AIRSKIN assists fenceless seat measurement at BMW Group

Conversion of the measuring cell at the BMW Group Regensburg

The patented solutions of AIRSKIN offer diverse opportunities for optimizing production processes in the automotive industry. The BMW Group is convinced of these advantages too. At the BMW Group Plant Regensburg, a solution is used in the seat measurement operations. With the implementation of AIRSKIN, the originally fenced robot cell has been adapted so that the robot can now operate fenceless and collaborative with the employees.

Challenge: Large space requirement due to safety fences

In the past, robots in seat measurement were separated from employees by fences for safety reasons. This configuration had an impact on the workflow:

• Opening and closing doors
  To manually correct seats in case of a measurement error, employees had to constantly enter and exit the cell through the safety door, consuming time and energy (system safety stop).
• Loss of valuable space
  The safety fences took up a lot of space in the already crowded production line.

Solution: Efficient and seamless collaboration through AIRSKIN 

By implementing AIRSKIN for the robot and the measuring tool, the challenges were successfully met. The patented AIRSKIN solution allows for more efficient operation, as the application can be operated without safety fences with the highest level of safety.

Benefits with AIRSKIN:

•  Higher safety
  AIRSKIN continuously monitors potential collisions and immediately stops the robot if neccessary. The pneumatic clamping devices were pragmatically secured with polycarbonate covers and light grids.
• Space-saving
  The conversion to the fenceless cell has freed up valuable space in the production line and allows employees easier access to the facility.
• Increased efficiency
  Due to the new application layout, made possible by the enhanced safety provided by AIRSKIN, the cycle time could even be improved to 18 seconds.

With the application for precise measurement of seats, AIRSKIN can support the continuous improvement of production processes at BMW Group Regensburg.