2. The Automation Professionals
Page 2
Contact Details
• Company Name The Automation Professionals P/L
ABN 96 087 163 924
• Contact : Mach CaoXuan
Engineering Manager
• Address 42 Valenti Crescent
Kellyville 2155
NSW Australia
Phone/ Fax: +61 2 88147258
Mobile: 0416 558 775
Email: mcaoxuan@tpg.com.au
3. The Automation Professionals
Page 3
Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering
of University Stuttgart Germany (1979)
Germany:
– 1979 – 1987 : BMW (Germany) - Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
Robotics and Assembly Automation
– 1987 – 1991 Digital Equipment (Germany/USA) - Senior Manufacturing Engineer
Introduction of Cleanroom Production / Manufacturing Technology
– 1991 – 1996 Schlumberger (Germany/France) - Project Manager
Design & Implementation of a modern, highly automated assembly line
Australia
– 1996 – 1997 Parker Hannifin - Industrial Engineer Production Supervisor
– 1997 – 1998 Pierlite P/L : Project Manager
Design and implementation of an automated production line for light fitting products
Blue Point Products P/L: Project manager
Design and implementation of a flexible, fully automated electric link bars production line
Unistrut P/L: Consultant: Implementation of cost reduction measures
– 1998 The Automation Professionals founded
Design and Build several automated machines for Atlas Plastics (plastic bottles manufacturer),
DANA (car components), Antec (Building material supplier), Sandler (Shoe manufacturer),
Matchmaster (Antenna Manufacturer), Pathfinder Systems, Dorf Clarks, Cochlear ( medical
devices manufacturer) , etc.
- 1999 – 2002 Swisslog Australia P/L
Senior Logistics Design Consultant for Warehouses and Distributions Centers
- 2002 – 2003 Webb Conveyor Company P/L
Division Manager “ Warehouse and Distribution-Automation”
- 2004 – 2008 Woolworths Limited
Distribution Center Design Manager
- 2008 – 2011 Logistics Bureau – Logistics Consultant
- 2011 - 2013 Xact Solution – Logistics Consultant
Mach CaoXuan - Engineering Manager
4. The Automation Professionals
Page 4
Manufacturing Division
Product Design: Design for Manufacturing / Design for Assembly
– Analyze current product design and recommend suitable changes to reduce
cost and to simplify manufacturing/assembly process (Design For
Manufacturing /Design for Assembly).
Production : Improve productivity – manual or automated production
– Analyze current production methods and processes
• Identify production bottlenecks
• Develop conceptual solutions for productivity improvement
• Estimate total cost of implementation and the potential saving
– Design and Build production equipment and assembly systems
• Work out detailed solutions
• Provide detailed CAD Drawings of equipment and machines
• Build and Install Production Equipment ( manual or automated - Jigs
and Fixtures, Robot systems, Material Handling devices etc.)
– Project Management
• Write detailed project specifications and tender documents
• Evaluate quotations / Vendors and System Suppliers
• Supervise project from conception to commissioning
– Review technical documents (drawings, user manuals,
maintenance contracts, etc.)
– Specify requirements for all necessary tests
– Supervise installation and commissioning
– “Turn Key” System:
• We design, build, test and commission completed solutions
• Low-Cost option: working with client’s tool shop, electricians etc.we
can achieve a cost saving of up to 40% compared to full turn key
•Can we design products with less parts?
•Can we reduce material cost? And eliminate scraps?
•Can we simplify the production processes?
•Can we design products suitable for “affordable”
automation?
• Can we eliminate non-value added operations?
• Can we shorten cycle time? and increase output?
• Are we applying the right production technologies?
• How can we improve working conditions (ergonomic)?
• Should we consider automation and how much will it
cost?
• Are the proposed solutions technologically “proven”?
• Are we selecting the “right” vendors? Do they have
after sales service?
• How can we minimize project risks? Do we have the
resources for intensively following and checking project
progress from the beginning on?.
