Techman Robot, a global leader in collaborative robots (cobots), has successfully assisted Jinpao Precision (jpp-KY), a high-tech metal precision mechanism manufacturer, in completing a large-scale automation transformation.
To tackle the aerospace industry’s challenging “high-mix, low-volume” production model, Jinpao Precision integrated nearly 50 TM AI Cobots equipped with built-in AI vision. This initiative successfully overcame manufacturing bottlenecks, automated 10 complex applications, and liberated over 80,000 hours of critical production capacity, setting a new benchmark for AI-driven digital transformation in the precision manufacturing sector.
AI Vision: The Key to Eliminating “Line Change Downtime”
Jinpao Precision specializes in “high-mix, low-volume customization” services for the aerospace, communication, medical, and automation equipment fields. The major pain point was the frequent changeovers on their aerospace and server chassis product lines. Traditional automation equipment lacked flexibility, requiring extensive time for re-calibration during each line change, and heavily relied on manual visual inspection, which limited efficiency and led to unstable quality.
Techman Robot’s proprietary “Built-in Vision” technology was the winning factor. Unlike other brands that require complex integration of external cameras, the TM AI Cobot integrates vision recognition with the robotic arm control, offering two core advantages:
- Flexible Line Change, Plug-and-Play: Through vision localization, the robots can quickly adapt to workpieces of different sizes and shapes, drastically cutting down on line change setup time. This perfectly aligns with the client’s “high-mix, low-volume” production rhythm.
- AOI-Grade Process Quality Control: Data shows that the cobots are widely used for quality inspection. Using AI deep learning, the arms precisely identify screw fastening, rivet hole punching, and metal parts tolerance, completely eliminating the risk of missed inspections due to human eye fatigue and ensuring zero-defect shipment for aerospace-grade products.
Liberating 80,000 Hours of Capacity, Achieving Autonomous Scalability
Based on deployment data analysis from the collaboration, the automation project demonstrated remarkable scalability and Return on Investment (ROI):
- Comprehensive Process Coverage: A total of 50 units across the entire product line (including TM5S, TM12S, and the high-payload TM25S) are expected to be deployed. The scope covers 10 major processes, ranging from intricate screw fastening and riveting to high-risk applications like stamping, spray painting, and spot welding.
- 80,000 Hours of Critical Work Time Released: By automating highly repetitive and hazardous processes, the project successfully freed up approximately 80,000 hours of annual human labor. This not only addresses the long-standing manufacturing labor shortage but also enables employees who previously performed high-risk tasks, such as stamping press operation, to transition into higher-value frontline management and technical roles, implementing the philosophy of an ESG-friendly workplace.
- Explosive Scale-Up and Autonomous Deployment: The deployment journey showed that the client successfully replicated and deployed 8 automated stations on the server assembly line within one month. This achievement is attributed to the “easy-to-learn” nature of Techman Robot and comprehensive original factory training, which allowed Jinpao Precision’s internal automation team to master the core technology within one year, gaining the capability for autonomous deployment and rapid tuning without relying on external vendors.