Automating heavy part handling: how a turnkey solution improved safety and throughput for a US automotive OEM

The challenge: handling heavy, complex parts safely and at speed

For automotive OEMs, every second on the assembly line matters - but not at the expense of operator safety. At one major Michigan based automotive manufacturer, roll formed parts used in truck beds were being unloaded and positioned manually. Each part weighs up to 10 lbs (4.5 kg) and measures around 6" wide, 4" tall and 51.5" long (152 mm wide, 102 mm tall and 1,308 mm long). The repetitive lifting, twisting and precise positioning placed significant ergonomic strain on production operators and limited how quickly the line could run.

The customer wanted to increase production capability and throughput, but knew any solution also had to tackle the underlying safety and ergonomic risks. Rather than retrofit a generic handling system, they approached our Detroit team to engineer something built specifically around the part, the line and the people working on it.

Starting with the application, not the product

We began with a detailed evaluation of the customer's production flow, payload characteristics, available footprint and safety requirements. Only once we fully understood the application did we define the optimal automation approach and engineer the integrated system around the specific handling challenge.

That application led mindset is central to how our local engineering teams work with OEMs. The goal is never simply to specify components - it is to design a system that delivers measurable improvements in productivity, ergonomics and overall process safety.

A hybrid motion control solution built around the part

Given the heavy loads, repetitive motion and complex handling involved, the system needed a robust motion control architecture capable of precise, high speed operation. At the heart of the final solution sits our custom designed cartesian motion control technology, providing accurate three axis movement to position and unload the rolls onto the truck bed with repeatable precision.

To balance speed and accuracy across the full handling cycle, we combined our IMI Norgren pneumatic actuation - efficient for moving lighter components - with our IMI Bahr electric actuation, which precisely positions heavier loads. The hybrid approach enables simultaneous, controlled movements across the system, reducing cycle times and optimising material flow along the assembly line.

Safer operations, higher throughput

The new system has changed both productivity and people's day to day experience on the line. By eliminating the repetitive manual lifting and positioning of loads up to 10 lbs (4.5 kg), we have significantly reduced ergonomic risk and created a safer working environment for production operators. At the same time, the hybrid pneumatic and electric architecture has delivered a substantial increase in production capacity, slashing cycle times while keeping material flow consistent and predictable.

For the OEM, the result is a single, integrated handling system that supports higher output without compromising on operator wellbeing - two priorities that often pull in opposite directions in high volume manufacturing.

The value of a single source turnkey partner

For Ron Slone, Vice President of Sales, Americas, Industrial Automation at IMI, the project reflects a wider shift in what OEMs need from automation partners. "Our focus was on creating a system that not only improved productivity but also enhanced the ergonomic aspects of the process," he explained. "By minimising manual handling and improving system efficiency, we were able to make a substantial difference to the customer's operations."

Jad Khattab, Director, Factory Automation at IMI Detroit, highlighted the role of collaboration and local expertise in delivering the result.

Why this matters for modern automotive manufacturing

This project shows how integrated automation, designed around the application, not the catalogue, can unlock real operational gains for automotive OEMs. By bringing our whole portfolio and local application engineering into a single source turnkey system, we design, build and support it as one partner. That gives OEMs a clearer route from challenge to deployment, with fewer integration risks along the way.

For manufacturers under pressure to increase output, improve ergonomics and de risk complex handling processes, the message from this project is clear: the biggest gains come when motion control, actuation and engineering expertise are designed and delivered together, around the realities of the line.