Smarter, Safer Automotive Factories with T-Slot Aluminum

Frequent model changes, volatile demand for vehicles, cost control, and constant employee ergonomics mean today’s automotive companies need a modular, scalable automotive material handling solution. 80/20’s T-slot aluminum profile meets these challenges head-on by allowing manufacturers to design, build, and scale material handling solutions like automotive workstations, framing, carts, trolleys, flow racks, and conveyors that improve workflow, increase efficiency, flexibility, and reduce costs.

Why Automotive Needs a Modular Building Solution for Material Handling

The 80/20 automotive material handling system is a simple-to-use solution where manufacturers can bring customized material visions to life. The ultimate building blocks for creating customized automotive workstations, carts, trolleys, and flow racks, the 80/20 system allows for a seamless automotive assembly line redesign without ever having to struggle with welded steel workstations or other welded material handling structures.  

Read More in the Automotive Line Redesign Field Guide

This step-by-step workbook helps automotive manufacturers identify production bottlenecks, evaluate workstation layouts, and redesign assembly lines for maximum flexibility. Discover how modular 80/20 T-slot aluminum solutions improve ergonomics, streamline material flow, reduce downtime, and make future line changes faster and more cost-effective. Download the workbook and start optimizing your production line today.

Change is a constant within the automotive industry. From automotive model changes that occur throughout a given production year to major redesigns that often come from one year to the next, the need to be able to quickly adjust to these changes is critical. It’s not just year-to-year model changes but the constant pressure from new automotive launches and short-to-market programs.

This constant change is not suited to welded steel material handling structures and steel-welded workstations and production-line setups. Changing these structures is costly with extended downtime compared to modular systems made from 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles.

The Drive for Innovation

Automotive manufacturers must adhere to several union-backed worker regulations governing safe work environments and ergonomics. These can include 1) OSHA’s General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)), where manufacturers are required to provide ergonomically-safe work environments, 2) ISO 6385 – Ergonomic Principles in Work System Design, 3) ISO 11228 – Manual Handling Processes for lifting, carrying, pulling, and pushing, or even 4) ISO 13857 – 

Safety Distances to Prevent Access to Hazards.

The 80/20 T-slot aluminum profile and accessories allow for the ultimate in automotive material handling customization and workstation ergonomics. This ensures that automotive manufacturers design and assemble safe carts, trolleys, flow racks, and ergonomically-friendly workstations that minimize strain and reduce musculoskeletal injuries.

• OSHA’s General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1))

• ISO 6385 – Ergonomic Principles in Work System Design

• ISO 11228 – Manual Handling (lifting, carrying, pulling, pushing)

• ISO 13857 – Safety Distances to Prevent Access to Hazards

Lifecycle Costs of an 80/20 Workstation VS Steel-Welded Structures

In every measurable way, an 80/20 ergonomic workstation or automotive material handling structure – be it a FIFO (First-In, First-Out) flow rack, shelving system, picking cart, mobile cart, or trolley – is vastly superior to any equivalent steel-welded structure. 

The initial cost of steel-welded workstations is higher compared to customized automotive workstations made from 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles. 

From there, everything involved in changing that steel-welded material handling structure or workstation is much more expensive, time-consuming, and has a far greater impact on production throughput or efficiency. 

The 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles and accompanying accessories (fasteners, casters, rollers, trays, work surfaces, steel pipes, etc.) provide far greater flexibility and scalability compared to any fixed-in-place, heavy, steel-welded structure. 

The choice is clear. Design and assemble your own 80/20 T-slot aluminum profile automotive workstation where everything has its place, or choose extremely expensive, steel-welded workstations where parts, materials, and consumables are haphazardly placed and always lost.

Within automotive manufacturing environments, accommodations must always be made to ensure ergonomic-friendly workstation solutions for technicians and employees. That requires the ability to adjust the height of a given workstation relative to the technician and employee.

The 80/20 automotive material handling system allows for exactly that customization. In addition to providing customers with easy-to-use T-slot aluminum profile and other building materials, 80/20 also provides simple calculators to optimize the ergonomics on automotive workstations. 

Both of the calculators above can be accessed through Flexpipe Inc., an 80/20 brand where the 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles can be combined with easy-to-cut steel pipes, joints, and connectors. This online calculator simplifies automotive assembly line redesign.

