Zero-Downtime Dual-Arm Robotic Waterjet Cell for Helmet Manufacturing

Case at a glance · Protective products

A safety-helmet manufacturer combined two 6-axis robots, an indexed rotary table and an enclosed waterjet cell to overlap loading with cutting and automate complex 3D trimming.

Safety helmets3D trimmingDual robotsRotary loading

CustomerSafety-helmet manufacturer

ApplicationMolded-shell 3D trimming

AutomationTwo 6-axis robots

Material flowIndexed rotary table

01 · The Challenge

The Bottleneck in Complex 3D Trimming

Precise trimming is critical to the fit, finish and downstream assembly of molded protective products. The customer's traditional process could not keep pace with increasing helmet volumes, and every manual loading cycle forced the cutting equipment to wait.

The factory also wanted stronger physical separation between operators and the active high-pressure cutting area. It needed an automated process that could increase useful cutting time while maintaining repeatable 3D contours and a controlled working environment.

!Machine waiting during loading and unloading

!Complex curved trimming paths

!Rising production-volume requirements

!Need to isolate the active cutting zone

Six-axis robot configured for 3D waterjet trimming — A 6-axis robot provides the articulation required for complex molded-shell contours.

02 · The Solution

A Dual-Robot Waterjet Cell with Overlapped Loading

Yuanhong redesigned the trimming workflow around a customized robotic waterjet cutting workstation. The integrated cell combines two vertical 6-axis robots, a rotary workpiece platform, high-pressure cutting equipment and a controlled enclosure.

Indexed Rotary Table

The platform separates the cutting position from the external loading position, allowing the next set of helmet shells to be prepared while cutting continues.

Dual 6-Axis Robots

Two robots can work across complex three-dimensional contours, increasing available cutting capacity while maintaining programmed path repeatability.

Enclosed Cutting Zone

The enclosure and separated loading position help contain water, debris and process noise while keeping operators outside the active cutting area.

Cold-Cutting Precision

Waterjet trimming produces smooth edges without a heat-affected zone, helping prevent melting, deformation and thermal stress in plastic shells.

Two six-axis robots inside an enclosed waterjet trimming workstation — The twin-robot layout increases cutting capacity within a controlled production cell.

03 · Production Flow

Loading and Cutting Work in Parallel

1. Load Outside the CellOperators place the next helmet shells on fixtures at the separated loading position.

2. Robots Trim InsideThe two robots follow programmed 3D paths within the enclosed cutting zone.

3. Table IndexesAfter the cycle, the platform rotates to exchange finished parts for the prepared batch.

Cycle-time principle: The rotary system reduces waiting by overlapping manual loading with automated cutting. Actual throughput depends on part geometry, fixture count, robot paths and required cut quality.

04 · Engineering Details

Workstation, Rotary Platform and Pressure System

Additional views show the dual-robot geometry, indexed workpiece platform, full enclosure, supporting pressure equipment and shipment preparation.

Dual robotic waterjet system with rotary helmet fixtures — Two robots positioned around the indexed rotary platform and helmet fixtures.

Front view of enclosed dual-robot waterjet workstation — Full-width workstation structure with an enclosed robotic cutting area.

Ultra-high-pressure system supplied with robotic waterjet cell — Supporting ultra-high-pressure equipment prepared for the automated cell.

Robotic waterjet workstation packed for shipment — Workstation and supporting equipment secured for customer delivery.

05 · The Impact

More Useful Cutting Time with Consistent 3D Results

2 robotsfor simultaneous automated trimming capacity

6-axismotion for complex molded contours

Parallel flowloading outside while cutting continues inside

Cold cutwithout melting or heat-affected edges

The new cell reduced loading-related waiting, improved trimming repeatability and removed the need for extensive secondary deburring. Physical separation of loading and cutting also reduced operator exposure to the active high-pressure process and lowered manual handling workload.

Business takeaway: The productivity gain comes from redesigning the entire material flow—not simply replacing a manual tool with a robot.

Automate Your 3D Trimming

Planning a Robotic Waterjet Cell?

Send your 3D part model, material, fixture quantity and target cycle time. Yuanhong can evaluate robot reach, workstation layout, rotary-table capacity and pressure-system requirements.

Material testing · Cell layout · Robot integration

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