28% Productivity Gain with Mobile Cobot Machine Tending

Harris RCS is a leading supplier to the aerospace industry. They operate in a low-volume, high-mix environment with unique manufacturing challenges.

One of the key challenges for Harris RCS was managing frequent changeovers, often up to three times a day on a single machine. Greater variance in batch sizes, from just 5 units to 2,000, made traditional automation solutions harder to implement.

Harris RCS partnered with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) to find ways to explore robotics as a possible solution. Their goal was to not only boost performance, but also attract the next generation of talent.

However, adopting collaborative robots meant more than just new equipment. They needed an easy way to learn robot programming and integration. Just as important was helping their team adapt to this shift. Harris RCS needed an automation partner who could offer flexibility, modular design, and an intuitive platform to build and scale automation quickly.

A traditional, machining robot setup would offer limited efficiency gains for Harris RCS due to fluctuating workloads across machines. Instead, the team partnered with Vention to develop a mobile cobot machine-tending cell, equipped with a robot arm that can be repositioned as needed.

This mobility allowed the mobile cobot to serve multiple machines, significantly improving return on investment and maximizing utilization.

Vention’s team assisted with the design of the cobot setup, which includes an automated drawer system that presents parts to the robot for machining—further streamlining operations. Fully enclosed with polycarbonate panels, the cell is engineered for both safety and accessibility.

Since its initial deployment, the cell has continued to evolve. Vention’s MachineBuilder™ platform, and modular, FastFactory™ hardware ecosystem has made it easy for the Harris RCS team to model, simulate, and implement updates quickly and efficiently.

Partnering with Vention was a key driver of the project’s success. Vention’s patented T-slot aluminium extrusion system delivered the strength and flexibility required to build a robust, fully customizable machine-tending robot cell. At the same time, intuitive MachineBuilder™ software made the entire process from design to deployment more transparent, quick, and easy.

Post-deployment, Harris RCS has experienced clear and measurable improvements. The collaborative robot consistently outperforms daily production targets by 28% while also reducing scrap rates

By automating repetitive and physically demanding tasks, the system enhances operator well-being and mitigates the risk of long-term health issues.

Beyond productivity and safety gains, the project has become a springboard for operator upskilling and a tangible example of what SMEs can achieve with the right tools and mindset.

As an early adopter, Harris RCS now serves as a model of innovation and resilience within modern British manufacturing.