Universal Robots helps companies automate production and solve labor shortages

2K Trend, as a Czech company, produces high-precision injection-molded plastic parts for large automotive manufacturers. As it was difficult to recruit injection molding machine managers, the company deployed a UR10 collaborative robot to do the job. The collaborative robot can handle various processes, optimizing production while solving labor shortage issues.

Labor shortage problem is getting worse

Like many other countries, the Czech Republic is facing an increasingly severe situation of "difficulties in recruiting workers" in the manufacturing industry, which is a big challenge for 2K Trend.

“There are fewer and fewer skilled workers in the market, which is slowing down the company’s development,” said Jiří Koláček, CEO of 2K Trend.

The company had to automate some of its production processes to reduce its reliance on manual labor. It also wanted to improve the reliability and productivity of its manufacturing processes, while also allowing employees to work closely with the injection molding presses. Collaborative robots clearly met these requirements for 2K Trend.

Deploy reliable automation solutions to optimize efficiency and costs

After comprehensive consideration, 2K Trend chose Universal Robots, a collaborative robot manufacturer that can provide complete automation solutions. Today, Universal Robots' UR10 collaborative robot has been put into use to ensure the smooth operation of the injection molding machine.

The UR10 collaborative robot places plastic pellets into the mold and starts the injection molding process. When the process is finished, the collaborative robot removes the finished mold and unloads it onto the conveyor. This is a monotonous and boring process, but high-precision operation is necessary when handling the finished mold. In addition, due to the size of the machine tool, the height difference between the press and the conveyor is also a problem.

2K Trend employees no longer have to perform the complex and monotonous work of inserting and removing molds on the press. The press is also large and complex, so it is not easy to control its movement trajectory. The UR10 collaborative robot can operate the entire press almost independently, eliminating the need to hire workers to fill this position. The UR10 collaborative robot also has the advantage of a large working radius and can operate the entire press efficiently.

The UR10 collaborative robot is virtually maintenance-free, requiring only regular visual inspections of the robot’s final molding and mechanical components without disrupting its operation. The UR10 collaborative robot has been working at 2K Trend for some time and has never had any incidents, making it very reliable.

“Purchasing collaborative robots has proven to be a wise decision and has already exceeded our expectations,” says Jiří Koláček.

The widespread use of collaborative robots in the plastics industry

Like 2K Trend, there are many plastics manufacturers that use collaborative robots to automate processes. The main characteristics of production in the plastics industry are small batches and high flexibility, and its manufacturing process varies depending on the material. Even for small batches, collaborative robots can increase productivity while freeing employees from repetitive physical tasks.

The plastics industry uses collaborative robots to perform the following tasks:

• Injection molding. Collaborative robots can automate injection molding applications and save space while maintaining consistently high quality and dosage consistency over multiple repetitions.

• Pick and place. Collaborative robots improve process accuracy and reduce waste. Collaborative robots support automated pick and place operations, allowing work to continue during a second or third shift. The lightweight design of the robot arm and its small footprint make it suitable for operation and reprocessing of various processes in confined spaces.

• CNC machines. Automated CNC machine management allows for quick reprogramming on the robot arm when required, as well as the installation of different end effectors and image processing systems.