BlueCrest unveiled OttoMate, its first-ever collaborative robot, engineered to work alongside human operators to automate various tasks in the mail production work cell. OttoMate is programable, allowing for an infinite canvas of future automation that scales beyond traditional manually intensive tasks.
In response to the prevailing labor challenges in the mailing market, including high turnover rates causing disruptions in recruitment, training expenses, operational delays, and productivity losses, BlueCrest presents OttoMate as the ultimate solution. Eddy Edel, VP of Global Inserting, Digital Solutions & Strategy at BlueCrest, emphasizes, “With the introduction of OttoMate, these challenges will be significantly reduced.”
“BlueCrest has been and continues to be the breakout leader in mail production automation. With the introduction of OttoMate, we are leveraging our powerful intellectual property and industry knowhow to dramatically bolster productivity on the client’s production floor,” said Steve Varga, chief technology officer, BlueCrest. One of the key features of OttoMate is its ability to significantly enhance manpower efficiency. By effortlessly managing repetitive manual processes, OttoMate frees up human workers to concentrate on more intricate and impactful tasks, thereby augmenting available manpower and productivity levels substantially.
“As the world progresses towards the digitization of manufacturing, this transformation has become recognized as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0). To that end, BlueCrest continues to lead in our industry sector by introducing OttoMate as a go-forward workcell automation platform, enabling our clients to embrace and realize the benefits of Industry 4.0 methodologies within their own mail production environment,” added Varga.
OttoMate enables businesses to optimize their operational performance, notably by running inserter machines at maximum throughput without the requirement for additional labor. This innovative approach not only enhances efficiency but also ensures cost-effectiveness, allowing businesses to maintain their competitive edge in the market.
Reliability is at the heart of OttoMate capabilities. Acting as a companion, OttoMate ensures predictability in performance, enabling systems to operate seamlessly at top speed. This reliability not only guarantees stable results but also fosters a dependable work environment, where precision is paramount.
This collaborative robot tirelessly executes tasks, exhibiting unmatched dedication and efficiency, and remains operational 24/7. Its unwavering commitment to tasks ensures a continuous workflow, eliminating downtime and optimizing productivity for businesses.
OttoMate seamlessly integrates with BlueCrest equipment control systems, setting new standards in precision and control. This integration guarantees a smooth and efficient workflow, enhancing overall operational synergy. Additionally, BlueCrest emphasizes the importance of refining specific processes such as tray filling, enabling businesses to increase the number of envelopes in each tray through efficient methods, thereby significantly improving workflow efficiency and overall productivity levels.
The initial offering is the OttoMate Trayer, designed to handle the physically demanding and labor-intensive task of moving finished mail from an inserter to a USPS mail tray and placing the tray onto a conveyor system. While we initially focused on addressing the traying challenge, we recognize the potential for automating further tasks within the inserter workcell, print workcell, sorter workcell, and beyond,” added Edel. “We are enthusiastic about the operational improvements this offers for our clients.”
