Flexiv's Automated Shutter Sanding Solution
At a glance
• Customer: EsVata, a leading California-based shutter supplier.
• Problem: The time-consuming, labor-intensive process of manually sanding wooden shutters to ensure a uniform and consistent surface finish.
• Solution: Flexiv automated the complete shutter sanding process with a Rizon 4 robot, a fully customized user interface, and an OnRobot Sander with Automatic Grit Changer.
• Key features: A simple-to-operate user interface, fully automated sanding, automated sanding pad replacement, and increased output quality and throughput rate.
Advantages
• Fully compatible with multiple shutter sizes and types.
• Delivers a high-quality and consistent surface finish.
• 80% faster than manual sanding.
• Easy integration into the existing production environment.
Case Study Customer
EsVata Shutters
EsVata, a successful California-based provider of customized shutters, aimed to reduce their turnaround time without compromising their renowned production quality standards. Identifying the sanding stage as the most time-consuming and labor-intensive part of their production process, they sought Flexiv's expertise to automate this task. They required the new solution to be user-friendly, highly automated, and capable of achieving or surpassing the work quality produced by their experienced technicians. Paul Hsieh, EsVata's founder, stated, “Our commitment to quality led us to select the Rizon 4 from a sea of competitors. Its exceptional precision, powered by advanced force sensors in each joint, made it the ideal solution for our sanding needs.”
Overview
Ensuring that the shutter is sanded to a uniform level before priming and painting is crucial for EsVata as it ensures their customers receive high-quality, long-lasting shutters. Any imperfections in the shutter surface could result in improperly applied surface coatings, potentially affecting both the shutter's visual appearance and its longevity. Recognizing this, EsVata partnered with Flexiv to enhance their labor-intensive manual sanding process, aiming for improved consistency and reduced work time per shutter.
Flexiv's Solution
Flexiv's fully automated sanding solution comprises a Rizon 4 adaptive robot, an OnRobot Sander with Automatic Grit Changer, and a customized Flexiv user interface. This combination maximizes output quality and consistency by utilizing the Rizon 4's hybrid motion and force control along with its seven degrees of freedom. This enables an optimized sanding path for each shutter to be created, which significantly reduces sanding times while enhancing surface finish consistency.
Technical Features
Custom UI
EsVata's staff, unfamiliar with robotic programming, required an easy-to-use interface. Given the frequent production of bespoke-sized shutters, it was essential to enable operators to input different dimensions for accurate sanding trajectory calculations. Flexiv responded by creating a straightforward, clear, and intuitive touchscreen interface accessible to all EsVata employees.
Responsive Force Control
Wood naturally varies in grain structure, hardness, and surface contours. To achieve a uniform surface finish during sanding, applying consistent force is crucial. Rizon enables this with its 1 kHz force response rate, ensuring that the force exerted is the exact amount required for an optimal sanding outcome.
Whole Body Control Algorithm
To reduce the sanding time per shutter, Rizon's seven degrees of freedom and whole-body algorithm work together to enable the creation of highly efficient movement trajectories. These not only reduce sanding times but also aid in optimizing Rizon’s force control capacity.
Solution Advantages
Easy to Deploy
Flexiv's modular solution, built with extruded aluminum framing, can be easily transported and installed. Setup and troubleshooting are managed via the Flexiv Elements graphical programming application, with day-to-day operations handled through the simple to use custom touchscreen UI.
Inherently Safe
Fully CE and ETL certified, the Rizon 4 is designed to work safely alongside humans. Its ability to dynamically respond or cease all activity upon encountering a person or object eliminates the need for a traditional safety cage, enabling a workspace to be utilized to its fullest extent.
Time Savings
By reducing the average sanding time of a shutter by 80%, EsVata has significantly increased their throughput rate without sacrificing quality or consistency. Eliminating this bottleneck in their production capacity allows for quicker turnaround times and the ability to serve more clients.
