Customized Industrial Manipulators Transform Your Manufacturing Business

Not every industrial manipulator will be suited for your company’s needs. That’s why many manufacturers are turning to customized material handlers.

Custom-built industrial manipulators are a beneficial alternative to “out-of-the-box” machines, as they’re designed with your industrial process, work environment, inventory and employees in mind. Working with an industrial manipulator built for your specifications can transform your manufacturing facilities and create a safer, more productive environment while helping your bottom line in the future.

Let’s explore how custom-built material handlers can optimize your manufacturing business and warehouses.  

Designed for You, By You

Of course, the primary advantage of customized manipulators is that they can be built to fit your budget, operational needs and facility measurements. With a high-quality industrial manipulator manufacturer, you’ll have the chance to be involved with the process from start to finish, allowing you to have full transparency of the machine you’re purchasing.

For example, Dalmec’s customized manipulator process includes:

• Performing a functional analysis of your space and needs
• 3D CAD design of your machine
• A study of the different technical solutions available for your facility
• Simulations to ensure our design will perform successfully at a high-level
• Prototype creation, followed by continuous review and testing throughout the project development process

When customizing your material handlers, you can choose from several styles, such as rigid arm manipulators and cable balancers, and optimize them for the type of products they’ll be handling, from sheets to glass to barrels to pallets and more.

If you want to learn more about different styles and keywords for industrial manipulators, look at our glossary.

They can also be personalized based on your industry. For example, industrial manipulators keep chemical plants safer by maintaining distance between employees and harmful materials, lessening the likelihood of accidents. Material handlers also allow for complex pneumatic tilts and rotations, which is ideal for the wood manufacturing industry. And lift assists help keep up quality assurance in the food and beverage industry by limiting contact between employees and products, keeping inventory safer for consumers.

Regardless of industry, style or product type, custom industrial manipulators can be tailored to your requirements, transforming your warehouse process.

Streamline Your Operations

Customized pieces aren’t just nice to look at – they’re built to significantly impact your manufacturing process. Here are just a few of the many ways material handlers and lift assists can streamline your facility operations:

• Save Floor Space: Are you maximizing your warehouse’s potential storage spaces? Many facilities don’t implement taller structures because they can be extremely difficult for employees to access on their own. Industrial manipulators make it easier to access those products, giving you more storage capabilities. Adding height to your storage also lets you to de-clutter your warehouse floor, keeping less popular items out of the way.
• Decrease Downtime: Are your employees wasting time struggling or repairing handlers unsuitable for their work? That’s unnecessary time (and money!) lost. High-quality customized machines are made to last and require fewer repairs. Plus, your employees won’t lose time adjusting them to their needs.
• Boost Employee Efficiency: Your employees are only human, and the toll of manufacturing environments can easily become physically exhausting, especially if they’re doing more than one job. Material handlers severely reduce the likelihood of physical burnout, which means they can complete their jobs quicker, boosting productivity.

Adapts to Different Manufacturing Styles

As we’ve seen in the last three years, the demands on the manufacturing industry can change on a dime. This means leaders need to be able to quickly adapt to new challenges and update their manufacturing process on the double.

Let’s review the ways that industrial manipulators can help warehouses adapt to different manufacturing styles:

• Just-in-Time (JIT): JIT’s goal is to improve efficiency in every area of your facility by reducing wasteful actions, improving quality control and prioritizing simplicity. Industrial manipulators can quickly reduce unnecessary effort, like employees manually storing, lifting or moving products. They also help keep products safer as they’re being transported, as they’re less likely to be dropped, regardless of shape, size or weight.
• Lean Manufacturing (LM): While LM also wants to minimize waste, it focuses on maximizing value. That means reducing excess inventory, optimizing your employees’ picking process and adapting to new technologies that help save time and increase productivity. Industrial manipulators repeatedly prove their value as they tighten turn-around time, aid employees in storing, lifting and moving inventory quickly and streamline the shipping and receiving process.
• Flexible Manufacturing (FM): FM gives the warehouse the freedom to adapt to changes in their inventory, budget, facility or employee needs. Custom industrial manipulators can be weaved into flexible manufacturing, as they’re built for your warehouse’s needs and can be used in several different applications throughout your production process.

Save Your Business Money

 As you’re transforming your warehouse’s everyday operations with industrial manipulators, you’re also saving money in the future. With custom-built handlers, you won’t be stuck with the future expense of buying different cookie-cutter pieces to mold into a helpful machine. With high-quality manipulators (like the ones from Dalmec), you’ll have a long-lasting device that needs fewer repairs, reducing hits to your bottom line from lost downtime.

When choosing between machines that don’t quite fit and one built for your needs, the choice is easy. Spending less on out-of-the-box handlers may help in the short term, but custom pieces are an investment that will save you money for years to come.

Ready to Explore Customized Solutions?

With the number of customizations available, there’s no reason to saddle your facilities with handlers that will make your employees’ jobs more difficult, bring efficiency down and cost you more money. Custom-built industrial manipulators are the key to transforming your manufacturing process.

If you’re ready to discover how Dalmec’s customizable machines can optimize your facilities, contact our team of experts today