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Automation 46 MoldMaking Technology April 2015 Robots are fexible, so they can be used for a variety of repetitive tasks, such as machining, inspection, surface treatment, maintenance/repair, and loading and unloading. Adding Value with Robotics By Andy Glaser T he moldmaking industry serves a myriad of markets and applications for which industrial robotics can be con- sidered, including machining (EDM, laser, milling and more), inspection, surface treatment and maintenance/repair. However, there is nothing truly unique about the use of robots in these applications or markets, where they have been used for years for a variety of such repetitive tasks. What is unique about moldmaking is the extent of its asso- ciated high-mix, low-volume production, for which the laws of robotic automation are usually not compatible. This incom- patibility is due to the level of agility required to automate a process and the correlating investment required to achieve the level of flexibility that makes the automation worthwhile. A robot may not directly make the final part, but it can add value to the overall process, if its use is properly planned and executed. Images courtesy of Yaskawa Motoman.