Summary
The challenge
LivaNova was looking for a solution to automate a semi-manual process to improving safety for its employees.
The solution
With ABB’s collaborative robot YuMi it is possible to improve safety for operators while also increasing productivity. The process could be automated without any protective fences thanks to YuMi’s inherent safety. This allows the operators to work closely with the robot.
The application
Assemble and test components of blood separation centrifuges
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To assemble a specific component of blood separation centrifuges, called "stem", LivaNova relied on the experience of system integrator Sintech and the skills of ABB YuMi cobot. "After automating a part of the process with articulated robots two years ago," said Claudio Sinico, Sales Manager, Sintech, "Automation has now been extended to the stem, involving assembling, testing and solvent dispensing stations that operate in automatic and synchronized steps."
LivaNova has factories in all continents, including a plant in the biomedical district of Mirandola, an Italian tow in Emilia-Romagna. The Mirandola site is a global excellence for cardiac surgery devices, mainly oxygenators, filters, heat exchangers and blood separation centrifuges. Each day, LivaNova ship their products to hospitals across Europe and the world. Approximately 2,600 centrifuges are delivered every day for immediate use to operating theaters for critical heart surgery operations, mostly open heart surgery with extracorporeal circulation: no compromise on device quality is acceptable!
The dual-arm version of YuMi has increased process efficiency, helping automate a semi-manual process and improving safety for operator who no longer have to dispense solvents. According to LivaNova engineers (the project involved Giulia Sarti, Davide Di Mari, Franko Masllavika and Daniele Roveri of the industrial engineering team), the robot, certified for cleanroom operation, is very easy to program compared to conventional articulated robots, thanks to an easier interface and straightforward point picking with no specialized skills. The customer mostly appreciates the easy process to access and correct picking, placing and positioning points, as well as the light weight and the easy handling that other robots cannot offer. Finally, with RobotStudio, Sintech's engineers can program the entire working cycle of robot-assisted islands virtually, simulating all movements and checking the feasibility and cycle time of each application.
About LivaNova
LivaNova is a global medical technology company created in 2015 from a merger between Sorin Group, listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, and US-based Cyberonics. Today the group generates approximately one billion dollar revenues with factories in all continents. Among these, the plant in the biomedical district of Mirandola, an Italian tow in Emilia-Romagna, is a global excellence for cardiac surgery devices, mainly oxygenators, filters, heat exchangers and blood separation centrifuges, used in operating theaters for cardiac surgery.
