01 Automated Sanding Applications in High Mix Low Volume (HMLV) Manufacturing
SANDING IS CRUCIAL FOR IMPROVING PRODUCT QUALITY IN MANUFACTURING.
Parts from casting, forging, and welding often need sanding to improve contour accuracy and surface finish. Precision optical lenses, large complex parts like wind turbine blades, and lightweight aluminum car body panels also require sanding to meet specific surface standards.
With the rise of Industry 4.0, HMLV manufacturing has become a significant trend. Manufacturers must quickly adapt to market changes, update product designs, and adjust manufacturing processes to stay competitive. This demand for flexibility underscores the importance of HMLV manufacturing.
The variety of materials, high-mix production, and personalized demands drive the need for HMLV manufacturing in sanding. These diverse require- ments result from manufacturing or design differ- ences, and factories still rely heavily on manual labor.
Manual sanding faces challenges like low efficiency and inconsistent quality. Rising labor costs make automation crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises. The challenge is enabling robots to handle sanding without demanding excessive time from engineers and programmers.
In the near future, the conflict between diverse market demands and traditional sanding methods will drive the urgent need for smarter automated sanding so\utions, making it a critical aspect of flexible manufacturing deve\opment.
In the near future, the conflict between diverse market demands and traditional sanding methods will drive the urgent need for smarter automated sanding so\utions, making it a critical aspect of flexible manufacturing deve\opment.
02 Rapid Growth in the Sanding Robot Market. Slow Progress in Automation
THE SANDING ROBOT MARKET HAS GROWN QUICKLY IN RECENT YEARS.
70%
Note: In the United States
aíone, high mix low volume part production accounts for over 70% of the total time and effort in manufacturing.
In 2022, the global market for automated sanding equipment was about $23.9 billion, projected to reach $32.5 billion by 2027, with a ó.36% annual growth rate. As demands for product quality and production efficiency rise, the need to integrate technologies like Al, loT, and machine vision into sanding robots also increases.
Despite this growth, sanding robots are still less common and progress slower compared to other applications like welding and palletizing. Challenges include the complexity of sanding, incon- sistent material quality, low yield rates, high programming complexity, and the difficulty of switching between different tools.
Currently, automated sanding robots are mainly used for simple mass production with extensive programming.
However, this approach does not meet the needs of small-batch, high-mix, and flexible production.
As HMLV manufacturing deepens and personalized market demands grow, the production process will face more diverse products and flexible operations. In this context, small-batch, high-mix sanding will become crucial, making the need for intelligent automated sanding solutions more urgent.
03 Labour Shortages in Sanding Will Drive the Shift to Automation
INADVANCEDINDUSTRALREGIONS, RSING LABORCOSTSAND ASHIFT IN CAREER PREFERENCESAMONG
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE LED TO SEVERE LABOR SHORTAGES, ESPECIALLYIN SANDINGAND FINISHING ROLES.
As labor shortages continue and the cost of robots decreases, the move toward automation is accelerating.
While some companies have started replacing human workers with machines, they still struggle to find elective solutions for HMLV production, particularly in robotic sanding, which remains a challenging area.
04 Breakthroughs in Key Technologies for Robotic Sanding Automation
Conventional robotic finishing solutions rely on pre-programmed scripts, with limited feedback simply repeat- ing tasks.
Recently, key technologies for robotic automated sanding have made significant progress, leading to more efficient, precise, and intelligent manufacturing.
Advances in High-Precision Path Planning and Force Control
By using advanced dynamic models and parameter identification, sanding robots can accurately plan and execute complex paths, ensuring precise operations. New constant force control technology allows robots to maintain consistent sanding force, preventing quality issues from uneven force. This combi- nation of precise control and consistent force significantly enhances sanding accuracy and reliability, leading to lower scrap rates and reduced costs.
Integration of Flexibility and Intelligence
Robotic sanding is becoming more adaptable and intelligent. With integrated force control, vision, and sensors, robots can perceive changes in workpiece surfaces in real-time, adjusting sanding posture and force as needed. Intelligent recognition and compensa- tion technology enable robots to identify surface defects and perform precise correc- tions, enhancing the quality of sanding.
Despite these advancements, a comprehensive system to integrate these technologies and trans- form sanding in flexible manufacturing is stiff needed.
05 Al-Driven Autonomous Path Planning: MARl's Intelligent Adaptive Sanding Solutions
MARI has developed autonomous adaptable robotic system(AARS) that addresses automation challenges and diverse sanding needs. This solution uses an original autonomous path planning algorithm to achieve programming-free adaptive manufacturing on complex surfaces, taking sanding automation to new levels of flexibility and intelligence.
Key Features:
No CAD Models Needed
Sanding tasks can be performed without CAD models by generating robot paths on complex surfaces through 3D point clouds. The algorithm automatically creates precise paths based on surface contours, suitable for planes, edges, and complex surfaces with large curvatures.
User-Friendly Interface
User-Friendly Interface: A graphical interface allows operators with no technical background to quickly onboard with short training. Workers and process engi- neers can use drag-and-drop programming to create robotic sanding processes without needing to learn complex coding, making process setup as simple as building blocks.