5. The Automation Professionals
Page 5
Services/ Logistics and Warehousing Section
• Analyze current Warehouse and Storage System (2 -4 weeks)
– “Check Up” Analysis – Observation, Workshops and Discussions
• Assessment of the current storage and material handling
equipment
• Identification of issues and problems
• Providing practical advices on short term solutions and benefits
• Recommendations of long term strategies (optional)
• Design Distribution Centers (DC):
– Assist clients collecting and structuring Warehouse Data
– Carry out Data Analysis: Key Design Parameters
– Develop alternative solutions for all function areas of the DC from
receiving to despatch. Evaluate and select the most suitable solutions.
– Search for applicable Warehouse and Material Handling Equipment
– Develop detailed Warehouse Layouts
– Develop the “Day in the Life” analysis of the planned DC
• Material Flow
• Product Slotting
• Utilization ( staging areas, storage capacity, etc.)
• Calculate the Labour Cost per Carton
• Estimate total Investment
Typical questions :
•Why our Warehouse is always so congested?
•Why our KPI is too low compared to known
standards?
•Is the current storage method the most “space-
effective” one? How can we solve our current acute
space problem?
• Which material handling equipment can be applied
to “speed up” warehouse operations?
•Are we applying the right picking strategies?
•Why so many picking mistakes?
•Are there ways to reduce our cost per carton?
•How can we improve the safety level?
Expected results:
• Detailed CAD drawing of the new DC
• Facility Sizing- Layout
• # of receiving docks, # dispatch docks
• storage systems (storage zones, storage unit
loads, storage system design (selective or high
density, aisle width, storage handling equipment
• Order picking systems (breakcase, fullcase,
discrete or batch picking sortation, RF, Voice,
etc.)
• MHE parking, battery charging room,
• maintenance workshop, production facilities
• Safety
• List of all needed equipment
• Equipment Utilisation (average/peak)
• Number of required direct employees
• Labor cost per carton
7. The Automation Professionals
Page 7
Reference : Gasmeter Assembly Line
(Client: Schlumberger – Germany)
• Fully automated assembly line
• 16 Assembly Stations
• Pallet Conveyor System
•
•Technologies:
• Assembly Robots & grippers
• Leakage Test
• Automated Glue Dispensing
• Packaging
• Total Investment: 3.5 Mio DM
• Saving:
• On Labor Cost
Before: 80 Assemblers
After: 20 Assemblers
On Material Cost:
Before: 110 DM
After: 70 DM
8. The Automation Professionals
Page 8
Integrated Production Line for Light Fitting
(1998 / Pierlite Pty Ltd – Australia)
Solution:
• Product Redesign for Automation
• Applying new joining technology (Tox) (eliminating screws and nuts)
• Reducing number of parts ( 30% less)
• Simplifying production process:
• by using pre-painted metal (eliminating painting)
• conveyor system ( eliminating transport and handling)
• Fully integrated production process
• Punching and Rollforming
• Assembly and Testing
• Packaging and Palletizing
• Total Investment: AUD 0.9 Mio
•Saving: On Labor: 14 Assemblers
On Material : > AUD 3 /unit
The Automation Professionals was responsible for product redesign, concept solutions,
detailed project specification and project management. The machine system was built by
Premiere Rollform ( Decoiler, Punching Press, Rollforming machine), Applied Robotics
(Assembly Station, Palletizing machine) and Solary Packaging (Packaging
9. The Automation Professionals
Page 9
Flexible, fully automated production Machine for “link bars”
(1999 / Blue Point Products Pty Ltd - Australia)
• Product variations:
• Different lengths ( 30 mm to 200 mm)
• Different holes patterns
• Applied technologies
• Cut to lengths
• Drilling and Tapping
• Marking (Inkjet Printing)
• Screw Inserting
• Quality Checking
• Counting
•Total Investment: 0.7 Mio AUD
•Saving: Before: 10 Operators per shift (total 20 per day)
After: 3 Operators per shift (total 6 per day)
Return On Investment : about 1 year
The Automation Professionals developed concept solutions, wrote detailed project
specification and managed the whole project from supplier selection, design
verification to supervising installation. The machine was built by Broens
Toolmaking
10. The Automation Professionals
Page 10
Nail Inserting Machine
1999 / Pierlite Pty Ltd
Tool for nail “inserting”
Before:
• Two Operators “hammered” nails into plastic parts using hand hammers.
