Physically demanding work, high turnover and on-the-job injuries were a few of the critical issues faced by Virginia steel fabricator Lawrence Brothers Inc. The company produces 1,000 material handling trays a day, each of which has long required a difficult manual grinding process. But today, an AI-driven automation solution by FANUC Authorized System Integrator GrayMatter Robotics has increased production, created more consistent results and upskilled several employees into higher value roles.
The last brass padlock manufacturer based in the U.S., Wilson Bohannan is a seventh-generation business located in Marion, Ohio. In business for 165 years, the company produces more than 40 solid brass padlock models for a variety of industries. To help maintain their longstanding recognition for American-made craftsmanship and quality, they’ve relied on automation for 15 years. But when the operations team was challenged to double output within the already fully optimized footprint of their manufacturing floor, they turned to FANUC Authorized System Integrator Acme Manufacturing for support.
For more than 40 years, Life Line Emergency Vehicles has been manufacturing highly customized ambulances in Sumner, Iowa. With a focus on quality, durability and safety, this father-and-son-founded business has grown into a large team of employee-owners, many of whom have served as Emergency Medical Technicians themselves.
Facing low unemployment rates, Life Line has struggled to find reliable labor in recent years. This challenge led the company to seek out an automation solution for one of its most physically demanding tasks—the sanding and finishing of large ambulances.