Land Rover plays it EcoSafe
April 10th 2006 Bosch Rexroth’s EcoSafe protective barrier is keeping personnel safe at Land Rover’s Solihull site.
The plant contains 260 ABB robots and is 75% automated. Due to the high degree of robotic automation, the Manufacturing Engineering team required a guarding system that was lightweight and flexible to facilitate maintenance and any future modifications while still beng robust enough to offer a high degree of safety.
Bosch Rexroth’s EcoSafe system meets the most stringent guarding legislation ((EN292, 294 and 811) and conforms to the Machinery Directive. In advance of full production the EcoSafe system was tested on-site by having a robot crashed deliberately into it: the protective barrier deformed within acceptable limits.
Made of aluminium as opposed to steel, the system’s modular, durable, bolt together design eliminates the need for welding, painting, special tooling and skilled labour – saving costs. The bolted design allows for rapid assembly, disassembly and re-use when a robot needs to be taken out for maintenance or when the entire line needs to be reconfigured
Demonstrating client satisfaction, the next major project at Land Rover’s Halewood site will incorporate the EcoSafe system. Bosch Rexroth says this is an indication that the company has discovered it is better to be EcoSafe than sorry.
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