80/20 Ergonomic Advantages: Ideal Height Lift Systems

Another simple solution for adjusting the height of automotive workstations includes the 80/20 electrical lift or hand crank lift systems, two solutions that easily allow full height customization. 

1. 

   L-M132012K

   Motor Driven 12" Lift Kit - 1320 lb
2. 

   50002

   Base Plate for Mounting to T-Slot Profiles

3. 

   2372

   Electric Lift System

4. 

   2371

   Hand Crank Lift System

5. 

   50003

   Base Plate for Mounting to Casters

6. 

   50041

   Electric Column Lift System - 4 Column Legs, Remote Keypad & Controller Box

7. 

   50021

   Electric Column Lift System - 2 Column Legs, Remote Keypad & Controller Box

8. 

   50020

   Electric Column Lift System - 2 Column Legs only

9. 

   50007

   Foot Pedal for Electric Lift Systems

10. 

    50005

    Motor Extension Cable for Electric Lift Systems

11. 

    50004

    Sync Cable for Electric Lift Systems

12. 

    50006

    Remote Control Extension Cable

80/20 is synonymous with automotive material handling. The T-slot aluminum profiles are found in hundreds, if not thousands, of automotive manufacturing plants worldwide. Whether it’s used to make ergonomic automotive workstations, needed for a complete automotive assembly line redesign, or needed to make mobile carts, kitting carts, picking carts, 4-panel information boards, FIFO flow racks, racking and shelving, or heavy-duty warehouse transport carts, there is guaranteed to be an existing solution.

Browse the Preconfigured Workstations Kits for different modular designs. 

Ensuring instant access to materials and consumables for existing automotive workstations and assembly lines helps to cut down on lost time. Having lineside FIFO flow racks immediately alongside existing workstations, work cells, and production lines ensures that operators are never forced to leave their work area for extended periods.

With FIFO flow racks, material bins are stored from behind on each level. These levels are angled downward at 15 degrees, and the material bins are held in place with stoppers on each level.

Operators within automotive workstations can easily remove material bins as needed. Replacement bins are stored from behind on each level of the FIFO flow rack, ensuring a steady supply of bins.  

This FIFO Flow rack is mobile, allowing it to be positioned anywhere on an automotive production line or immediately in front of automotive workstations. 

Everything needed to make a FIFO Flow Rack is provided through 80/20 and its Flexpipe Inc. brand. This includes all the T-slot aluminum profiles, roller tracks, rollers, steel pipes, joints, fasteners, casters, etc. 

The benefit of making line-side FIFO Flow racks with 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles is that everything can be customized. Rollers can be positioned perfectly for specific material bin sizes. The overall size of the mobile FIFO flow rack can be customized to the specific automotive workstation or production line. 

The ultimate combination of the high-strength and high load-bearing capacity of the 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles and the quick structure framing of the Flexpipe steel pipes and joints is perfectly defined by this mobile kitting cart and hand-held tugger cart. 

The base uses the 80/20 T-slot aluminum profiles, while the upper structure uses the Flexpipe steel pipes and joints. The base supports the upper structure, and the steel pipes ensure a stable framing solution for materials and bins in transit. 

80/20 has a caster to accommodate any flooring type within an automotive manufacturing facility. Whether that means needing nylon, non-marking thermoplastic rubber, ESD-compatible casters, high durability polymer wheels, or even rubber, there is a caster available.

From using T-slot aluminum profiles for the base, having the best selection of industrial casters for any type of flooring, being able to attach tow bars to any trollery or cart, to using steel pipes and joints for upper-level framing, the 80/20 solution does it all. 

Collaborative Robots – COBOTs – are becoming much more commonplace in today’s automotive manufacturing environments. This means having the ability to match customized robotic arms, machinery, and equipment with customized framing and interconnected solutions.

The 80/20 T-slot aluminum profile is ideally-suited to these requirements. The ability to make customized framing and robotic-arm connections ensures customized solutions can always be designed and assembled in-house without ever having to go outside for a third-party vendor. 

