JO Safety in Lolland-Falster, Denmark, has taken automation to the next level with a fully automated cutter and robot, streamlining their production process and reducing manual labor. The robot “Murphy” takes its name from the lead character of the science fiction film “Robocop” and plays a heroic role within the company.

JO Safety produces signage for all types of businesses all over the world. They are an approved supplier for i.a. Siemens, which uses vast amounts of signage for their wind turbine production.

They produce signage in plastic, vinyl with kiss-cut, and acrylic. Here, items are sorted manually, as the robot is primarily configured for plastic items.

For plastic signs, they use the robot to pick and sort the items. The whole process is fully automated – from when the sheets are placed on the table until they are fully sorted in the 30 boxes.

  • For sorting, an ABB robot is used for dynamic picking of the cut-out items from the cutter’s extension table.

  • The robot unloads the individual items into boxes. The items are sorted into 30 boxes on a separate unloading table.

How it all started

In 2017, JO Safety reached out to Robotfactory for help with automating their cutting system. Up until that point, most of their work involved manual cutting, traditional die-cutting, or using roll feed vinyl cutters.

However, they soon realized that their current production speed couldn’t keep up with their ambitious plans to expand into the Nordic market. To achieve their goals and scale up production, they needed to find new and improved methods for optimizing materials and automating their production processes.

JO Safety’s needs were subsequently specified with the following requirements:

  • The system must automatically load sheets into the machine.

  • The system must be able to automatically retrieve cutting-data from individual prints that are in the same stack.

  • The system must be able to cut/mill the plastic plates with a satisfactory result.

  • The system must be able to pick the finished-cut items automatically and dynamically, without manually having to set and programme the robot.

  • The system must be able to sort the picked items into numerous stacks or boxes.

JO Safety | industrial robot | CAD design

When it became clear which solution was best for the task, it was meticulously designed in CAD and presented to JO Safety.

Research and development

JO Safety was presented with the first 3D illustrations of the complete solution in April 2019. The solution itself was created by a team of technicians, engineers, and programmers from Robotfactory.

An industrial ABB robot with appropriate range and lifting capability was selected, and the safety area defined by a combination of physical fence and lightbarriers.

For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.

Factory Acceptance Test

The entire system was build up at Robotfactory’s facilities in Odder for test and fine-tuning.
JO Safety was invited for a Factory Acceptance Test, which went well. Subsequently, the system was disassembled and prepared for delivery and installation.

Installation

In December 2019, the system was set up within just one week and promptly put into operation.

Significant increase in production

JO Safety explains:

”We can leave a huge stack of plastic items on the loading table, press “autoplay” – and then let Murphy feed, cut, and sort the items automatically without errors. We usually do this at the end of a workday. Then the production is finished and ready for packing the next morning.

There has been a noticeable increase in production since Murphy’s arrival. Items that previously had to be die-cut can now be cut. This gives us greater flexibility and faster conversion, as well as increased speed in general.”

If we need sparring, normally someone at Robotfactory can help us out immediately – otherwise they return quickly to us.

We experience a competent staff with a great openness to cooperation and learning. They are sincerely interested in our experiences and how we solve occasional small problems. For us, range and reliability are especially important in daily operations, but also service and guidance. We think that all things are fulfilled in our collaboration.”

JO Safety

Quick adjustment opened up new business opportunities

When the COVID pandemic hit, the need for signposts, distance floor signs, markings for chairs and tables, etc. erupted from one day to the next. The automation system made it possible to develop and produce new items in different sizes in a matter of hours.

JO Safety is now so busy that they have chosen to extend the working hours for the operators until 8 pm. It’s safe to assume that the cutting system is the direct cause for extending the amount of work shifts to keep up with the increased production.