Kyoung Duk
Automotive Parts Manufacturer Kyoung Duk has implemented collaborative robots in its plastic injection part inspection and separation processes, achieving 100% inspection accuracy and a 130% increase in productivity.

Kyoung Duk is an automotive parts manufacturer that has been molding and assembling components for vehicle windows for over 40 years. The company currently accounts for 70% of the domestic market share in this category. To meet the quality standards of automakers, Kyoung Duk has acquired ISO and SQ certifications and established an in-house R&D center. The company continuously develops engineering parts through dual injection molding and specialized processing.

To enhance production efficiency and product quality, Kyoung Duk pursued the implementation of a smart factory. Initially, they automated parts of the production line using injection molding machines and SCARA robots. Later, to fully automate the inspection and separation processes—previously performed manually—they introduced the RB5-850 collaborative robot, achieving complete automation.

The company started by testing a single RB5-850 collaborative robot from Rainbow Robotics as a testbed. After confirming improved productivity, they deployed two more robots on the production line. Once proven, the solution was expanded across the entire line, successfully reducing worker load and increasing production efficiency.

Productivity Enhanced Without Changing the Existing Equipment Layout

Plastic injection molding machines operate 24/7, except during maintenance and inspections. These machines must maintain a consistent temperature to produce uniform quality, and any downtime causes significant losses as they are core equipment in the manufacturing process. Furthermore, relocating machines weighing hundreds or even thousands of tons and reconfiguring automation settings can severely impact productivity and profitability.

To avoid changing the existing equipment layout, Kyoung Duk sought to automate the manual processes using cobots. Unlike industrial robots, which require safety fences over 1.8 meters tall, cobots can work safely alongside humans. Additionally, while industrial robots must remain fixed in place, cobots can be moved and reused flexibly—an ideal feature for small to mid-sized manufacturers with multi-product production lines.

After evaluating various cobot demos at industry exhibitions and considering both performance and cost, Kyoung Duk selected Rainbow Robotics’ RB series. Among the options, the RB5-850—featuring a 5kg payload and 927.7mm reach—was chosen for its versatility and suitability for tasks such as moving lightweight plastic parts between injection molding machines. Its design is optimized for low-load automation tasks such as assembly, machine tending, screw fastening, palletizing, painting, labeling, packaging, and molding across various manufacturing sectors.

 

 

Rainbow Robotics 이미지

 

Built-in Communication Functions Simplify Integration with Automation Equipment

Automation environments demand communication and integration with diverse machinery. Rainbow Robotics’ RB series features a wide range of built-in industrial communication protocols, both standard and proprietary, eliminating the need for separate PLC devices. Supported protocols include Modbus TCP and Ethernet (standard), as well as OMRON FINS, Siemens S7, Mitsubishi MC (proprietary), and common options like TCP/IP Socket and RS232/485. This makes integration with external devices simple and allows robot motion control and status monitoring from third-party software, even in complex automation scenarios.

The RB series also supports socket communication between the control box and PC, which allows for efficient integration with existing injection molding machines, SCARA robots, and various sensors.

Rainbow Robotics provides two TCP/IP-based socket communication development methods.The first method is Data Exchange based on General TCP communication, in which the robot’s control box functions as either a server or client within a TCP/IP network. Users can program the system to respond to incoming data in real-time, enabling the robot to execute commands or run designated programs accordingly.

The second method is Robot control via External Script command, optimized for easy integration with existing equipment. In this configuration, the RB control box operates as a server through port 5000 or 5001. Users can control the robot simply by transmitting a formatted script string written in their preferred programming language—such as Java, C++, or Python—without needing to use Rainbow Robotics’ UI.

To utilize either method, the IP address of the robot’s control box must first be configured. These flexible communication features enable not only real-time robot control and monitoring, but also immediate response to unexpected events, such as emergency stops.

 

 


 

Precision and Complete Automation Boosted Productivity by 130%

The automated workflow now combines two consecutive steps: inspection and separation. Among the various automotive components it produces, Kyoung Duk manufactures grip holders—safety-critical parts that control the movement of side windows. Previously, workers visually inspected whether insert nuts were properly placed inside these holders, which sometimes led to defects passing through undetected. With the cobots in place, sensors now verify the presence and alignment of inserts, achieving a 100% inspection rate.

The robot also separates the sprue runner (the mold channel) from the finished product. The robot picks up the sprue-molded part and performs vertical movements within a cutting frame. The completed part drops through a chute, and the robot then places the sprue runner into a separate box for recycling. This process is repeated every 30 seconds, enabling each cobot to produce up to 2,880 parts per day, operating 24/7.

Before the cobot deployment, workers manually inspected and separated each product, often becoming overwhelmed and prone to error due to the constant flow of parts. With the new setup, a single operator can now oversee multiple machines, only handling tasks like transferring finished parts and feeding sprue runners into a shredder for recycling—significantly reducing workload. This not only enhanced operational efficiency but also enabled uninterrupted 24-hour production, resulting in a 130% boost in productivity.

 

 

 

 

Jin Kwan-hui, CEO of Kyoung Duk, offered advice for those considering collaborative robots for plastic injection automation:

“In plastic injection molding, products are continuously manufactured, so regular supervision is essential. Collaborative robots are easy to adopt because they can operate in the same workspace as humans without safety fences or additional protective gear. Especially now, with the growing labor shortage in manufacturing, cobots have replaced repetitive tasks, helping us optimize both workforce allocation and productivity. Most importantly, we were able to stabilize quality through a consistent working environment, ultimately satisfying our clients.”

 

Case Study

목록