• Roboprint partnered with TM Robotics, the distributor of Shibaura Machine robots, to develop an automated solution for the labour-intensive processes of detaching and handling eyeglasses fabric stock.
• The collaboration aimed to automate the decoration of eyeglass cleaning cloths, reducing manual handling hazards and increasing efficiency.
• The project involved a customised solution based on Roboprint’s flagship printing head technology, including a reel-dragging system and SCARA robots for detaching and stacking the cloths.

The challenge

Centrostyle, an Italian company, manufactures a wide range of eyeglass cleaning cloths, which requires the decoration of these items through either pad-based printing machines or sublimation. However, handling the decorated cloth patches after printing poses significant challenges, including handling the reels weighing up to 50 kg, detaching individual cloths from the paper roll, stacking them, and packaging them.

Health and safety concerns

The current manual handling process creates health and safety concerns, including musculoskeletal disorders and the risk of crush injuries. Moreover, the process is labour-intensive, translating into significant costs for Centrostyle.

A solution is developed

To address the challenges, Roboprint was tasked with developing an automated solution. The company collaborated with BBS ROBOT, a specialist robotics and automation consultant and distributor, who provided robots programming support through its Robotics Engineering Center. The collaboration between Roboprint and Japanese robotics manufacturer, Shibaura Machine, began with the specification of a solution supplied by TM Robotics’ Italian distributor, Tiesse Robot.

The customised solution

The customised solution designed and developed by Roboprint consists of a reel-dragging system that automatically pulls and folds the paper roll at an acute angle, allowing the cloth patches to be detached by approximately four mm. A second conveyor belt then takes over the patches, completely detaching them from the paper substrate. From here, robots get a grip of the process.

THE600 SCARA robots

The patches are fed to two THE600 SCARA robots from Shibaura Machine. The THE600 is the second largest model from Shibaura Machine’s extensive THE robot series, designed and engineered in Japan. The robots are equipped with software-adjustable suction channels to collect the cloths one by one and stack them.

Smooth robot installation and operation

The Shibaura Machine THE600 SCARA robots were instrumental to the project’s success. Despite its compact design, the THE600 has 60 per cent higher payload capacity than competing SCARA models in the same price range, making it the price-to-performance leader.

Intuitive software and technical support

The customised solution also incorporates the TS5000 robot controller from Shibaura Machine, which features dedicated edge computing protocols combined with vibration analytic tools, generating predictive maintenance profiles unique to each application. The TSAssist industrial robot programming tool also played a crucial role in the project, providing a flexible and user-friendly programming interface.

Key benefits

The implementation of the automated solution has resulted in significant efficiency and productivity gains for Centrostyle, reducing its yearly operating costs by over €300,000.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Roboprint and TM Robotics, made possible by their Italian distribution Tiesse Robot and BBS ROBOT, demonstrates how industrial robots can help automate printing heads and other printing devices, driving efficiency and productivity and reducing costs throughout the supply chain.

“Unlike sectors like automotive and logistics, robots are yet to be widely adopted in the printing industry,” said Nigel Smith, CEO at TM Robotics.

“Roboprint’s solution demonstrates how industrial robots can help automate printing heads and other printing devices, driving efficiency and productivity and reducing cost throughout the supply chain.