Robots promote job satisfaction
“Getting things to work has been very frustrating. The robots do the work, but the humans behind them are the ones who make things work.” says Atle Holmlund Løkken.
Mr. Løkken, who is a qualified carpenter, has now become a CNC operator on one of the company’s two production lines. The robot and CNC machines prepare the finished materials and sheet packs for the modules.
Investing in people
“We have invested approx. NOK 32 million on new machinery and buildings. At the same time we have given our employees both the time and opportunity to learn about the machines properly. Anyone can buy machinery, but it is the people who make the difference,” says Factory Manager Rolf Johan Sørli.
Questions and answers
Have employees been replaced by machines?
No employees have been replaced by machines. Employees who previously worked as carpenters have been given training and are now working as robot operators.
What do the robot and CNC machine do?
The CNC machine has taken over the work that was previously carried out at various work stations at the factory. This machine prepares the kit required for walls with finished sills, uprights, interties and similar components with cuts, holes and marks so that they can be assembled like Lego blocks instead of having to be processed inside the factory.
The Biesse machine formats sheets around doors and windows, ventilation holes and holes for electrical applications.
This makes production easier, more efficient and safer.
What does Moelven Byggmodul AS manufacture?
Moelven Byggmodul AS manufactures modules for construction rigs and buildings for schools, kindergartens and offices. The factory manufactures over 50 modules per week.
What impact has this investment had?
When the machines now approach optimal function, the modules in the factory are produced more efficiently. The machines are currently still in the start-up phase, so their effects cannot yet be fully measured. This project has had a very positive impact on the working environment in the cutting factory, something which is evident from lower absence from work due to illness, etc.
Photo: Moelven.