Transition from 2D to 3D Robot Vision Enhances Production Efficiency at Nemak

Nemak is a leading provider of innovative lightweight solutions for the global automotive industry. In its cutting-edge automated plant, the German facility in Dillingen produces aluminum engine blocks and cylinder heads for some of the most important automotive brands and is gearing up to increasingly manufacture e-mobility components. On one of its production lines, the increasing product complexity highlighted the inadequacy of the existing 2D vision technology that was guiding industrial robots to pick and place engine blocks. Thanks to the transition to the Pickit 3D robot vision solution, Nemak has now been able to increase efficiency and reduce downtime significantly. December 2024, a second Pickit 3D system was therefore commissioned.

No ordinary casting foundry

The heart of Nemak Dillingen is its aluminum casting foundry, which has been in operation since 1992. Over the years, the foundry has grown from one to four production lines, producing 1.5 to 2 million engine blocks annually.

However, Nemak in Dillingen is not like a standard casting foundry. It is one of Nemak's most automated and advanced facilities, as well as one of the world's most automated casting plants. Equipped with approximately 350 robots and more than 300 PLCs, the foundry has completely automated manufacturing execution systems that are heavily digitalized. It operates at similar levels of automation to automotive OEMs, according to numerous ISO and automotive industry standards.

Confronted with the limits of 2D vision

Engine block and component manufacturing is a complicated process. At Nemak, stacked sand cores serve as a casting form into which liquid aluminum is poured to produce lightweight engine blocks. After heat treatment, these blocks exit the furnace on a tray in batches of eight. Measuring approximately 40 by 70 by 70 cm the blocks must then be picked individually and set on a platform before being loaded into a machine for sanding and deburring. Until recently, this operation was carried out using 2D vision technology to detect the engine blocks, which the robot then picked and placed. However, this technology had become increasingly unreliable in recent years, causing production stops and manual interventions.

Challenges arose when new products were being introduced on the production line. As the platform was initially designed for a certain type of product, the complexity of new parts with different geometrics made it hard for the 2D system to accurately detect and securely direct the robot for precise gripping.

Carsten Wadel, Head of Technical Services at Nemak Dillingen, explains: “We produce about 3000 parts in one day on this line, so it is key that we minimize production stops. The complexity of the process and introduction of new products required flexibility and reliability that 2D vision could no longer provide. We had to find a solution that covered all the product types and was secure and reliable. We were looking for technology that could handle the engine blocks being placed in different directions or slightly displaced.

Because the robot operates in a dusty and harsh environment, the new system had to be robust as well. Finally, because we service our critical operations ourselves, we sought a solution that would be easy for our staff to operate and manage.”

Easy set-up of 3D Robot Vision

"Our production is now more reliable thanks to 3D robot vision, which also frees up operators to work on tasks that add value to our products."
Carsten Wadel, Head of Technical Services at Nemak Dillingen

After careful market assessment, Nemak chose Pickit 3D to address its production challenges on this line. The proposed solution combines Pickit 3D's versatile software platform, which can handle complex pick and place, surface treatment and assembly processes, with a Pickit M-HD2 camera mounted on the ABB 7600 model industrial robot.

“3D vision was not completely new technology for Nemak as we have been using it for process control and quality management applications. However, the Pickit 3D solution was the first time we used 3D vision for robot picking,” Carsten Wadel continues.

Stefan Bellmann, Maintenance and Automation Technician for all lines in the Nemak plant, adds: “We are manufacturers, not machine builders or system integrators. So, it was important for us to be able to implement this system without having specific 3D vision knowledge. We received excellent support from the Pickit 3D team, and the system worked very well from the start”.

A versatile platform offering additional opportunities

Nemak Dillingen is very happy with how the new 3D robot vision has addressed their challenges. The Technical Services team has therefore commissioned another Pickit 3D vision system on a second line. The implementation was finalized early January 2025.

Carsten Wadel: “The advantages are proven, and we can already see additional opportunities for the use of 3D vision for other applications, including bin picking. We need to qualify the opportunities and where 3D vision can provide maximum value to our processes. The idea that we can use Pickit 3D as a versatile platform for a variety of applications is highly appealing in terms of return on investment.”

Case summary

Case summary

Company:

Nemak (Dillingen plant)

Activity:

Production of aluminum engine blocks, cylinder heads and e-mobility components for leading automotive brands.

Challenge:

The 2D vision system for picking and placing of engine blocks had become unreliable due to changing product complexity.

Solution:

• Pickit 3D robot vision, with M-HD2 camera mounted on ABB robot.

• Implementation services by Pickit 3D

Benefits:

• Significant improvement of the production line’s security and reliability, avoiding production stops due to robot crashes or manual interventions.

• Operators can focus on value-added and proactive tasks.

• Ease-of-use, versatility and future possibilities of the Pickit 3D solution.