facing, our team works until they find a unique solution that works better for than you could have ever imagined.

Programming Issues Can Cause a Host of Production Problems

It seems simple enough, but if a system in your manufacturing facility isn’t programmed correctly, it’s almost impossible for the entire production system to do what it’s supposed to do. This understandably causes more than one problem in your facility. Production rates plummet, processes are stalled, it feels like something’s always in need of fixing, and it leaves you and your entire team with a major headache and no clear fix.

That’s the moment our engineers come to your rescue.

The featured client was dealing with all of the above frustrations when they approached us for a solution. Our engineers know the ins and out of a control system’s architecture, which allowed us to recreate the system they already had, but in a way that actually worked for them.

How did we do it?

The Navus Solution: Getting Back to the Architecture of it All

By going back to the root of what our clients needed their system to accomplish, our team was able to build a better, more efficient system. All aspects of the production line needed to understand and communicate with each other. Our client didn’t just need automation for automation’s sake— they needed a smart solution that actually did everything their production process required without constant input from operators.

Our client was continuously faced with the challenge to produce a consistent fit up, within a tight tolerance, on a multi-part assembly at a critical place within their manufacturing process. One missing piece in their previous system keeping them from accomplishing this was the ability to automatically recognize and compensate for part features and variables. This is a feature we’ve delivered to other clients before, including the project detailed in our white paper: MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE WITH SENSOR-GUIDED ROBOTICS. Because of our experience and reputation for delivering our clients systems that can identify their different parts, and intuitively know what to do with the parts, we knew we could deliver this particular solution.

Navus’ system was able to automatically overcome the variable tolerance stack ups in materials and assembly without the need for operator intervention or input. Due to Navus’ depth of knowledge in control system’s architecture, we were able to recreate a production cell that our client was familiar with. We weren’t trying to make their new system fit in their existing floorspace. We simply took the concept of what was already there, made it infinitely better, and integrated it into their facility seamlessly.

The ultimate result? Dramatically improved production rates and reliable part consistency to the downstream process. It was an easier system for operators to manage because it didn’t produce inconsistencies, slow production down with stalled time, or require constant tweaks and manual operation. Now all the operators have to do is oversee that the system is doing what it’s supposed to.

Automation Integration is Considering the Big Picture

When Navus goes to solve a challenge for a client through automation integration, we look at the big picture. We ask ourselves how the process we’re creating for you is going to work with the rest of your facility. Our solutions are built to communicate with the rest of your manufacturing process, and fit into the space you already have.

We promise to deliver solutions that work, and we don’t end the relationship once the process has been delivered. We pride ourselves on our client relationships and love to find other ways we can solve the challenges our clients face.

Navus’ ability to solve your challenges ultimately comes down to our team and history of excellence. Every one of our engineers is passionate about solving specific challenges for our clients who partner with us. We’re dedicated to thinking outside of the box to ensure our turn-key system solutions accomplish what you need and solve the challenges you face. From electrical and controls system engineering to automation integration, and everything in between, we promise to partner with you in all aspects possible. When you choose to partner with us for your integration needs, you become a part of the Navus family.

Navus Automation, Inc., is a leading full-service automation integrator. Our world-class team has a reputation for applying ingenuity to solve complex challenges and deliver customized turn-key systems solutions. From concept to completion, Navus provides robotic welding and automation systems built upon our unwavering commitment to excellence, precision, and reliability.

For more information on how our team can help you solve complex challenges in your manufacturing facility, reach out to us today!

Light Industry Custom Automation

February 3, 2021

Back to the Future With Navus

Navus

Navus has been envisioning a future for our clients since 1998. The majority of our clients are repeat customers, no matter the scale of their industry or our project. When we partner with a client, we don’t just deliver a system and then say goodbye. We deliver new ideas that lead to greater opportunities for our clients’ businesses. In a way, our clients have become an important part of the Navus family, and we love any opportunity to continue working with them.

We recently had the rare opportunity to work with a customer on a machine we originally built for them 15 years ago! The machine was used on a consistent basis over the past 15 years to manufacture small parts in the medical industry, but it was clear they needed to either design a new machine or update the current one to meet their latest needs. Our team at Navus worked with our client to find the best solution for their needs. The result was our ability to revisit a piece of our company’s history, while solving a challenge for a valued client.

Should You Rebuild Your Current Machine? Or Invest in a New Machine?

Working in industrial manufacturing comes with a host of challenges and complexities on a regular basis, but our priority is always to find the perfect solution for your company.

