Modernizing Assembly Processes with 200 Modular Workstations

Yokogawa’s manufacturing facility in Newnan, Georgia, features a rich history of building precision industrial automation equipment. However, many of the plant’s individual assembly processes had operated under the same trusted standards for 40 to 45 years.

To prepare for future demand, the production team needed to completely remodel the factory floor. The core challenge was removing variability from manual assembly lines. The team sought a solution that could standardize basic station designs while remaining flexible enough to support distinct weight capacities, height preferences, and specific tool layouts across different product lines.

The project was created using Vention’s MachineBuilder 3D design software. Yokogawa’s engineering team collaborated directly with Vention to create a standard workbench baseline. This digital environment allowed them to customize individual stations quickly—adjusting the base structure for varying weight loads, optimizing ergonomic heights, and positioning tool brackets precisely where operators needed them.

The transition from digital design to purchasing was seamless, with quoting and ordering completed entirely online. Once on-site, the modular components were assembled efficiently. The engineering and manufacturing teams worked hand-in-hand during deployment, ensuring every bin, monitor mount, and accessory perfectly mirrored the physical demands of the assembly staff.

The deployment of the new Vention workbenches delivered immediate operational consistency, modernizing Yokogawa’s production floor and establishing a clear roadmap for future automation. By transitioning from 40-year-old static benches to a unified ecosystem built on Vention’s Aluminum Extrusions and designed via MachineBuilder, Yokogawa achieved distinct quantitative and qualitative advancements:

• Reduction in Learning Curves: Integrating digital monitors directly into the workstations allowed for step-by-step digital procedures. This heavily reduced onboarding times for new employees and accelerated new product rollouts.
• Minimized Process Variability: Customizing Modular Workbenches to specific operations brought all necessary components directly to the point of use. This optimized ergonomics, eliminated wasted motion, and smoothed out manual assembly steps.
• Improved Quality Validation: Workstations were explicitly configured with visual and digital aids to error-proof the workspace, significantly dropping assembly errors.
• High Employee Satisfaction: The robust build quality and clean aesthetics of the new workstations noticeably boosted team morale, safety, and workplace pride.
• Future Adaptability: The inherent modular standardization ensures Yokogawa can easily reconfigure its current benches to accommodate upcoming automation enhancements, such as touchscreens and quality-validation cameras.