Usiduc automates a 5-axis OKK VCX 350 with a RoboJob Mill-Assist Essential
Workpieces up to 60 kg, up to 60 hours of autonomy
Usiduc automates a 5-axis OKK VCX 350 with a RoboJob Mill-Assist Essential
Usiduc in Faverois, France, machines technical parts in plastics, composites, ceramics and superalloys for demanding markets such as aerospace and medical. Since 2018, a RoboJob Mill-Assist Essential has automated a 5-axis OKK VCX 350, loading workpieces of up to 60 kg and running for up to 60 hours unattended.
Key facts
- Company: Usiduc SAS
- Location: Faverois, Territoire de Belfort, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
- Founded: 1993
- Employees: approx. 15
- Industries: Pharmaceuticals & Medical, Aerospace, Subcontracting
- RoboJob products: Mill-Assist Essential
- CNC machine brands: OKK
- Automated machines: OKK VCX 350 (5-axis)
- RoboJob customer since: 2018
- Key results: workpieces up to 60 kg loaded by robot; up to 60 hours of autonomy; better ergonomics for operators
A multi-material machining specialist
Since 1993, Usiduc has built up its expertise in machining technical parts in a wide range of traditional and advanced materials, from polyamide, PEEK, FR4, G11 and carbon to titanium, Inconel and Hastelloy. Located in the Vallée de l’Energie in Franche-Comté, it serves demanding sectors such as aerospace, medical and energy, and is certified to ISO 9001 and EN 9100, the aerospace quality standard.
Why automate: quality, continuity and ergonomics
“We focus on quality. It’s no coincidence that we are both ISO 9001 and ISO EN 9100 certified. The latter is the norm for aviation and places high demands on both the workpiece and the quality and reliability in respect of delivery times. The need for continuity and high quality was our motive for working with Robojob. Moreover, ergonomic working conditions also play a crucial role for our operators.”
— Usiduc, Faverois
Some jobs are exceptional: workpieces of 60 kg with a cycle time of six hours. Loading and unloading those by hand is hard work.
A wide variety of parts on one cell
Usiduc machines parts weighing from a few tens of grams up to 60 kg, from a few tens of millimetres to 25 cm per side, with cycle times from a few minutes to six hours. After a thorough market analysis, Usiduc chose RoboJob: the Mill-Assist offers high precision and the flexibility to automate this wide variety of workpieces.
A Mill-Assist Essential on a 5-axis OKK VCX 350
In September 2018, RoboJob automated Usiduc’s OKK VCX 350 five-axis machining centre with a Mill-Assist Essential. A FANUC robot with a 100 kg payload loads the machine directly from the Mill-Assist or from a pallet. The OKK itself was equipped with in-machine part inspection, an extra magazine for sister tools and a dedicated filtration unit for composite dust.
“We manufacture 60 kg workpieces on this milling machine for which the cycle time is six hours. You can imagine that it is certainly not easy for an operator to manually load and unload such items. This however, becomes child’s play using automation from RoboJob. We’ve not only succeeded in improving ergonomics in the workplace, but also in increasing the efficiency of the machine. In combination with the Mill-Assist, this machine is able to operate for up to 60 hours at a time.”
— Usiduc, Faverois
The result: an assistant for the operators
The Mill-Assist proved a stable solution, and RoboJob a reliable partner. For Usiduc, the robot is exactly what its name says: an assistant for the operators, who welcomed the automation and are enthusiastic about its ease of use.
Frequently asked questions
Which machine did Usiduc automate with RoboJob?
Usiduc in Faverois, France, automated a five-axis OKK VCX 350 machining centre with a RoboJob Mill-Assist Essential. The company has been a RoboJob customer since 2018.
Can an OKK VCX 350 be automated?
Yes. Usiduc runs a RoboJob Mill-Assist Essential on a five-axis OKK VCX 350, loading parts from the Mill-Assist or from a pallet. See the OKK automation page.
Can a robot load 60 kg workpieces into a machining centre?
Yes. At Usiduc, a FANUC robot with a 100 kg payload in a RoboJob Mill-Assist Essential loads workpieces of up to 60 kg into an OKK VCX 350. With cycle times of up to six hours, the cell can run for up to 60 hours unattended.
Can one robot cell handle very different workpieces?
Yes. Usiduc’s RoboJob Mill-Assist handles parts from a few tens of grams up to 60 kg, from a few tens of millimetres to 25 cm per side, in plastics, composites, ceramics and superalloys, with cycle times from minutes to hours.
Which aerospace suppliers use RoboJob automation?
In France, RoboJob automates CNC machines at aerospace suppliers such as Usiduc in Faverois, certified to EN 9100, and Meca Technic. See CNC automation for aerospace manufacturing.