When our client came back to us after 15 years of happily using the machine we originally built them, they came with a dilemma.

The machine they had used for the past 15 years to produce small parts for the medical industry worked the way they wanted it to. It produced legacy parts that are still relevant today, but there have also been important shifts and changes in the manufacturing world over the past 15 years. Our client wanted to know whether they should rebuild their current machine, or start over and invest in a new machine.

At Navus, we don’t just solve problems for our client — we partner with them to find the best solution for their needs. To solve our client’s dilemma, we started with a thorough evaluation of their current system. In order to make strong recommendations on their next step forward, we needed to understand the capacity at which they were currently operating, and what their goals for any future system would be.

Once our evaluation was complete, we delivered a detailed report weighing the costs and benefits of rebuilding their original machine versus building a completely new system. We’ve historically taken meticulous notes of how our solutions and systems are engineered. Referencing these detailed notes while we were evaluating our client’s system ultimately helped our client understand which option would work best for their goals.

Rebuilding Results in Peak Efficiency

The machines and systems that are on the production floor are an investment, and you want to invest in the systems that are going to bring you the best results. Our team’s initial step to evaluate our client’s current system ensured that we were considering the best outcome from multiple perspectives.

Our clients ultimately chose to rebuild the machine we previously built for them. They knew the system worked the way they needed it to, and it would only take a few updates to bring the machine in line with the 21st century.

From start to finish, the entire project was completed in 3 months. The end result was a machine rebuilt to exceed the original specifications, returned to our client in just a few weeks from starting the rebuild process. The new version of their machine runs at peak efficiency and continues to produce legacy products. Our client won’t have to worry about rebuilding or replacing this machine for years to come. It now does exactly what they need it to do, but even faster than before.

Engineering the Smartest Automation Solutions Since 1998

Navus’ ability to solve our clients’ challenges ultimately comes down to our team and history of excellence. Every one of our engineers is passionate about solving specific challenges for our clients who partner with us. At Navus, we don’t resort to the same solution other integrators offer. We’re dedicated to thinking outside of the box to ensure our turn-key system solutions accomplish what our competitors haven’t considered.

Partnering with Navus isn’t just about figuring out a solution for your current challenges. We promise to offer new ideas and solutions that create a better future for your manufacturing space and company.

Navus Automation, Inc., is a leading full-service automation integrator. Our world-class team has a reputation for applying ingenuity to solve complex challenges and deliver customized turn-key systems solutions. From concept to completion, Navus provides robotic welding and automation systems built upon our unwavering commitment to excellence, precision, and reliability.

For more information on how our team can help you solve complex challenges in your manufacturing facility, reach out to us today!

Custom Automation

January 19, 2021

Not All Integrators Are The Same: How Navus Created Something New Out of Pre-Existing Systems

Navus

We don’t have to tell you about the challenges and complexity of making the different systems in your facility communicate and work together. If you find managing line production day-to-day feels more like a nightmare than the smooth process it should be, you may be partnered with the wrong automation integrator. Choosing the right automation integrators makes all the difference in how well your systems run, their impact on your day, and the future growth of your company.

No matter what challenge you’re facing in your manufacturing facility, different automation integrators will always come up with different ways to resolve your challenges. When choosing a partner, it comes down to choosing the smartest solution possible for your company. Integration isn’t just about solving your current challenge, it’s also about looking to the future and seeing possibilities for the success of your business that your current integration partner may not have considered.

Our team at Navus has proven our ability to stand out above other integrators with our knack for seeing what others didn’t, and applying ingenuity to not only solve immediate complex challenges for our clients, but also to think towards the future and how our turn-key systems can provide intelligent solutions that consider future challenges your company may face. In this blog series we explore how the work that we’ve done sets Navus apart from other integrators.

Turn-Key Systems Solution At Its Finest

This particular client had worked with other automation integration companies before working with us at Navus. The systems these other integrators had created were okay, in the fact that they did the job they were supposed to do, but their solutions were broken up into different processes and systems that weren’t serving the client well.

Our team was able to take what our client’s former integration partner had done and turn it into an innovative, singular process that takes up minimal space on their manufacturing floor, and opened up endless possibilities for the future of automated systems in their manufacturing facility.

How Did We Do It?

Navus came in and picked up the pieces that other integration companies had left behind. All of the separate systems worked fine, but they created more complexity and challenges for our client’s daily life than they needed to. The finer touches our team engineered turned these pre-existing systems into a more robust and consistent solution for our clients that accomplished multiple processes from beginning to end in just one, singular system. This project is the perfect example of just how much we can do at Navus through robotics and programming.

