World-class tool manufacturer FSG Tool and Die progress its team of highly skilled people to enhance its leading-edge technology and innovation through Welsh Government’s Innovation Support.
In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, industries across the globe are embracing innovation to enhance productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness and FSG recognise the need to adapt to the everchanging manufacturing landscape.
With the hope of revolutionising its traditional processes with automation and smart digital solutions the company sought help through Innovation Support – a programme that provides free, practical, flexible approach to help Welsh businesses plan and prepare for the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and optimises processes for the future.
Throughout the project, experts helped the businesses:
- Understand their current position and future plans,
- Establish what was stopping them from achieving these plans,
- Recommended digital technology appropriate for their business.
Faced with the challenge of an aging workforce and inefficiencies associated with manual polishing techniques, FSG and the Innovation Support team undertook a potentially transformative project to develop an automated polishing solution.
The purpose of the project was to demonstrate an easily reprogrammable COBOT polishing solution that could replace current polishing operators. The business case two distinct aspects to showcase the improvement to FSG including the selection and modification of tooling and the programming and toolpath generation.
Short time frames on the project led to the team focussing on programming and tool path creation with the potential to focus on physical tooling at a later date.
Suitable tool design for the rotary polishing tool holder was carried out using Autodesk Fusion 360 generative design – a technology that utilises cloud computing, AI, and machine learning to automatically generate multiple design alternatives. The technology evaluates specific goals and constraints, such as material, cost, and manufacturing methods. It enables rapid exploration of innovative and optimised design options, improving efficiency, sustainability, and product performance.
As a result of the project, the team involved at FSG have been able to roll out the Fusion 360 process across its departments and upskill its employees, ultimately leading to more efficient and innovative product development.
Find out more about how SMART Flexible Innovation Support (FIS) can support your organisation.