Case Study: Flow Applications Group achieves faster robot programming and higher production efficiency with Robotmaster

Path-intensive robotics software speeds off-line robot programming

Flow Applications Group, a division of Flow International, needed to eliminate costly robot downtime and the labor-intensive process of teaching six-axis robots for its automotive trim and shape-cutting systems. As the company expanded from 2D X-Y cutting into 3D six-axis applications, it needed a faster, more flexible way to program robots without stopping production. Robotmaster’s CAD/CAM robot programming software was introduced to help address this challenge.

With Robotmaster, Flow Applications Group implemented off-line programming that lets operators download pre-set programs in seconds and make only minimal touch-ups at the robot cell. The company reports that tasks that once took half a day can now be completed in as little as 15 minutes, with a goal of cutting production time by 50% and keeping high-value equipment running instead of idle. Robotmaster also helped improve path accuracy and flexibility across applications such as cutting, welding, dispensing, and robotic machining.