Constant Force Control
The solution supports constant force control with real-time feedback and adjustment from the end floating unit, ensuring the sanding tool maintains consistent contact force. This prevents uneven sanding and
over-sanding, improving product consistency.
Quick Tool Change
For diverse sanding needs, the end tool can be quickly replaced using a quick-change device, enabling rapid production switching.
06 Using Standardized Products to Serve Non-Standardized Scenarios
MARl's intelligent adaptive sanding solution fully leverages the AARS system's capabilities, making HMLV sanding more flexible and efficient without needing automation experts.
This is achieved through autonomous adaptive algorithms (Scan&Go), no-code programming (Drag&Go), and plug-and-play hardware platforms (Plug&Go).
AARS Scan&Go
Obtains surface information of various workpieces through a vision system and uses proprietary algorithms for trajectory planning, eliminating traditional teaching methods. Trajectory generation takes less than 1 second.
AARS Drag&Go
Combines no-code programming software with a robot simula- tion environment for an efficient and intuitive programming experience. No professional programming knowledge is required, and tasks can be programmed within 5 minutes.
AARS Plug&Go
Integrates the AARS software platform into a modular hardware platform with plug-and-play convenience. This includes intelli- gent vision modules, modular electrical control cabinets, and mobile workstations, reducing integration costs by over 50%.
The ultimate goal is to minimize human labor in manufacturing. The AARS system uses standardized products for non-standardized scenarios, significantly reducing the time, trial and error costs, and skill requirements of non-standard design. This approach reduces human involvement to operating control panels and software interfaces, bringing unprecedented efficiency and intelligence to small-batch, high-mix sanding.
07 Successful Application Case I:Upgrading Robotic Automated Polishing
MARl's intelligent adaptive sanding robots have been successfully applied in various industries, including automotive and furniture manufacturing
Global Automotive Parts Group:
B-Pi\far Window Frame Polishing
The B-pillar window frame polishing process involves high surface treat- ment standards and covers multiple models, with an annual production of millions. Previously, manual polishing faced numerous challenges such as noisy and dusty environments causing operator fatigue, unstable production, high training costs due to frequent personnel changes, and inconsistent polishing quality. The group attempted traditional automation solutions, but these were costly, time-consuming, and unsuitable for high mix low volume manufacturing needs.
Solution and Result
To address the challenges in the B-pillar window frame polishing process, the company implemented MARl's cutting-edge intelligent adaptive sanding robots. These robots are designed to handle complex surface treatments with precision and flexibility, making them ideal for high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing environments. By integrating advanced Al-driven algorithms and adaptive technologies, MARl's solution significantly improved production efficiency, quality, and consistency while reducing dependency on manual labor and minimizing the need for costly and time-consuming programming typically required by traditional automation systems.
Efficiency
The adaptive algorithm allowed for flexible production of 20 diPerent types, increasing production pace by 20% compared to manual sanding. One robot replaced 4.5 workers, achiev- ing a labor replacement rate of 75%.
Scalability
Two intelligent adaptive sanding workstations met the demand for millions of parts annually, signifi- cantly reducing labor costs and enhancing product competitiveness without relying on integrators for new product programming.
Cost Savings
The solution was implemented within months, with a payback period of only 1.5 years, and required no dedicated maintenance.
Precession and Flexibility
The solution achieved precise trajectory and force control, meeting A-class surface processing stan- dards and ensuring product quality and consistency.
(Finished result)
08 Successful Application Case II:
Upgrading Robotic Automated Sanding
Global Automotive Parts Group: Fully Automated Paint rework Sanding
The B-pillar window frame polishing process involves high surface treatment standards and covers multiple models, with an annual production of millions. Previously, manual polishing faced numerous challenges such as noisy and dusty environments causing operator fatigue, unstable production, high training costs due to frequent personnel changes, and inconsistent polishing quality. The group attempted traditional automa- tion solutions, but these were costly, time-consum- ing, and unsuitable for high mix low volume manu- facturing needs.
Solution and Result
The group introduced MARl's intelligent adaptive sanding solution, which brought revolutionary changes to the paint rework process with programming-free, teaching-free, main force control, and precise sanding.
User-Friendly
The system combined no-code programming software with a robot simulation environment, creating an efficient and intuitive programming experience for ordinary operators. No profes- sional programming knowledge was required, and no code needed to be written, making it easy to operate the robot for sanding tasks.
Precision
The workstation, equipped with AARS auto- matic trajectory planning software, obtained workpiece information through the vision system and quickly generated precise trajec- tories within seconds. The sanding trajectory could be easily modified with process changes.
Quality
The sanding head with main force control ensured consistent quality, rapidly increasing the yield rate to nearly 100%.
Flexibility
The modular workstation design allowed for quick integration of robotic workstations, supporting sanding of multiple parts and meeting flexible production needs.
Efficiency
A dual work area layout enabled safe human-ma- chine collaboration, reducing operator difficulty and increasing efficiency. Workers only needed to perform simple loading and unloading tasks.
09 Revolutionize Your Sanding Process with Advanced Automation Technology
Automating your sanding process isn't just about saving money—it's also about improving quality and keeping your workers safe. With the right system, you can sand more efficiently, achieve better results, and create a healthier work environment.
To help you choose the best new automated sanding solution, we've put together a comparison of diPerent technologies in the table below:
