CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
29 March 2011
Product News
Gerber Technology and Virtek Launch LaserKit™ Laser-Guided Kitting Solution Collaboration
Virtek Vision International, a business unit of Gerber Technology, announces the launch of LaserKit, a patented laser-guided kitting tool that helps workers assemble accurate kits by indicating the correct sequence of plies to be picked from the cutting table. Field tests reveal that LaserKit enables users to reduce composite cutting and kitting times by as much as 40 percent.
Ray Lampron, Continuous Improvement Leader at GKN Aerospace Services Structures Corp., a manufacturer of structural composite parts for aerospace applications, and beta test site of LaserKit said, "LaserKit reduced our overall cut and pick times by as much as 40 percent and lowered the possibility of operator error. It also decreased training times since operators no longer have to 'learn the bed.' The software is easy to use so it's practical even for short run jobs."
Virtek LaserKit uses a highly-visible laser to lead workers through the proper sequence of picking from the first ply to the last. The laser projects the outline as well as any identifying information on each ply thereby eliminating the risk of errors that may occur during picking when similar plies are located in the same vicinity on the cutting table. Available as an option to LaserKit is a lightweight printing device worn on a worker's belt strap which prints labels automatically or on demand, significantly accelerating the ply identification process. Labels can be affixed to individual plies or completed kits.
Todd Rhodes, executive director of Gerber's Composites and Automation Solutions business, said, "With LaserKit, manufacturers can nest plies to achieve maximum composite material utilization without having to consider how the cut plies will be picked. In fact, to maximize material utilization, multiple kits can be nested together, cut and then picked from the same table. The LaserKit system directs workers on which plies to pick for each kit so workers can later lay up cut plies accurately and quickly on the tool. It's critical in eliminating material waste and errors caused by incorrect ply order within a kit."
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