Our client needed a system that could trim and expand specific parts they manufacture. The process itself was complex, requiring the system to locate and identify different tools, as well as identify how and when to use each tool in the trimming and expansion process. With their previously engineered solutions, our clients relied on robots having to be programmed for each separate part, and then prompted to do each separate piece. Ultimately this cost time and money that didn’t need to be wasted.

Navus engineers programmed the single robot in the system to search and identify different parts and tools. The robot was also calibrated to use each tool for specific tasks in the manufacturing process, without having to program the robot for all of the different parts, or separate the different steps into different line layouts. Our solution took what were traditionally separate systems in a manufacturing facility and transformed it into one cohesive, consistent, and reliable solution for the client. This solution didn’t just solve their immediate problem, but it created an opportunity for them to assess how their other integrated solutions might be optimized.

Why Are Navus’ Solutions Smarter Than Other Automation Integrators’ Solutions?

It all comes down to our team at Navus. Every one of our engineers is passionate about solving specific challenges for every single one of our clients who partners with us. Our experience, ability to think outside of the box, and passion make all of the difference in ensuring our turn-key system solutions accomplish what other automation integrators can’t. Partnering with Navus isn’t just about figuring out a solution for your current challenges. With every client we partner with, we promise to bring new ideas and solutions to the table that create future possibilities for your manufacturing space, and the future growth of your company.

For more information on how our team can help you solve complex challenges in your manufacturing facility, reach out to us today!

Sensor-Guided Robotics Handling Multi-Ton Parts?

Custom Automation

January 12, 2021

Not All Integrators Are The Same: How Navus Saw What Others Couldn’t

automation integrators, custom automation, not all integrators are the same

Navus

Sensor-Guided Robotics Handling Multi-Ton Parts?

A couple of years ago we gained a client in a nontraditional way because of our ability to think of the smartest way to solve challenges. Their facility manufactured multi-ton parts, and they wanted to automate a part of the process that had historically been done manually by employees. They required a machine that could automatically locate and identify one of their heavy parts by recognizing its shape and features, create a tool path for the part, and mill all sharp edges to a close-tolerance radius, all while ensuring downstream processing success using robotic programming.

Our client hired a different integration team before they approached us, but the system that their first integration partner engineered failed when it actually came to programming a robot to locate and identify each part before milling the sharp edges. Our client recognized that this was a central part of the solution they needed, and reached out to us for a second opinion. Our entire team was confident we could engineer a solution and we put our heads together to figure out how to accomplish what seemed impossible to accomplish.

How Did We Do It?

Whatever system and machine we developed needed to account for fluctuation in size and weight of our client’s manufactured parts. Part positioning tolerances and dimensional variations can decrease productivity, causing high rejection rates and downtime in industrial robotic applications, and we wanted to avoid those roadblocks at all cost. Our machine needed to consistently deliver a part at the end of the tool path that has been measured with all sharp edges milled into a precise radius in less than an hour from start to finish, with no need for manual manipulation.

Robotics were our best friend when it came to solving this particular challenge. Our team utilized experience and ingenuity to create a system that could:

Find and measure a particular part
Write a program for itself based on the position of the edges of the part
Automatically grind edges to a precise radius

The result of our ingenuity was a multi-faceted machine that accomplished all of our client’s intended goals. The process we engineered utilized sensor guided robotics, automatic tool path generation from sensor inputs, automatic robot program generation, and custom designed material handling equipment to reliably move and precisely position very heavy materials. Our clients required the process to take under an hour in order to be more efficient, and our machine accomplished the entire process beginning to end in only 25 minutes.

Our team’s ability to think outside of the norm for robotics and programming solved a problem that seemed nearly impossible for our client. We took what other automation integrators failed at and turned it into a solution that went above and beyond what our client expected. Read more of the specifics about how we solved their challenges by downloading our recent white paper.

Why Are Navus’ Solutions Smarter Than Other Automation Integrators’ Solutions?

For more information on how our team can help you solve complex challenges in your manufacturing facility, reach out to us today!

Custom Automation

January 4, 2021

Not All Automation Integrators Are The Same: How Navus Engineered What Didn’t Exist

automation integration, manufacturing floor space, robotic quality check

Navus

Seamless Integration & No Line Layout Changes

One of the most unique client challenges we’ve helped resolve to date was a modular machine for the assembly of small parts. The machine needed to handle a 26-step manufacturing process contained in the single, modular machine. Our client had pre-existing systems that built these particular parts in their manufacturing facility, but the legacy systems were not able to produce fast enough to meet the demanded volume of manufactured products. They needed additional systems to decrease production time for orders that followed the same general manufacturing steps, but that could be contained within a small footprint of the manufacturing floor.

