Facility automation, robotics and vision

Wood combines robotics and vision expertise with extensive design and engineering to provide world-class automation solutions for manufacturing facilities.

Industrial manufacturing and assembly companies are continuously upgrading their facilities or building new ones. Robotics, vision systems and automated material-handling solutions are crucial in improving production, lowering costs and increasing product reliability.

Wood has a long and distinguished record in the design and manufacture of special purpose machinery for facility automation. We integrate specific knowledge and experienced engineering in machinery design with sophisticated robotics, optics, materials handling and power systems. Our expertise allows us to cover the entire project spectrum from concept selection, design and simulation, to offline programming and commissioning, through full operation and add-on services. Our comprehensive offering includes:

Discrete Automation

As a global leader in the discrete automation space,  we offers an array of prospective expansions in the broadly escalating industrialisation industry, resulting in the growing demand for automotive and other optimised manufacturing solutions, specifically focused in the automotive, packaging, F&B, Pharma and process optimization/event simulation space. Our current services we provide solutions for include:

• Concept / Feasibility
• Vendor selection
• Project management
• System engineering and design
• HMI Stations
• Error Proofing
• Material Handling
• Control panel assembly
• Simulation

Robotics

We have expertise in designing, testing, commissioning and supporting robotic cells in a variety of applications in automated manufacturing and distribution environments. Wood covers the entire process of design, virtual modelling and simulation, testing offline programming, installation, commissioning and life cycle service.

We use advanced software such as Robcad Tecnomatix and Process Simulate. Solutions are scalable and will fully integrate core technologies for a wide range of applications. Our vendor independence lets us work with multiple manufacturers and customisable paths. Our benefits bring reduced manufacturing costs, improved production quality, eradication of costly design errors and accelerated time to market.

The sophisticated software generates a virtual model of a factory or handling system prior to installation, allowing our PLC and robot programmers to generate high-quality, right-first-time control software. We work with robots from a range of manufacturers and the robot paths, and once programmed virtually in 3D, can be downloaded directly into the robots on-site, drastically reducing programming times.

Installation

Wood covers all stages of system design, manufacture and assembly of equipment, obsolescence management and maintenance support to project work and decommissioning.

• Project management
• Testing
• Installation
• Commissioning

Material handling

Wood offers cutting-edge material-handling equipment and software combined with extensive engineering knowledge provideing industrial clients with turnkey solutions to address specific requirements. We have experience with multiple types of conveyor systems, automated storage and retrieval, cranes, indexers, monorail and guided vehicle transport, vertical lift elevators and several other conveyance systems. Our strength and expertise is in understanding client needs and using our expertise to design the right system for the application.

• Automated storage & retrieval
• Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
• Belt & Roller Skid Conveyors
• Chain On Edge (COE)
• Cranes
• Electrified Monorail Systems (ems)
• Inverted power & free conveyors
• Overhead power & free conveyors
• High speed indexers
• Pallet conveyors
• Pendulum conveyor systems
• Skillet conveyors
• Vertical lift / elevators
• Zero pressure accumulating conveyors

Automated systems

Our systems division designs and manufactures special purpose machines and cells, integrating them with new and existing equipment. Our mechanical and control system engineers have the machinery design expertise to provide robotics and automated product-handling solutions for a variety of industries.

Once we understand our client’s requirements, our successful approach will deliver design, interface with existing equipment, simulation, vision systems, manufacture, testing, installation, commissioning and comprehensive service availability.

• Machinery concept design
• Project engineering and client support
• Interfacing to existing machinery/conveyors
• 3D CAD design
• Simulation – product and process flow, robot simulation and virtual commissioning
• Robot end effector (gripper) design
• Tooling design
• Vision systems
• Machine manufacture and testing in our dedicated workshop
• Guarding and CE marking
• Installation
• Commissioning
• Service

Installations may be fully backed up by comprehensive service packages, allowing our clients to focus on their core business activities.

Power systems

With physical integration systems designed for every level of business, Wood provides the power to make operations safer and smoother, boosting efficiency and reducing costs with power systems, including:

• Medium voltage distribution switchgear
• Medium voltage motor control centres
• Medium voltage metering and termination panels
• Medium voltage local isolation panels
• Medium and low voltage refurbishments and extensions
• Neutral earthing resistor panels
• Turnkey package solutions
• Containerised substations
• Low voltage distribution switchgear
• Low voltage motor control centres
• Integration and network control
• Control panels
• System engineering

Control Panels

Wood’s assembly teams produce high quality control panels for a diverse range of applications. Our skilled personnel also produce robotic cell control panels and automated manufacturing systems.

Our modular assembly process and methodology can be flexed depending on the volume and scope of your requirements, and everything we produce is driven by Lean Manufacturing and Kaizen techniques, rigorously tested for functionality, workmanship and adherence to both build standards and client specifications.

Vision Systems

We provide a seamless integration of vision systems using our knowledge and experience in optics, robotics, and automated controls. Our extensive experience in the automotive industry includes powertrain, assembly, conveyance systems, body shop optimisation and paint completion. The turn-key systems we meticulously design and integrate provide assembly verification, error proofing and parts identification. Our engineers also have significant expertise in implementing sequencing processes for more efficient materials flow and kitting for customised grouping and packaging of similar items. Our engineers are considered experts in the vision field and are ISO:9001 certified and compliant.

• Integration
• Systems implementation
• Verification
• Error proofing