Body assembly for the consumer goods industry

A consumer goods producer has been accompanying PIA for more than 40 years. Due to our expertise and the fact that we regularly prove that we can solve even the most difficult tasks PIA was chosen to implement two projects in the framework of the largest investment of this customer. The assembly lines comprised 17 modules with more than 190 processes and 46 robots. PIA Amberg has never implemented a project of this magnitude before. It was realized in cooperation with the colleagues from Ningbo.

The customer's requirements: Two lines, the first of which was to be produced in Germany and the second to be copied in China. An ideal starting point for PIA with its two branches in Amberg and Ningbo: The global PIA network and the proof of already successfully implemented inter-company projects gave PIA the decisive competitive advantage and convinced the customer. PIA was commissioned to build a fully automated production system for an electronic men's hygiene item. The specification sheet was complex since the new series is an innovative product which is to be sold around the world. Adding to this was the fact that the contract had been commissioned during the development phase and that several components changed during the project phase.

Creating an innovative and efficient concept in the light of the size of the product and its myriad of components (900 parts/hour) led the PIA engineers to design a production system with 14 functional and three buffer modules. Integrated into this concept were 130 process stations, 3 lasers, dosing processes, hobbing and gluing systems, palletizing systems in 2 sizes, 46 robots as well as a pioneering workpiece carrier (wpc) system with a lift. To make the customer’s idea of a global platform for production data control a reality, the software developers designed the entire machine controls as well as the wpc system on the client’s newly developed framework. The fully automated, no-retooling-required system is able to produce 14 different versions without the requirement of active intervention.

The successful implementation of this project that involved several branches once more proves that PIA is one of the leading companies in special machine construction and that we successfully work as a team across continents. All for the benefit of our customers.