Industrial robot installation company PROFIBUS: automation requires both determination and preparation

The electronics, automation, and industrial robot installation and servicing company Profibus has been going strong in Panevėžys for 20 years, specialising in the implementation of industrial robotics. During the global financial crisis, when many of the country’s manufacturers were facing economic difficulties and falling order volumes, Profibus was able to benefit from the vital boost it had received in 2008, when it became an official representative of the Japanese company Yaskawa in Lithuania and Latvia. Company director Egidijus Vileišis tells us how Profibus has managed to install, and continues to service, over 180 industrial robots so far. In his view, when Lithuanian businesses consider automation, they often focus primarily on the daunting prospect of new investment, yet once the decision has been made – important organisational changes and increased manufacturing productivity always follow. 

ECONOMIC CRISIS AND TRUST BY A JAPANESE MANUFACTURER

My career in robotics and automation started in 1989 when I joined the Technological Process Automation Division of the renowned factory Ekranas. Back then, it was the country’s only factory using industrial robots (they had over 40 of them). So, in 2001 – a time when other Lithuanian companies didn’t yet need to be implementing automation – I started my own business selling computers. Once the above-mentioned cathode-ray tube factory went bankrupt, I hired several of its former engineers who had experience working with robots. Thanks to them, we were able to enter the market with some level of preparation and with certain indispensable competencies already in place. It was this that allowed us to become pioneers in the installation of industrial robots in Lithuania and Latvia. 

In 2007, we had the idea to begin selling robots to industrial companies, but soon realised that our expectations were unrealistic – clients required not only robots, but also solutions, which the latter would implement. This forced us to develop a new strategy, fusing machinery with automation solutions applicable to specific companies. It finally started taking shape in 2008 when, following difficult negotiations that had us persuading company reps that we had the capacity to meet their requirements, we signed a partnership agreement with the Japanese giant Yaskawa. In the eighth year of the company’s existence we became their official representatives in Lithuania and Latvia.  

This long-term partnership today allows us to implement advanced technological solutions, using Yaskawa-Motoman’s industrial robots to automate palletisation, 3D milling, MIG/MAG, TIG, spot and plasma welding, as well as plasma cutting. We also have the capacity to automate various other technological processes and develop custom software. 

MANUFACTURERS SEEKING AUTOMATION NEED COURAGE AND ABILITY TO SEIZE UPON OPPORTUNITIES 

I can say with confidence that even highly experienced Lithuanian manufacturers, especially SMEs, are still quite hesitant when it comes to automation. Each time I meet representatives from businesses that are considering automation, I’m compelled to encourage them. After all, these solutions bring multiple benefits: the protection of employees’ health, elimination of tiresome mechanical labour, enhancement of productivity, introduction of new production control opportunities, reduction of manufacturing defects, and improved accounting (e.g., the manufacturing process can be monitored by accountants in real time to draw up reports based on robot motions and completed work). 

Machine vision, i.e., image recognition, shows a lot of promise in quality control due to its ability to spot even the smallest defects. They’re especially useful to companies that mass-produce goods for large-scale clients, such as IKEA. 

The initial cost of industrial robots, which can be as much as €50K-300K, is usually recouped within 2-4 years. Global practice indicates that companies going down the Industry 4.0 path should allocate no less than 5% of turnover to new technologies. Small companies for whom that is a large sum can apply for EU support funds. There’s really no shortage of opportunities for implementing innovations – companies just have to find sources of funding and make full use of them. Moreover, we always discuss a variety of options with our clients, e.g., regarding whether current or newly developed mechanisms are needed for the solution. In some cases, we build only a single device that performs the main function and “communicates” with already existing machinery. On a number of occasions, having taken stock of the client’s investment portfolio, we have even travelled abroad to get help from the manufacturers so that we can link their equipment with the one we’ve been developing ourselves. 