• Major concerns:
• Frequent Injuries (fingers)
• Poor Assembly Quality
• Low production output
Solution:
• A Bowl Feeder separates and feeds nails into a “mouth-piece”
of a specially designed pneumatic “hammer”
• Another Bowl Feeder transports plastic part to insertion station
• Pneumatic hammer presses nail into plastic part
• Linear Feeder conveys assembled parts into packing cartons
•Total Investment: AUD 60,000
• Saving: Before: 4 Assemblers
After: 1 Operator (supervisory task)
Return On Investment: < 6 months
The machine was designed by The Automation Professionals and built by
Pierlite’s Tool Shop Personnel.
11. The Automation Professionals
Page 11
Design Study :Assembly Line for Food Dispensing Products
2003 NJ Phillips / Gosford
Objectives:
•To reduce labor cost per unit by 50%
•To increase production output (1000 – 1200 units)
•Investment should not exceed AUD 200,000
with a Pay Back of 1 – 1.5 years
Solution:
• better balanced assembly line
• improving ergonomic condition of manual assembly stations
• re-use existing equipment
• low cost automation
The design study was carried out by The Automation Professionals.
Realisation planned in FY 2004
12. The Automation Professionals
Page 12
Design Study: Redesign Lighting Product
2003 / Thorn Lighting Pty Ltd
Objectives: :
•Redesign product to reduce material cost and simplify assembly
Initial Situation:
• Cost of the “body” of Thorn’s High Bay product is high because of:
• 40% scrap
• Excessive material handling effort (tool changes, palletizing,
transport)
Solution: New design of “body”
• Reduce scrap from 816 cm2 to 144 cm2
• No tool changes
• Stacking of flat sheets instead of palletizing of folded
products (saving on storage and transport)
• Improve assemble-ability
Calculated Saving: approx. $3 per unit
The study was carried out by The Automation Professionals.
old proposed
13. The Automation Professionals
Page 13
Design Study: Tap Head Assembly Machine
2002/ Dorf Clark Industries Pty Ltd
Objectives:
• Fully automated assembly
•To increase production output by 10%
•Investment should not exceed AUD 150,000
with a Pay Back of 1 – 1.5 years
Solution:
• re-use existing equipment
• low cost automation
The design study was carried out by The Automation Professionals.
extension
Existing machine
14. The Automation Professionals
Page 14
Label Application
June 2003 / Impresstik Pty Ltd
Initial Situation:
• Impresstik received an urgent order to supply special labels
• Labels to be applied from underneath on a sticky protecting film
• > 20,000 labels/h
• Application Equipment to be designed and built within 3 weeks
Solution:
• Labels are stacked manually in magazines
• A ‘twin-heads” picking arm mounted onto a pneumatic rotary cylinder
enable picking and applying four labels in 0.5 sec.
•Total Investment:
• AUD 12,000 (design and pneumatic products)
• Fabrication and Assembly by Impresstik tool shop
The machine was designed by The Automation Professionals and built by
Impresstik’ s Tool Shop Personnel.
15. The Automation Professionals
Page 15
Pallet Elevator and Conveyor
Dec 2003 / DANA Spicer
Initial Situation:
•Two workers remove empty pallets (12 kg) at the end of an automated
assembly line, and carry them to the start of the line located 25 meters
away.
Solution:
• A pneumatic elevator lifts empty pallets to a overhead conveyor at 2500
mm high level .
• The conveyor then conveys pallets 40 meters to a 2nd elevator
• The 2nd elevator lowers pallets to transport level at 900mm high .
•Total Investment:
• AUD 120,000
The machine was designed and built by The Automation Professionals.
Inventcom Pty Ltd was responsible for all electrical and programming works
16. The Automation Professionals
Page 16
Automated Station for Shoe In-Sole Marking
Feb 2004 / Sandler Shoes
Initial Situation:
• Four (4) workers mark lines on shoe “in sole”
• Poor quality
Solution:
• Store Shoe soles in stack magazine
• A rotary handling unit picks one sole from magazine
and brings it to marking station
• Two axis Robot marks lines on shoe sole.
