Case study
Muraro Isidoro e Figli: robotics serving metalworking
Story courtesy of E. Oldrati and G. Giannangeli/Deformazione
Muraro Isidoro e Figli chose to invest in automation to increase the flexibility of its processes. This strategy was implemented by installing a Salvagnini P-Robot, a solution that extends the concept of panel bender with a robot, able to completely automate the panel bending process and solve the typical needs of various production strategies.
Robotics serving metalworking
Highlights
- Muraro
Muraro Isidoro e Figli was founded in 1959 in Brendola, in the province of Vicenza. Today, with a staff of around fifty, it is a subcontractorr specialized in sheet metal processing with flexible systems, a benchmark in this field for the whole Veneto area and beyond. - The context
Rapid developments in the past few years have seen the typical large batches of series production turn into medium-small batches or even replaced by just-in-time production. A high item turnover rate, tighter schedules and the constant lack of skilled personnel have shifted attention to automation and robotization. Muraro Isidoro e Figli wanted to add an even more flexible and autonomous machine than a simple panel bender to its workshop equipment. - The project
P-Robot is a new application which combines a panel bender with a robot to produce kits, batches and single parts autonomously. The P-Robot chosen by Muraro integrates a P1, a completely electrical panel bender with consumption less than 3kW. "As we already have other Salvagnini machines, we were able to speed up the commissioning of the new system," Luca Muraro, who oversees production, explains. "We basically hit the ground running, there wasn’t even time to say stop, wait, study and learn; with the same interface, we just had to transfer the programs from one panel bender to the other". - The outcome
"The programs are now all centralized in the servers, so we can change production very quickly. In fact, in almost half a day we completed a new production of 300 parts, programming 1200 bends from scratch! P-Robot extends production beyond the traditional manned work shifts, assigning operators only activities with high added value. Before we had another robotized system, which was much less flexible; it required extremely long re-tooling times. Now we can make a fairly simple component in five minutes, and a more complex component in just a few minutes more. We have solved many of our cases brilliantly".
