For high-mix, low-volume job shops, scaling production often feels impossible without adding people or working longer hours. At Rusty’s Machine & Tool, every part change required an operator at the machine, limiting run time to 8–10 hours a day and tying up valuable time that could be spent on other setups. 

That changed when they partnered with Phillips Robotics and OPTO team of Application Engineers. Rusty needed automation that could handle multiple part styles, materials, and small-batch runs without lengthy changeovers. Phillips delivered a UR VersaBuilt system—a flexible, collaborative robot platform that uses the shop’s existing workholding and quick-change end-of-arm tooling to load and unload parts for multiple jobs. 

Within days, Rusty was running unattended for the full duration of the material loaded—and even lights-out after leaving for the day. Output doubled, sometimes tripled, depending on the job, and changeovers became fast and simple. With an ROI projected at about 12 months, Rusty gained not just more production hours, but the freedom to grow without hiring. 

With Phillips handling installation, integration, and training, Rusty’s Machine & Tool didn’t just add a cobot. They built a flexible automation strategy that fits the way they work.