35% cost reduction while maintaining work safety and high-quality output
Solution for Labor Shortage
Jan 29, 2024 — Yokoyama Kogyo is a Japanese manufacturer of car seat frames and various automobile parts. Like many other countries, Japan is seeing a shrinking labor pool in the manufacturing sector, presenting a challenge for companies like Yokoyama.“Manufacturers have been facing labor shortages, especially during the pandemic and there is an urgent need to deploy automation,” says Yokoyama Eisuke, CEO and President of Yokoyama Kogyo.
His company needed to automate part of its production process on the metal stamping machine. At the same time, employees also needed to maintain access to the pressing machine safely.
Solution: RG2 gripper
Collaborative application is a clear choice for Yokoyama.
Combining the OnRobot RG2 gripper and AUBO cobot, the manual processes of loading and unloading parts are fully automated. Notably, the collaborative application does not require a big footprint and it is able to work safely alongside employees; no safety fence is needed.
With unlimited customization to fit various needs, the small, lightweight RG2 gripper is perfect for tight spaces. The fingertips of the gripper can be easily customized, fitting the product shape for stable gripping
“OnRobot provides simplicity and ease of use, which saves us a lot of expensive engineering hours that are usually required with typical automation projects,” says Mori, Assistant Chief of Technology for the Manufacturing Department.
The benefit
Employees of Yokoyama now do not have to perform strenuous, repetitive work on the machine. They no longer need to be stationed at the machine for hours, but they are able to focus on higher-value duties. Collaborative application has helped Yokoyama achieve an overall 35% cost reduction while maintaining work safety and high-quality output.
About Yokoyama Kogyo
Established in 1951 in Toyota City, Japan, Yokoyama Kogyo is a leading metal stamping manufacturer for the construction and automotive industry. The company has around 200 employees in Japan. Yokoyama patented a pressing technology called SFP (Smart Forge Press) method, which has been widely adopted in Japan. In 2010, Yokoyama established a manufacturing facility in Thailand to fulfill the continued growth of the automobile industry in the region.
