From Manual to Automated Processes. TÜV SÜD Choice
Automation is a hot topic in these years. It encompasses a wide range of technologies aimed at:
- Increasing productivity by reducing cycle time
- Improving output quality and consistency
- Increasing predictability and accuracy
- Reducing direct human labor costs and expenses
- Relieving humans of monotonously repetitive work, as well as of dangerous work stresses and occupational injuries
- Increasing human freedom to do other things.
TÜV SÜD – a technical inspection association that wants to inspire trust in technology, enabling progress and facilitating change – chose Steelco to automate its hospital beds’ wear testing processes.
In its site in Hanover, Germany, hospital beds were manually tested from 200 to 250 times each to assess both their resistance to wash cycles and their ware time. The process required operators to perform hard and repetitive tasks for prolonged periods of time, leading to higher boredom, lower attention, and higher risk of injuries.
TÜV SÜD called for an automated solution to solve the above-mentioned problems.
We developed an LC 80 BOT washer disinfector with a customized loading and unloading automation.
The initial request was to create a device, equipped with a loading/unloading automation, able to test hospital beds wear resistance through continuously repeating cycles. Moreover, it had to relieve operators from backbreaking work. Automated work also allows TÜV SÜD to enhance productivity, making it possible to perform tests 24/7 with no need for the operator to be physically present.
To respond to these needs, our staff designed a device with:
- configurable cycles based on the parameters TÜV SÜD needs to verify load resistance
- adjustable cycle repetitions, going on autonomously
- automatic bed loading and unloading, up to 250+ times per bed.
Watch the video to see it working.
