Productive Times: Getting a grip on automation

END USER: Lowercase, (212) 510-7621, www.lowercasenyc.com

SOLUTION PROVIDERS: Axis Inc., (908) 429-0090, www.axisnewjersey.com; Robotiq, (888) 762-6847, www.robotiq.com; Universal Robots USA Inc., (844) 462-6268, www.universal-robots.com

CHALLENGE: Cost-effectively integrate automation into the production of eyewear frames.

SOLUTION: A collaborative robot tooled with an easy-to-use, flexible gripper.

Since the 1980s, foreign interests have bought U.S. eyewear manufacturers that produce high volumes of acetate frames, temporarily halting domestic production in the process. Two years ago Brian Vallario, an architect, and Gerard Masci, a finance worker, decided to help bring back U.S.-made acetate frames. They launched Lowercase in New York and began production in January.

From the beginning, the two founders understood that automation offered an avenue to lower production costs without sacrificing quality. They researched a variety of different robots, including some highly industrialized offerings. However, they quickly realized that purchasing a robot and integrating it into production carried two different price tags.

“The cost to automate was extremely high, but we were always able to get our heads around that because of the value that the robot would add to the process,” Masci said. “The main problem was that the integration cost of most robotic solutions was three to four times the cost of the solution itself.”

Lowercase machines an acetate eyewear frame. Image courtesy of Lowercase.

Integrating an industrial robot can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Vallario. “That wasn’t really possible for us.”

The high-cost scenario changed with the assistance of Axis Inc., a Somerville, N.J., distributor of industrial automation equipment. “When Lowercase came to us with their design concept, our automation engineers put together a cost-effective solution that was flexible enough to be redeployed as their business grew,” said Cynthia Kradjel, account manager for Axis.