We’ve found that simulations help companies to make decisions. Upon arriving at the client’s business, we make a meticulous assessment of the manufacturing process and its different stages. Then we develop a production model that illustrates how a specific product could be made with the help of robots. Sometimes, changing a minor part of the process, which doesn’t require very much effort, leads to a significant boost in productivity. 

MUST COMPANIES SEEKING AUTOMATION SOLVE ETHICAL DILEMMAS? 

Since industrial robots are far more productive than humans, companies must assess their current equipment and human resources in advance. There are cases where a company buys machinery, but fails to get a grip of the new production volumes or meets other unforeseen challenges. 

Let’s say a company buys a welding robot. Previously, it employed a welder capable of manually changing the product’s orientation by shifting, tilting, or propping it up. A robot can’t do that – to be welded, the product must be specially prepared and in good condition. If equipment is not prepared for work alongside a robot, it’ll be largely useless. For this reason, we always discuss with our clients not only specific production stages, but also the equipment necessary for preparation. 

Some companies seeking to modernise their production choose a contractor based solely on price. However, when assessing proposals, it’s also important to take account of the given company’s experience in the field by assessing its former projects and capacity to meet the contract’s technical requirements. Otherwise, there’s a risk of the investment becoming, effectively, frozen. When a company receives a low quality service, it’s forced to look for alternative solutions, thereby wasting time and resources. In such cases, the services of contractors who proposed a higher price only go up further because, usually, they have to not only build new equipment, but also to fix the one already installed. We have consulted several Lithuanian companies and educational institutions that attempted to save money, but ended up with robots that either didn’t function properly or were incompatible with other equipment, leading to their partial use or mothballing. 

When automating production, it’s just as important to assess the people who’ll be handling the robots. Company managers often opt for automation simply to justify lower wages because of improved labour conditions and reduced workload. Because robots are perceived as competitors, there’s a risk of harbouring hostility among employees. It’s important to remember that improvements to production also lead to the gain of additional competencies that have to be taken into account. This is, ultimately, an ethical question that I think all innovation-pursuing companies should consider. 

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROJECTS IN THE COMPANY’S HISTORY 

A variety of Lithuanian and Latvian manufacturers are currently using over 180 robotics solutions that we’ve developed for them. One of our latest and all-time greatest projects is the manufacturing complex at Rokiškio Sūris, consisting of more than 70 different pieces of equipment. The project’s aim was to build a final-processing and packaging line for their Grand cheese that would perform a sequence of several dozen individual operations: turning, unloading, washing, drying, disinfecting, packaging, etc. To this end, we integrated an optical system that measures the product’s geometrical features and inspects its surface. To our knowledge, this is one of the most advanced, complex solutions in not only the Lithuanian, but also the Baltic food industries. 

IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT – COMPETENCE AND CREATIVITY ARE KEY 

Our work requires a lot of creativity and adaptability. Robots and other mechanisms, i.e., hardware, is easy to acquire and represents only a small part of expenditure. The most resource-intensive tasks include the development of operational algorithms, programming, and equipment synchronisation. There are also the less visible aspects of our work, such as logic and philosophy, that we rely on when developing robot functionalities and making sure of their compatibility with existing conditions and the client’s needs. We often look for solutions that are both necessary and will perhaps be implemented only in a single, yet decisive, instance, for example – a welding robot capable of simultaneously welding both sides of a non-standard sized safe at different spots. 

Long-term experience shows that all clients, including their predicaments and plans, are different. We’re part of a dynamic environment. I remember how, in 2008, Lithuania only had two companies explicitly offering automation solutions. Today, there are 5 such companies in Panevėžys alone, which is clear evidence that competition in the fields of automation and robotics is rapidly heating up. And this, of course, is beneficial to our clients, who are closely following completed projects, competencies, innovativeness, and experience. 

The series of articles “Industry 4.0 Solutions in Panevėžys” was prepared as part of the project “Connecting Panevėžys: Improved Business Environment through Better Collaboration”, funded by the Panevėžys City Municipality.