Columbus McKinnon’s Magnetek brands have more than 20 years of experience delivering automated systems to the automotive industry.
From the first step of the automobile production process to taking the final assembled vehicle off the line, automation technology is hard at work. Time is money, so productivity is critical and uptime is of the utmost importance.
For this reason, optimization of the automotive assembly line has always been an essential element within any automobile manufacturing facility and automation can help. In 1954, General Motors introduced Unimate, the first industrial robot, and is one of the largest users of robotic automation among U.S. automakers. And, that was only the beginning. Automotive automation technology continues to evolve, helping manufacturers meet the needs for increased productivity.
Simply put, automotive automation is the use of computer-programmed mechanical equipment during the assembly of an automobile. Automotive automation technology ranges from a pre-programmed overhead crane repeatedly delivering transmissions to a set location in a facility to robotic arms installing windshields without the need for human assistance. Not only does this technology reduce takt time, it reduces the chance of human error and accidents. Learn more about our automotive automation solutions.
The automotive automation industry is extremely competitive. With a growing number of vehicles on the road, it has become more important than ever to reduce weight to increase fuel efficiency. One way in which manufacturers are achieving this goal is by using die castings. Automotive die casting uses a metal molding process to produce parts from molten metal (die). They then cool the metal and solidify it into parts such as engine blocks or gearboxes machined into shape. By using this technique, automotive parts can be made lighter and more fuel efficient without compromising quality.
In order to help an automotive assembly line run efficiently and safely, line speed matching allows multiple hoists to lift and traverse one item in tandem with a piece of equipment on the ground (e.g. conveyors). This allows a single operator to mate two items on an assembly line safely and more efficiently. When there’s a need to synchronize multiple drives, our IMPULSE® Drive Synchronization Software makes it easy. This customized Magnetek brand software allows you to synchronize IMPULSE•VG+ Series 4 Drives to precisely control motion and prevent the operator from making an uneven lift, increasing operator and facility safety. It also helps improve productivity by eliminating the need for the operator to manually level the hoists.
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