Automation of production lines in the plastics industry

In the plastics processing industry (injection molding, extrusion, or thermoforming), many operations are still largely manual. After leaving the machine, products are manually removed, inspected, moved, or packaged. While this is understandable from a historical perspective, it creates systemic problems in practice.

Manual work on production lines leads to:

• Variable product quality, simply because people don't perform every task exactly the same way.
• Bottlenecks in throughput, especially at high speeds or with multiple parallel lines.
• High dependence on a scarce labor force, while the labor market shortage persists.
• Limited scalability: if you want to produce faster or in greater quantities, you’ll immediately need more people.

The good news is that all of these challenges can be addressed. Production automation in the plastics industry offers concrete solutions without requiring you to overhaul your entire production line all at once.

Van Wees Waalwijk develops and builds automation solutions for the plastics processing industry, ranging from custom machines and robotic cells to complete line integrations. The process always begins with an analysis of your specific situation: where is the manual work, where do errors occur, and where does automation yield the greatest benefits? Only once that is clear is a solution designed that is technically, practically, and financially suited to your business.

Production Automation: Handling, Assembly, and Conveying
Repetitive tasks such as removing products after the injection molding process, transporting them between machines, and preparing them for packaging are ideal candidates for automation. Van Wees Waalwijk develops and integrates systems that take over these steps from your employees. The result: a consistent throughput, fewer opportunities for error, and less pressure on the shop floor.

As a systems integrator, Van Wees Waalwijk ensures that all components of your production line work together seamlessly. This may involve modifying existing machines, designing new components, or combining separate subsystems into a single functional unit.

Custom Machine Building: When Standard Machines Aren’t Enough
No two production processes in the plastics industry are alike. Products differ in shape, weight, and material; production lines are configured differently; and the requirements for handling and quality control vary from customer to customer. Standard machines rarely provide a suitable solution for these needs.

If there is no suitable machine on the market for your specific application, Van Wees Waalwijk will design and build a custom machine. From the initial consultation to on-site delivery, the customer is involved in every stage of the design process. This ensures a solution that is technically sound and works effectively in your production environment.

The technologies used include robotics, vision systems, laser welding, motion systems, and AI, depending on the specific requirements of the process.

Robotics for handling and pick-and-place applications
Robotics has a wide range of applications in the plastics processing industry, particularly for tasks that are currently still performed manually. Examples include pick-and-place applications for removing products after the injection molding process, robotic cells for palletizing or packaging, and vision-guided systems that accurately identify and position products.

Van Wees Waalwijk develops fully customized robotics solutions and integrates them into your existing production line. Robots do not replace your employees; rather, they take over repetitive tasks so that people can be deployed where their knowledge and attention add the most value.

These projects demonstrate how companies in the plastics processing industry are working with Van Wees Waalwijk to advance toward production automation, with a focus on customization, reliability, and collaboration.