80/20 offers numerous different sizes of T-slot aluminum profile. Each of these comes with varying thicknesses and dimensions. The ultimate benefit is that automotive manufacturers have the option of being able to create customized end-of-arm-tooling (EOAT) solutions.

Whether it’s an EOAT solution needed for industrial painting of tight-fitting spaces, an arm that must hold industrial suction cups or grippers, or even an EOAT requirement where light-sensitive diodes or sensors are needed for end-of-line inspection and testing, the 80/20 T-slot aluminium profile allows for the ultimate in customized EOAT needs. 

Again, the ability to customize EOAT solutions means automotive manufacturers can design, assemble, modify, adjust, and optimize their own end-of-arm tools without ever having to go outside to an expensive third-party. With 80/20, every single step required to customize and optimize robot arms and tools can be done in-house at a fraction of the cost compared to outside contractors. 

The ability to route cables and wires within the channels of the T-slot aluminum profiles is not just about eliminating a tripping hazard for employees. It’s also about ensuring a much cleaner automotive workstation while eliminating any potential snags that could occur with electric cables, hoses, and wires. 

Yet another example of the flexibility and cost control that only comes from using the 80/20 T-slot aluminium profiles and accompanying accessories includes the ability to build customized machine and equipment framing. 

It’s not just about maximizing automotive material handling costs and flexibility. It’s also about being able to create any machine or equipment framing without ever having to go outside to a third-party contractor. 

Everything an automotive manufacturing facility needs to build safety-first enclosures and guarding solutions can be purchased through 80/20. No more third-party contractors. No more high costs for customization. No more delays dealing with multiple third-party sign-offs and extra surcharges. Everything is done in-house by employees and technicians. 

Every imaginable automotive workstation a manufacturing facility would need can be designed, assembled, changed, and modified with the 80/20 automotive material handling system. All materials needed to assemble automotive workstations can be purchased through 80/20, and every single component used in those workstations can be reused or reconfigured as needed. 

• Smooth and leveled work surface

• Easy-location monitor placement

• Pegboard allows for 5S tool placement

• Industrial casters allow for easy maneuverability

• Mini-flow rack gives instant access to consumables

• Pull-out keyboard for data entry 

• ESD-compliant work surfaces

• ESD-compliant rollers and levels

• Wires embedded in T-slot aluminum profile Channels

The 80/20 automotive material handling system is designed to lower automotive lifecycle costs with respect to every automotive workstation and material handling structure within an automotive facility.

The building system requires no welding. It is a connect-it-and-set-it system that allows manufacturing teams to design and assemble their own structures as needed. They can then reuse these structures or materials as required.

Simply put, the 80/20 system is tailored for lean manufacturing facilities where continuous improvement, lean methodologies, and 5S (Sort, Set-in-Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) best practices lead to lower costs, greater efficiencies, less downtime, and greater functionality and scalability to keep up with changing production line requirements. 

How to Get Started with 80/20

Start Designing with
IdeaBuilder Software

If you are familiar with 80/20 or would like to start your own design work to assemble your own material handling structures, then try IdeaBuilder®, a free web-based software.

Learn More About 80/20
Automotive Workstations

Getting started with 80/20 is easy. Several options can help you hit the ground running. Visit the automotive page to learn more or dive into the workstation field guide.

Get Design Help
from an 80/20 Expert

If you would like to have your automotive material handling structures and automotive workstations designed for you, request for free design assistance from an 80/20 expert.

Plan your next ESD-protected workstation and learn more in the ESD-Compliant Workstations Field Guide.

Go deeper on compliance and testing in our ESD Compliance Guide for Manufacturing.

Ready to build? Start designing in 80/20's IdeaBuilder in minutes. Need local support? Talk to the 80/20 team or your local 80/20 distributor about ESD-safe panels, grounding hardware, and workstation designs.

• T-slot is a cross-application platform: 

  o    Automotive Workstations

  o    Improved Workflow

  o    Robot-Arm Customization

  o    Guarding

  o    Material Handling

• Ideal for frequent model changes and mixed-model lines.

• Supports ergonomic and safety goals.

• Reuse frames, hardware, and EOAT from program to program.

• Easy paths: work with 80/20 engineers, local distributors, or DIY via IdeaBuilder®.

Free Design Software

Free Solidworks Plug-in

Free AutoCAD Plug-in