The gap between a signed capital purchase order and first saleable output is almost always longer than project timeline estimates. Most of that gap does not originate in the robotics or automation, because those systems typically perform as specified once running. Delays trace to logistics, power infrastructure, regulatory paperwork, and documentation gaps surfacing at the […]

PIA Automation is developing a highly automated assembly line for E-Drive units at the BMW Group plant in Steyr, Austria. Featuring 78 processing stations, 27 robotic cells and 46 industrial robots across more than 5,600 square meters on two levels, the project ranks among the largest in PIA Automation’s history. The system first assembles transmissions […]

Commissioning a robotic production cell requires coordinated testing across robot controls, drives, safety functions, field devices, and plant networks. A robotic cell can run cleanly during a shop demonstration and still lose hours when it reaches the plant. The robot may be ready while a drive uses the wrong parameter set. A sensor can change […]