Our cooperation with RAIS is a long-standing process

MachinesInterviewSouth-East European INDUSTRIAL Мarket - issue 3/2017

Dr. Dipl. Eng. Ivan Getsov, Director of VMZ EAD

How did you choose RAIS to make the delivery of a robotic system to VMZ?
VMZ and RAIS have long-lasting contacts, a part of our production base is equipped with their CNC machine tools. Our latest project is related to the building of robotic complexes.

In their enterprise we saw the work of a robot-operated lathe. Subsequently we developed a production complex of two lathes serviced by a robot, and now we already have several robotic lines.

In fact, any process of the operation of a machine can be robotized - feeding material, loading a detail into the machine, unloading a finished piece, arranging the finished products, moving them to a storage area.

Our task was to ease the work in our manufacturing facilities and to ensure that there is a production rhythm, which happened with the commissioning of several machine tool robotic lines, serviced by robots.

What are the main advantages of the implemented system and how will it support VMZ’s activities?
This is a manufacturing management system that is connected online with machines and robots. Robots enable more accurate planning of the production program in order to achieve greater efficiency and productivity, resulting in reduced production costs. At the same time, they greatly facilitate the work of our employees.

The operator only has to monitor whether the robot accurately executes all activities, and this can already be done online.

The main advantage is that the robotic complex provides a continuous and fully automated production process.

The robot can serve multiple machines simultaneously - it takes a blank, overloads it, loads it in the first machine, and together with the loading takes the finished piece from the first machine, leaves it on a pallet, serves the second machine - and with one opening of the machine it releases the finished detail and loads a new work piece.

RAIS robotic complexes provide high performance, absolute precision in execution, guaranteed quality and precision of the production.

What were the main challenges during the project realization? What specifics did you have to take into account?
In fact, RAIS had to comply with our specific requirements. Naturally, before we started working with them, we had the opportunity to evaluate the offers of other companies as well.

The advantage of RAIS is that they can afford to comply with individual customer assignments. I suppose they could work in a full-scale production mode and that would certainly be easier for their constructive and manufacturing departments, but they venture to develop a product that is fully in line with the customer’s requirements - like in our case.

The production complexes are designed and equipped according to the parameters we set. Large manufacturers, whose production is entirely standard, can not comply with each customer, while RAIS is doing so.

How long did it take for you to complete the overall implementation of the system and what is its value?
I wouldn’t say that we have completed the overall implementation of the system. Our cooperation with RAIS is a long-standing process and we are not talking about a single project here. We are talking about value - it is also a dynamic figure.

At present, this is a matter of several million leva, including other investment elements - not only equipment, but also the preparation of technological resources and the utilization of machines in production.


Dipl. Eng. Nishan Bazdigyan, Manager of RAIS

In RAIS we have been developing and investing in robotic systems for several years. Initially, we equipped one of our machines with a robot, evaluated the benefits, and then created a complex of several machines serviced by a robot. We presented it - already complete and working - to our partners and in this aspect our partnership with VMZ - Sopot was subsequently developed. It is a Bulgarian enterprise that invests in modern technologies and in improving the working conditions. Thanks to the robotic complex they can more easily plan their production process and increase their efficiency. At the same time, they free workforce that they can use far more rationally because that workforce consists of well-trained cadres. I hope you will agree with me that their opinion and assessment is the most objective.

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