About Bandelin
Since 1955, Bandelin has been a trusted name in ultrasonic cleaning devices, serving laboratory and medical applications where reliability and precision are critical. To uphold their reputation for uncompromising quality, every step in their production process must meet the highest standards.
The Challenge
A key step in producing Bandelin’s ultrasonic baths was sandblasting. This task, however, posed several challenges:
Difficult working conditions: The role was physically demanding and required wearing an uncomfortable protective suit.
Recruitment and retention issues: High turnover made it increasingly difficult to staff this position.
Impact on quality: Inconsistent staffing risked variation in product quality.
To protect employees, stabilize quality, and secure production capacity, Bandelin needed to automate the sandblasting process.
Why Sandblasting Was Perfect for Mimic
Sandblasting is a skill-based process that requires careful control of distance, angle, and coverage. While physically demanding, it depends heavily on operator expertise—making it a natural fit for Mimic programming. By simply demonstrating the process, Bandelin’s experienced technicians were able to transfer their know-how directly to the robot.
In addition, Bandelin’s production involves a high mix of different ultrasonic bath models. Traditional robot programming would be too time-consuming and inflexible. With Mimic, new models can be taught quickly through demonstration, allowing Bandelin to automate without sacrificing agility.
The Solution
With the help of Nordbo Robotics’ certified partner, Adolf Neuendorff, Bandelin introduced a Mimic kit paired with a Universal Robots cobot. Skilled technicians demonstrated the sandblasting process, which the cobot then learned and replicated with flawless consistency—no complex programming required.
The Result
Reliable, repeatable sandblasting quality.
Rapid adaptation to different product models thanks to Mimic’s high-mix flexibility.
Reduced strain on employees by removing a physically demanding task.
Retention of human expertise—while reallocating skilled workers to higher-value activities.
Nordbo’s Perspective
At Nordbo Robotics, we believe human expertise is irreplaceable. By capturing and transferring human skills into robotic automation, we help companies like Bandelin free their employees from difficult or undesirable tasks—while ensuring production stays flexible, consistent, and competitive.