CLIENT CHALLENGE

Struggling to keep up with the demand generated from a booming housing industry, the client approached BP Automation with the hope of generating a solution to increase its productivity. The client had become frustrated with the lack of options available and feared that a viable solution may not exist.

The client was faced with a number of challenges:

• Rising labour costs, including wages, training and retention
• Significant rework and repairs required due to manual cutting process
• Low productivity throughout the manual fabrication process

THE BP AUTOMATION SOLUTION

BP Automation broke the process up into three areas: set-up, cutting, and gluing and clamping. This allowed for the process to be streamlined and for a number of innovations to be added:

• Custom set-up table to accommodate wide counters
• Custom 8-axis cutting and v-grooving saw
• Automated gluing and clamping system for final countertop fabrication

RESULTS

1. Reduction in cutting time from 210 minutes to 1.5 minutes
2. Increased output using existing labour
3. Reduction in training time required for new employees

Overall, the client was able to expand its market and propagate this custom fabrication system across the country.