Automation Increase Productivity Without Risk With Low-Cost Robotics

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Meleghy Automotive implements automation solutions with a fast return on investment that can be flexibly adapted to new production requirements. This was achieved through the flexible and cost-effective solutions from Igus.

Remaining competitive and stabilizing processes: this is the goal pursued by the automotive supplier Meleghy Automotive from Wilnsdorf near Siegen, Germany. In an industry undergoing significant changes due to fluctuating order volumes, short model cycles, and the transition to electromobility, flexible and cost-effective automation solutions are essential. With the help of the RBTX online platform from Cologne-based plastics specialist and robotics manufacturer Igus, Meleghy Automotive has found practical systems that are easy to integrate, quick to deploy, and flexible to adapt. The company focuses on solutions that simplify employees' daily tasks, ensure process quality, and provide stable operations.

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The production sites of Meleghy Automotive represent modern manufacturing expertise in automotive structural and body technology. In highly automated pressing plants and assembly areas, sophisticated structural components and complex assemblies are produced daily for leading automobile manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. The company combines precision, process reliability, and innovative spirit with efficient manufacturing technology.

"For us, the focus is not just on pure cost reduction, but on the sustainable improvement of our processes—in terms of stability, quality, and efficiency," emphasizes Matthias Leienbach, Plant Manager at Meleghy Automotive Wilnsdorf. "Low-cost automation is a building block that allows us to achieve these goals pragmatically and without large investment costs." Raúl Pérez, COO of Meleghy Automotive, adds: "Low-cost automation is not just a local pilot topic for us but an important part of our overall strategy. In a time of transformation—with new drive concepts, fluctuating quantities, and increasing complexity—automation solutions must be scalable, economical, and quickly implementable. Low-cost automation gives us the opportunity to achieve exactly that."

Automation from A Single Source

The company therefore pursues a dual strategy when it comes to automation: on one hand, it designs new robot cells to be so flexible that they can be quickly adapted to other vehicle models if needed. On the other hand, Meleghy Automotive deliberately relies on low-cost automation (LCA) from Igus to implement economical yet process-reliable automation solutions. Finding suitable systems that meet the high-quality demands of an automotive supplier is not easy. Unplanned downtimes must be avoided. "We were correspondingly relieved when we discovered the RBTX online platform from Igus," explains Matthias Leienbach. It made it possible to combine LCA components from numerous manufacturers, such as robots, grippers, vision systems, and controllers, according to the Lego principle, and to quickly commission them using the plug-and-play approach. "Normally, it takes a lot of time to assemble systems with components from different providers since compatibility alone can be an issue. Because everything on RBTX is tested for compatibility from the outset, we were able to automate two processes in our production in the shortest time and with minimal investment," says Matthias Leienbach.

Normally, assembling systems with components from different providers requires a lot of time, as compatibility alone can be problematic. Since everything at RBTX is tested for compatibility from the outset, we were able to automate two processes in our production in no time and with minimal investment.

Matthias Leienbach, Plant Manager Meleghy Automotive Wilnsdorf, Germany

In an industry where production volumes fluctuate and projects need to be adjusted at short notice, flexibility is crucial. Instead of investing in rigid large-scale systems, Meleghy Automotive increasingly relies on modular, compact systems that can be quickly reconfigured and adapted to new tasks. "With the solutions from Igus, we can efficiently automate processes without long lead times or complex interfaces. This makes our teams' work easier and ensures greater safety and consistency in operations," says Matthias Leienbach.

Robot Solution Ensures Reproducible Quality

The goal of Meleghy Automotive is to relieve employees of monotonous routine tasks with LCA and to ensure quality through stable, highly repeatable processes. These tasks include, for example, applying barcodes to tubular, black reinforcement struts for the car body. Previously, an employee had to clean the pipes and manually apply barcode stickers. This was not only monotonous but also error-prone over the course of a long shift. Automating this work step was a logical move to elevate repeatability, process reliability, and traceability to a new level. "Our goal was to make the process not only more efficient but above all safer and more consistent," says Matthias Leienbach.

The company assembled a solution via RBTX. The foundation: the DLE-FG-0002 flat gantry from Igus, mounted on a table in a small work cell, creating a custom work area of 12 × 12 inches  with two axes. Within this area, there are four fixtures where employees only need to place the pipes. Once the process is started, the portal robot begins to move, driven by toothed belts and NEMA 17 stepper motors. A carriage with a mounted print head moves along a hard-anodized aluminum profile to the pipes and prints two white barcodes on them. This process takes only a few seconds. Prior cleaning of the pipes is unnecessary, and errors or complaints are eliminated.

"With a comparatively small investment, we were able to automate this work step efficiently and reliably," says Richard Kremser, Electrical Engineer at Meleghy Automotive. "Employees are relieved, and at the same time, we ensure consistently high process quality." Additionally, according to Matthias Leienbach, the solution is virtually maintenance-free in daily operations. The reason: the carriage moves on rails using sliding bearings made of high-performance plastic. Integrated solid lubricants in the material enable low-friction, dirt-resistant dry operation without the need for oil or grease. "We presented the solution internally and immediately sparked great interest at other locations," adds Leienbach. "This demonstrates that low-cost automation is truly a topic for the future—when applied correctly."

Cobot As Ergonomic Support in the Pressing Process

Because the return on investment was good, Meleghy Automotive implemented a second automation solution at the Wilnsdorf plant. The setting: a small welding system that attaches weld nuts to sheets. Previously, employees had to pick up two sheets at a time from a box and place them into the system. Today, a compact cobot handles this task—reliably and ergonomically. This automates the physically demanding routine work, allowing employees to focus more on monitoring and quality assurance tasks. The company therefore purchased the Dobot Nova 5 on RBTX, a white collaborative industrial robot with a payload of five kilograms, an 33.5 inches reach, and a repeat accuracy of ± 0.002 inches, suitable for automation tasks like pick-and-place, screwing, and soldering. It also includes a vacuum gripper. Using this gripper, the robot, controlled by a PLC via IOs, places the sheets from a conveyor belt into the machine. "In addition to increasing efficiency, the focus here is clearly on improving ergonomics," explains Kremser. "Low-cost automation helps us make work safer and at the same time more economical."

Inspired by the initial projects, Meleghy Automotive continues to rely on low-cost automation—not just for local optimizations but as a lever for the entire transformation phase of the automotive industry. "We see LCA as a crucial bridge between traditional industrial automation and the digital factory," explains Raúl Pérez. "It allows us to remain innovative without losing economic balance—and that is essential in times of technological change." Currently, the Wilnsdorf plant is using the Rebel from Igus, a six-axis cobot with a payload of two kilograms and a reach of 26.1 inches. Made largely of high-performance plastic, it weighs only 18.1 pounds, making the Rebel the lightest cobot in its class. Its potential task: placing flat, crescent-shaped metal components into a magazine for a forming tool. "We see low-cost automation as an essential component of our future strategy," says Matthias Leienbach. "It gives us the opportunity to align cost-effectiveness, quality, and employee orientation—and thereby remain competitive in the long term."

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