For the past fifty years, manufacturers have experienced increasing pressure to produce more while simultaneously meeting challenges to reduce operating costs, improve operational efficiencies, increase part quality, reduce waste and reduce labor content. These challenges are being met by adopting Lean Manufacturing practices and at the heart of Lean Manufacturing are robot based Flexible Automation Systems. Water Jet applications as industrial processes also benefit from the adoption of Flexible Automation techniques. This paper is an introduction to the concept of Robot Based Flexible Automation Systems, it explores the business case for robotics and it discusses the unique considerations for deploying this type of equipment in the water jet process environment.
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