As a result of research and consultations, Ford concluded that the cobots offered by Universal Robots met all the company’s needs and criteria.

Ford Romania plant in Craiova has now installed four UR10s, the largest of the UR cobot models. Three of them have been integrated directly into work processes and are working alongside the employees on the assembly line, taking over repetitive tasks. One UR10 performs the greasing of the camshaft followers, another fills the engine with oil, and the third checks the engine with a UV light and a camera for leakage after it has been filled with oil. The camera used in the engine check process is a Cognex camera vision, a UR+ product, communicating with the cobot through Ethernet. The UR10 cobot operates it with the help of an end effector (gripper) specially created and personalized by the Ford engineers according to the application. The fourth UR10 unit is used for tests and training and will soon have an operational role assigned. Due to the integration of the UR10 into the system that controls the assembly line, the process is simplified. The cobots do not require human/operator’s intervention unless a change occur in the usual processes.

“A team from the UK did a global analysis on which type of cobot best suited our needs in the engine and vehicle plants,” says Adrian Calangiu, area manager at Ford Romania’s engine plant. ”When we implemented the cobots, it was not our intention to replace people, we wanted to help the operators that perform repetitive and challenging jobs, having the cobot act as a colleague to the operator instead of as a replacement. The UR cobots have the flexibility to work near the operator, without jeopardizing his safe zone. The collaborative robots also relieve him of monotonous, repetitive tasks giving him the opportunity to contribute in a creative manner.

UR cobot models: 4 UR10

UR+ products used:Camera vision Cognex