•Total Investment:
• AUD 40,000
• Saving: 3 workers
• Return on Investment < 1 year
The machine was designed and built by The Automation Professionals
17. The Automation Professionals
Page 17
Assembly Jig
July 2004 / Antech Engineering
Initial Situation:
• Six (6) workers hammer plastic caps onto two ends of wire anchors
• Injuries to fingers/ lost of production
Solution:
• Automated feeding caps to inserting station
• Worker places anchor into inserting station
• Pneumatic cylinder presses cap onto anchor
•Total Investment:
• AUD 20,000
• Saving: 3 workers
• Return on Investment < 1 year
The assembly jig was designed and built by The Automation Professionals
18. The Automation Professionals
Page 18
Helix Winding Machine
December 2004 / Cochlear
Initial Situation:
• Operators need 4 -5 hours to complete an extremely
complicated assembly job
• Reject Rate > 50%
Solution:
• Semi automated assembly jig reduced assembly
by more than 90%, total time is 5 minutes.
• Reject rate reduced to 0%
•Total Investment:
• AUD 40,000
The assembly jig was designed and built by The Automation Professionals.
19. The Automation Professionals
Page 19
Welding Machine
November 2005 / Cochlear
The Automation Professionals was contracted by Cochlear
in 2005 to develop a prototype for an automated precision
welding machine:
- One axis high precision robot arm (5 microns)
- Selectable welding programs
- Cleanroom Environment
20. The Automation Professionals
Page 20
2009 - Semi-automatic drilling machine
Installation of Tactile Indicator on Rail Station Platform
Initial Situation:
• 48,000 holes need to be drilled to install tactile
indicators on a 200 meters long rail platform. It takes
400 hours.
Solution:
• Semi-Automated Drilling Machines
• 12 drilling units
• manual push to index
•Time to drill 48,000 holes: 20 hours per machine
10 hours per 2 machines
•Total Investment:
• AUD 60,000 (two machines)
• Saving: 390 hours or 23,400 $ per installation
(based on hour rate of 60$ per hour)
22. The Automation Professionals
Page 22
- Blue points products P/L: - Study: Facility Planning and Manufacturing Strategies
- Study: Evaluation and Selection of CNC machine centers
- Design: Manipulator Gripper for Glass Tubes
- Unistrut ( Mt Druit) - Project: Design and Installation of a Gantry Crane for quick
changing of rollers (rollforming machine)
- Study: Measures for Improving Productivity .
- Dorf Clark (Milperra): - Specification for Press Line Automaton
- Design: Robot Tool for polishing kitchen sinks
- Dorf Clark (Penrith): - Design, Build a device for loading wash machine
- Design, Build a Fixture for O-Ring Assembly
References (cont.)
24. The Automation Professionals
Page 24
Distribution Center - Pharmaceutical Products
The Philippines - 2001
• Approx. 40,000 sqm
• Two DC under one roof
• Mainly” breakcase picking”
• Pick to totes on belt sortation
• Pick to Light
• Weight Checking
25. The Automation Professionals
Page 25
Factory Layout
2003 / Atlas Plastics Pty Ltd
The Automation Professionals has been contracted by Atlas Plastics for designing layout concepts for the
upgraded factory. Objectives of the project are:
- Optimizing Storage System: Increasing storage capacity , improving accessibility
- Reducing Operating Cost by Grouping Machines, Implementing Conveying system and simplifying
packaging operations
26. The Automation Professionals
Page 26
Distribution center - Grocery
Thailand - 2005
• 50,000 sqm
• Average 100,000 cartons/day – peak : 180,000 c/d
• Required storage capacity : 60,000 pallets
– High Density Drive In Rack
– Pallet Flow Rack
– Selective Rack
• Pick from Pallets to Pallets : (Fast Moving SKU)
• Pick from CLS to tote : Breakcase – Slow Moving
• Bulk Pick: PLS module
27. The Automation Professionals
Page 27
Implement Layer Picking for fast moving products
Australia - 2006
- Identify product suitable for layer picking
- Analysing carton characteristics
- Analysing layer dimensions and weights
- Analysing business requirements to ensure that
the layer picked volumes are beneficial to
- DC : improve pickrate from 150 to 1200 c/h
- Customers (Stores): received quantities
are manageable
- Carried tests
- Purchased complete layer picking system
(forktruck and attachment)
- Tested to ensure that layers can be picked up by
a “Cascade” layer gripper
- First Layer picking implemented in 2008.
