MiniTec automates HMT cleaning system with eight MOTOMAN GP robots

Why automated cleaning matters in automotive electronics
In component manufacturing for automotive electronics, stamping and forming parts that come into contact with circuit boards must meet extremely strict technical cleanliness requirements. Many manufacturers ask how to guarantee this cleanliness reliably despite fluctuating order volumes and ongoing labor shortages. HMT (Häseler Metalltechnik GmbH) in St. Georgen provides a concrete answer through a highly automated cleaning process that ensures purity, repeatability, and flexibility at scale.

Customer challenge: fluctuating orders and manual cleaning bottlenecks
HMT specializes in stamping, forming, deep drawing, and precision component cleaning for customers in the automotive sector. Stamped parts destined for electrical components require exceptionally clean surfaces. Yet the company struggled with unstable demand patterns. The weekly order backlog changed so unpredictably that planning staff and temporary labor became ineffective. Manual loading and unloading of components for cleaning created a bottleneck that prevented both stable capacity planning and rapid reaction to volume peaks.

As Joachim Hölzl, Technical Managing Director at HMT, explains, “One week demand increases, and by the time you have integrated the capacities via the staff, the week is almost over.” The goal was to stabilize the cleaning process with an automated, scalable system capable of compensating for short-term fluctuations.




Solution: an end-to-end automated cleaning and logistics system
HMT launched an internal feasibility phase, led by automation team leader Tobias Seemann. After successful in-house trials, the company partnered with Yaskawa for robotics and MiniTec as system integrator to design and build a fully automated removal, loading, storage, and retrieval solution.

Eight Yaskawa MOTOMAN GP12 robots now manage the automated removal of components after cleaning. The GP series’ speed, precision, and repeatability were essential to guarantee cleanliness and stable throughput. The robots work with a 20×10-meter automated storage facility and a conveyor-based FMS system from MiniTec that moves SLCs (Small Load Carriers) without pallets, reducing complexity and space requirements.

Camera-based vision ensures that even components that shift during cleaning are removed with exact position data. Barcode tagging and an interface between the cleaning system and robot cells ensure the robots always know which parts are handled and in what quantities, preventing counting errors and preserving part traceability.

A MiniTec shuttle performs automated storage and retrieval, feeding components for visual inspection or packaging exactly when needed. All logistics steps—transfers, buffering, rack movements, and box exchanges—are synchronized automatically.

Added value: real-time flexibility, stable quality, and competitive differentiation
The automated system enables HMT to react instantly to capacity increases, even at the last minute, eliminating the planning uncertainty caused by workforce availability. Cleanliness quality is more stable thanks to consistent robotic handling, vision checks, and traceable workflows. The overall process—from stamping through deep drawing, cleaning, and residual dirt analysis—now operates in a fully integrated, highly efficient flow that differentiates HMT from competitors who still rely on partial manual handling.

According to Joachim Hölzl, “The biggest benefit is flexibility. Today, we have the decisive advantage of being able to increase capacity at any time, even at the last minute.” He highlights the effectiveness of the collaboration as a decisive success factor: “The cooperation among MiniTec, Yaskawa, and HMT worked very well and ultimately produced an excellent result. Peter Müller’s experience and technical expertise added enormous value, especially for HMT.”




Future outlook: expanding automation across all processes
Encouraged by the system’s success, HMT plans to automate additional steps, including robotic loading of cleaning racks and further automation inside the clean room. Beyond production, administrative processes are also under review for automation potential. The automation department has grown to four employees, and HMT intends to continue working closely with Yaskawa and MiniTec to expand its automated infrastructure.

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