Automated CNC Gasket Production System

The Challenge

Our client was struggling to meet the high-volume demands of a major automotive manufacturer. Their existing gasket production relied on outdated CNC machines that required constant manual intervention for loading raw materials, precise lead shaping, and unloading finished components.

This highly repetitive manual process led to inconsistent machining tolerances, a high defect rate of 4%, and significant safety hazards for the operators handling the sharp metallic edges. They needed a fully automated, unmanned cell.

Our Solution

Varunah Engineering executed a comprehensive machine modernization and robotic integration strategy, turning a manual bottleneck into a fully autonomous production cell.

• Core CNC Modernization: We upgraded the legacy CNC controllers to support high-speed, multi-axis interpolation required for intricate gasket geometries.
• Automated Handling Robotics: Integrated a 6-axis pick-and-place robotic arm with custom pneumatic grippers to load raw sheets and seamlessly extract finished gaskets.
• Lead Shaping Tooling: Designed and fabricated custom hard-tooling that shapes the gasket leads perfectly during the robotic handoff phase, eliminating a secondary manual process.

The Impact

The transformation was immediate. Cycle times were slashed from 4.5 minutes per unit to just 1.8 minutes. By removing human error from the loading and shaping phases, the defect rate dropped from 4% down to an incredible 0.5%. The facility is now capable of running "lights-out" manufacturing shifts, massively increasing their operational profitability.