SawJet Robots for the Stone Cutting Industry | Productivity and Safety

Lakeside Surfaces was born more than 25 years ago in the garage of President and CEO Rob Riegler, but has grown to be one of the largest quartz surface crafters in the Midwest region of the United States. The Michigan-based company specializes in turning quartz into precisely crafted countertops, shower walls, and fireplace rounds. Lakeside Surfaces is no stranger to automation, but when planning their new state-of-the-art facility the company discovered the unique advantages of implementing robotic solutions.

More about Lakeside Surfaces: https://lakesidesurfaces.com/
More about BACA Systems: https://bacasystems.com/
More about foundry grade KUKA Robots: https://www.kuka.com/en-us/industries/metal-industry/foundry-and-forging-industry

Putting their in-house software developers and high-pressure technology specialists to good use, KUKA partner BACA Systems developed and installed two RS202 Robo SawJets based on the KUKA KR 210 robot. With an abrasive water jet, a 20HP direct-drive saw featuring a diamond cutting head, and the unsurpassed precision of the KUKA KR 210 robot, this setup opened a new realm of productivity and creative flexibility for Lakeside Surfaces. As a foundry-grade robot, the KUKA KR 210 is uniquely resilient when subjected to the highly abrasive environment of quartz cutting. Using a dual-table design each Robo SawJet can cut material on one table while the other table is being loaded and unloaded. Add to that the reduced maintenance and minimal downtime of the KUKA KR 210 robotic arm and the total cost of ownership is significantly lower than a traditional custom-built machine.

With modern robotic accuracy comes consistent quality, improved efficiency, reduced delivery times, and enhanced flexibility; advantages that support Lakeside Surfaces’ expanding business. That improved accuracy also helps Lakeside Surfaces meet the changing needs of their customers. Recent years have seen customer tastes shift to a more natural stone aesthetic. To meet that demand Lakeside Surfaces uses a BACA-developed vein-matching visual system and the unparalleled accuracy of the KUKA KR 210 robotic arm, allowing the company to index and cut quartz slabs with such precision that it’s difficult for customers to visually identify any seams.

Lakeside Surfaces embraces a human-focused culture. That laudable philosophy has been supported by BACA’s KUKA-based robotics solution through a program called Lakeside University. With this program the company’s employees have learned high-tech skills related to CNC equipment, robotics, programming, and engineering in a short timeframe, helping them better utilize Lakeside’s new robotic tools. Lakeside Surfaces has also harnessed the repeatable precision of the KUKA KR 210 robot to improve the health of their employees. Respirable Silica is a microscopic byproduct of quartz manufacturing that can build up in workers’ lungs, resulting in serious health implications. Through testing, refining, and implementing repeatable production processes with their BACA Robo SawJets, Lakeside Surfaces is working to reduce respirable silica even lower than the US government’s already stringent standards.

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