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With locations in Rochester, New York; Painted Post, New York; Lexington, North Carolina; and Memphis, TN, Adaptec Solutions is a single source integrator for all your material handling and automation needs. We pride ourselves on developing the best solutions for our customers with a team-based approach. We specialize in standard and custom integrated material handling and automation solutions and offer a wide range of capabilities. Our collective products and service portfolio includes materials handling, warehousing, automation, robotic integration and training, controls, design consulting, and inspection services to ensure total customer satisfaction. We provide 24/7 preventative maintenance, repair, breakdown and training services as well. Visit our website for more information.
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The Importance of Human Brainpower in Hipshot's Robotic Polishing Application
POSTED 06/06/2024
Hipshot & The Bass Xtender
Hipshot, a manufacturer of top-notch quality hardware for guitar and basses, faced ongoing labor and production challenges in their deburring and polishing operation – a task considered to be one of the dull, dirty, dangerous applications of robotics. Seeking increased consistency, quality, and production, Hipshot aimed to integrate a robotic solution to polish their Bass Xtender key. The Bass Xtender product line is a patented extender key that allows bassists to instantly drop the tuning of the low string and bring it back up again with the flip of a lever. The objective of integrating a robot was not to cut staff, but to automate the least desirable processes, enabling team members to focus on higher complexity or value-added tasks.
Adaptec Partnership & Solution
Site Visit & Process Analysis
A comprehensive site visit was conducted to understand the existing deburring and polishing process.
Collaborative Approach
Adaptec proposed a solution that provided robotic programming expertise with Hipshot actively participating in teaching the robotic system how to polish the part. This collaborative effort aimed to mitigate the risk of unfamiliarity with the process and allowed Hipshot to optimize robot motions.
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Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Integration
Adaptec enhanced the solution by incorporating a VFD to the polishing wheel, enabling the adjustment of speed during the polishing process. This provides a level of control not previously possible. The VFD integration transformed a highly manual process into a repeatable and adjustable one, ensuring consistency in output and adaptability to different requirements.
Customizations for Unique Requirements
Special Trays Design: Adaptec collaborated with the customer to design special trays for holding parts, facilitating the loading and unloading of the robot without manual intervention. This customization was essential to meet the unique requirements of Hipshot’s automation needs.