In 2019, demand for kitchen furniture in Germany was higher than it has been for a long time. Around 1.35 million kitchens were sold. The luxury segment in particular is also flourishing. Here, perfection is not only important on the outside, but also behind the elegant scenes - for example in the production of guide systems for kitchen drawers. A new system from ubh Mechanical Engineering (ubh ME) for the production of high-end guide systems focuses on the highest processing quality with short cycle times. On the one hand, the slide-in units must be able to withstand high loads, as they can also be fitted with heavy granite and stone slabs according to customer requirements. On the other hand, global demand is so high that only four seconds are available per component. Epson SCARA robots ensure the perfect combination of precision and high speed.2019 saw the highest demand for kitchen furniture in Germany for a long time. Around 1.35 million kitchens were sold. The luxury segment in particular is also flourishing. Here, perfection is not only important on the outside, but also behind the elegant scenes - for example in the production of guide systems for kitchen drawers.

A new system from ubh Mechanical Engineering (ubh ME) for the production of high-end guide systems focuses on the highest processing quality with short cycle times. On the one hand, the slide-in units must be able to withstand high loads, as they can also be fitted with heavy granite and stone slabs according to customer requirements. On the other hand, global demand is so high that only four seconds are available per component. SCARA robots from Epson provide the perfect combination of precision and high speed.

High conceptual flexibility

ubh ME put all its eggs in one basket in the end customer's tender for the new system. "We were in the tender with several special machine manufacturers, some of which were significantly larger," says Siegfried Schwarzer, Managing Director of ubh ME. "There were already five existing systems that were all based on the same design. However, we realized that a more efficient solution was possible with modern Rotober technology. So we didn't take the supposedly safe route and instead proposed an innovative concept that was fundamentally different from the other providers." With success, as ubh ME was awarded the contract and was able to begin implementation.

The company, which has been active in process automation for special machine construction for over 15 years, has benefited from its corporate philosophy. "We always go from the product to the system, never the other way around," says Schwarzer. "This makes us particularly solution-oriented. In our eyes, it makes more sense to look for the right system for the product - detached from a fixed basic system. This means that we may have three or four different systems integrated in one installation. This flexibility on the conceptual side is what makes us so successful." The high degree of flexibility has been significantly enhanced by the fact that the company has been increasingly relying on the use of robots for around five years, in particular SCARAs from Epson.

Robot automation - dynamic interplay of forces

A total of 56 product variants are currently running on the ubh system.

© Epson / ubh ME

A major advantage that robotics from Epson brings to the new ubh system is the simple changeover to different product variants. The system for manufacturing guide systems for kitchen slide-in units currently handles a total of 56 different products. For high cycle rates and maximum flexibility, the robot systems interlock and work together highly dynamically. Back panel holders and front housings are gripped by SCARA robots, fed into processing stations and assembled, resistance welded and removed again by the next robot for subsequent laser spot welding. The robots can be equipped fully automatically with the appropriate welding guns for different component variants. The dynamic interplay of forces in overlapping work with positional rotation during the transport movement not only saves time, it also reduces the installation space.

Always exactly the right system

For Siegfried Schwarzer, the use of SCARA robots means an increase in flexibility that creates competitive advantages. "The degree of flexibility in special machine construction plants is significantly higher today than it was just a few years ago. Robots can solve this flexibility problem. Today, we have to cover a much greater variety of products with one system."

Space requirements are also playing an increasingly important role. Systems must become ever smaller and more process-capable, without neglecting the people who have to operate the system. The passionate mechanical engineer sees the variability of robot sizes as a decisive advantage for Epson. "From small to large, we can always choose exactly the right one, not only in terms of physical size, but also in terms of price," emphasizes Schwarzer.

According to documents from Epson