28. The Automation Professionals
Page 28
Design and Build : Turnstile – Dock Safety
Australia - 2007
- Safety Issues:
- Fork trucks fall off raised dock levellers cause
injuries to drivers and costly damages to
equipment
- Solution:
- Turnstile Dock safety
- Allow dock leveller to function
- Keep fork trucks within a safe, operational
zone
- Woolworths decided to installed the designed turnstile in
all receiving docks .
29. The Automation Professionals
Page 29
Design an Empty Pallet Removing Mechanism (EPRM)
Australia - 2008
Initial situation:
• The process of handling empty pallets (removing from
pick slots, transporting to a pallet stacking point, building
pallet stacks) is purely manual
• This process have been identified as a major SHE
(Safety Health and Environment) concern and BigW has
contracted the Automation Professionals P/L to develop a
mechanism allowing handling empty pallets with ease.
Solution:
• A semi-automated, low cost pallet retrieval device
mounted on a manually pushed overhead guide rail.
Motorized components allow effortlessly
• Picking up pallets
• Rotating to bring pallet in an upright position
• Stacking up at stacking point
• Patent pending
30. The Automation Professionals
Page 30
Distribution Center - Retailer
Australia - 2009
• > 90,000 sqm
• Average 120,000 c/d – peak : 200,000 c/d
• > 50,000 reserve locations
– High Density Drive In Rack
– Pallet Flow Rack
– Selective Rack
• Pick to Belt – Batch Picking Modules (Slow Moving SKU)
– CLS on ground level
– PLS on 2nd and 3rd levels with EPRM
• Pick to Pallets (Fast Moving SKU)
• Carton Crossdock
• Cross belt sorter (8000 cartons/h)
• Bulk Pick: PLS module
• Work load “balancing” Storage: 12 deeps PLS
• Automated wrapping
31. The Automation Professionals
Page 31
Distribution Center - Energy Equipment supplier
Australia - 2010
• 25,000 sqm
• 4,000 pallet racking locations – selective rack
• 2000 Shelving bays
• Cantilever rack for cable conduits
• Handling large cable drums
• Racking for Drums
• Semi-automated cable cutting
• 30 T overhead crane
• Truck Loading/Unloading
• Handling heavy loads (>25 T)
32. The Automation Professionals
Page 32
Total DC Area: 11.400 m2
Office on Mezzanine 275 m2
Number of docks 23
Function Areas:
Receiving staging / Dispatch staging
Bulk Pick
Non-conveyable picking
Pick module for slow and medium moving items
Sorter
Forklift parking/ Battery Charging
Distribution Centre - Fast Food Company
The Philippines - 2011
33. The Automation Professionals
Page 33
Distribution Centre - Spare Part Supplier
Australia - 2012
• Proposed layout change
- increase storage capacity
- increase # picking slots
- more staging space for receiving and
despatch
- Improve accessibility
36. The Automation Professionals
Page 36
Distribution Center - Retailer
South East Asia 2015
• > 100,000 sqm
• > 60,000 reserve pallet locations
– High Density Satellite System
– Selective Rack
• Zone Picking _ Pick to Totes (Unit Pick &Slow Moving SKU)
– CLS for “faster” moving SKU
– Shelving for slow moving SKUs
• Pick to Pallets (Fast Moving SKU)
• Pallet Crossdock
37. The Automation Professionals
Page 37
- Swisslog :
- DC Design Studies for several customers in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Philippines.
- DC Design (concept); Coca Cola Melbourne / Australia (2002)
- Webb Conveyor System
- Developed an automated car storage system for Mitsubishi Adelaide (2003 - Webb then was awarded the project )
- Woolworths :
- DC Design Study: Extension of the Brisbane Regional Distribution Center (2008)
- DC Design Study: Refurbishment strategies for two 15 year old, highly automated DC (2007)
- Operation Trial: High Rise Order Picking (Man Up). (2006)
- BigW :
- DC Design Study: Facility for handling optical products (2008)
- DC Design Study: Modification of existing sorters to suit increase demands (2006)
- Poly Industries:
- Installation of High Density Racking (2000)
Other projects
