How cobots are supporting the elimination of blindness

How cobots are supporting the elimination of blindness

In short

For the last five years, universal robots has been associated with Aurolab, an integral part of Aravind eye care systems. It is a non-profit healthcare organization in India whose products are exported to more than 130 countries worldwide, with focus markets like India, Africa, Latin America, Central America, and Southeast Asia.

Aurolab

  • Industry: Medical & Cosmetics
  • Country: India
  • Number of Employees: 500-1000
  • Cobot used: UR5

The challenge

Among the solutions that Aurolab provides to NGOs and hospitals globally is their cataract kit, which comprises of products used in cataract surgery, as well as intraocular lenses that assist people in regaining vision after the operation.

Precision and accuracy were extremely pivotal for the entire manufacturing process of the intraocular lenses, for tasks such as material handling and pick and place of the components. Thus, Aurolab collaborated with one of Universal Robots distributors in India, GI India Automation and Systems Pvt. Ltd. to optimize their manufacturing processes.

Watch how UR cobots handle the Aurolab lenses

Safety first

The robots had to be safe and comfortable for the staff to operate. Besides fitting in seamlessly with the workforce, the cobots from Universal Robots were picked for their affordability, reduced power consumption and safety, which ensured that the protective stop measure turns the power off when a load is applied to it.The reliability of our products was verified after the proof of concept of the very first cobot at Aurolab was established, after which seven more were added. With the addition of collaborative robots to their process, Aurolab found that there was a massive 15% increase in the product output, with over 2,000,000 lenses per year.

With Aurolab’s vision in understanding the benefits of collaborative robots, people are now benefitting and regaining their vision more rapidly.

Automation challenges solved:

  • Catered top tasks that required flexibility, productivity and reliability
  • Increased productivity and quality
  • ROI less than 2 years

Key value drivers:

  • 0.1mm repeatability precision
  • Easy, safe and collaborative in nature
  • Lowest running costs – no amc required and extremely low power consumption
  • Can operate without a cage (subject to application risk assessments) in space constrained areas

Tasks solved by collaborative robots:

  • Material handling
  • Pick and place