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Automotive / Concept case study

Nordwerk Line 04

An existing component line needed robotic loading and inline inspection without expanding the cell or separating quality decisions from production records.

Automotive
Orange industrial robot with handling tooling beside a conveyor in an automation workspace.
Stock image illustrating the engineering context; not the concept project or a KERN installation. Photo: Diego Martinez / Pexels.

01 / The brief

More output. Same footprint.

Manual transfer and offline checks interrupted the flow between operations. The proposed cell had to raise output inside the existing envelope and retain the line’s PLC and traceability interfaces.

02 / Engineering response

Coordinate the cell, not just the robot.

  1. 01

    Handling

    Use a defined loading position and coordinated robot sequence to move the component between operations.

  2. 02

    Inspection

    Trigger the image at a repeatable part position, with acceptance criteria agreed before commissioning.

  3. 03

    Integration

    Return the component identity and result to the existing line; only release when downstream equipment is ready.

03 / The system

The connections
make the sequence.

Conceptual system / Nordwerk Line 04

Physical flow, coordinated states, recorded decisions.

  1. Present partLocated + identified
  2. Robot transferCoordinated handling
  3. Vision checkResult tied to part
  4. Line handoverReady + accepted

Unresolved state / Hold and recover

An unresolved identity or failed check holds the component for review rather than releasing it into the accepted flow.

From study to acceptance.

  1. Cell study

    Confirm part presentation, available space and existing interfaces.

  2. Sequence proof

    Review normal cycles, rejects and recovery against the acceptance criteria.

  3. Line acceptance

    Verify machine handovers and the production record during the planned installation window.

04 / Illustrative result

A connected cell. A different baseline.

+38%

Throughput

Illustrative output per hour against the manual-cell baseline.

−27%

Manual handling

Illustrative reduction in handling operations per component.

99.4%

System availability

Illustrative scheduled-production availability, excluding planned maintenance.

  • Output and handling comparisons use an illustrative manual-cell baseline.
  • Availability refers to scheduled production and excludes planned maintenance.
  • These figures illustrate the case-study concept; they are not measured customer results.

Engineering scope

Connected capabilities.

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Valen Foods P12

Bring us the
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Start with the part, the constraint and what needs to change.

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