The system that Navus proposed did more than just solve our client’s initial challenge. It opened up a new world of possibilities for the future of their manufacturing facility and production times that translates directly to the growth of their business.

The end result of this project was a machine that assembled parts faster than our client could have imagined, without taking up extra space on the manufacturing floor. The design and programming of the machine itself created a platform for which all of their future line layout can be accomplished without the need to change manufacturing floor space requirements—and in fact, free up more manufacturing floor space to include new lines as their business grows.

How Did We Do It?

One of our client’s main goals was to utilize automation to achieve a faster production time. The goal for each part of the automation process was to be completed under 2.5 seconds. But the automation system had to be flexible in order to account for multiple variations in the product. On top of this, our client wanted to affordably automate the assembly process inline with existing equipment without changing their facility’s floor plan.

For this system’s automation application, we needed to create a machine cased within a custom safety enclosure that also featured an in-feed conveyor system with part escapements, a label application system, a height inspection sensor, nail feeding and insertion systems, a part nest tooling system, an operator control panel, and an out-feed conveyor system.

We did it all with the use of a flexible robotic automation process contained within one modular machine.

Instead of the traditional approach of using multiple robots programmed for different steps of the assembly process down a long assembly line, our engineers’ solution used a robot’s ability to do multiple functions in the assembly process to make our client’s desires a reality.

The turn-key systems solution we designed:

Automated the label application process
Inspects and verifies the height of certain parts
Feeds nails into the correct spot
Nests boxes together
Provides a robotic quality check (and disposes of faulty parts)
All contained in one modular machine that took up minimal floor space in our client’s facility

The result? With this new process, our client was able to produce 24 individual, finished parts within one minute, increasing their capacity for production without the need to change manufacturing floor space requirements. For more details about this particular project, check out our recent visual case study!

Why Are Navus’ Solutions Smarter Than Other Automation Integrators’ Solutions?

For more information on how our team can help you solve complex challenges in your manufacturing facility, reach out to us today!

1 2

Custom Automation

Goal: Update an Existing Light Industrial Manufacturing Process

Click here our top 5 free custom automation resources!

Our Solution

How It Works

To learn more about our work in light industrial manufacturing, click here!

Analyzing the Results

What is Light Manufacturing?

Do you need help finding solutions for your light manufacturing problems? Click here to contact us today!

Download our free white paper to learn more about how we were able to help our client with remotely operated, multi-function robotic work cells!

To download the free visual case study and learn how we created a system that produced 24 parts per minute with only one operator, click here!

Download our free white paper to learn how we were able to help our medium-industry manufacturing client with vision-guided robotics and CAD-to-path generation!

To download our free white paper on using custom automation to make the impossible possible in heavy-industry manufacturing, click here!

Download our free white paper to learn more about how we were able to meet our heavy-industry client’s custom automation welding needs!

Meet Matt: Automation Technician

Creating Something New Every Day

A Team That’s Not Afraid of Challenges

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex of Custom Automation

Meet Alan: Automation Technician, Mechanical Level 4

Translating Engineering Solutions to Physical Parts

A Team That Forges a Future for Custom Automation

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex of Custom Automation

Meet Mike: Weld Engineer, Programmer, and CWI (Certified Welding Inspector)

Work That’s Different Every Day

A Team That Works Together to Overcome Challenges

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex of Custom Automation

Programming Issues Can Cause a Host of Production Problems

The Navus Solution: Getting Back to the Architecture of it All

Automation Integration is Considering the Big Picture

Should You Rebuild Your Current Machine? Or Invest in a New Machine?

Rebuilding Results in Peak Efficiency

Engineering the Smartest Automation Solutions Since 1998

Turn-Key Systems Solution At Its Finest

How Did We Do It?

Why Are Navus’ Solutions Smarter Than Other Automation Integrators’ Solutions?

Sensor-Guided Robotics Handling Multi-Ton Parts?

How Did We Do It?

Why Are Navus’ Solutions Smarter Than Other Automation Integrators’ Solutions?

Seamless Integration & No Line Layout Changes

How Did We Do It?

Why Are Navus’ Solutions Smarter Than Other Automation Integrators’ Solutions?

Recent Posts

Recent news

Proud Member

Social

Contact Us