Cornwall, UK… OMC, a pioneer in optoelectronics design & manufacture, is investing to introduce innovative cobot technology onto its fibre optic production line in Cornwall. Following a research project with a local robotics lab and trials at its production facility, OMC is now deploying the first of several collaborative robots (cobots), designed to work safely alongside human operators in a shared workspace. The cobots will assist with labour-intensive repetitive and time-consuming tasks, where experienced human operators can often tire, increasing throughput and capacity up to 10x, while crucially maintaining quality and ensuring consistency.
Established in 1984, OMC is an ISO 9001-, 14001- and 45001-certified manufacturer of industrial fibre-optic datalinks and optoelectronic devices. One of the longest-established specialist optoelectronics manufacturers in Europe, the Cornwall-headquartered company is a pioneer in the design and manufacture of industrial fibre optic datalinks, discrete optoelectronic components and solid-state/LED lighting devices. As the company celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024, it reaffirmed its commitment to innovation and manufacturing excellence. Explains William Heath, Commercial Director, OMC: “Continuous innovation has been key to our company’s success over the last 40 years. Our innovations span both technological and environmental improvements—and can be grouped into three broad categories: product, process and workplace.”
As part of this culture of continuous improvement, OMC has been evaluating next-generation robotic automation technologies for some time—but has remained determined to balance potential efficiency gains against quality concerns and ensure the standards of performance, robustness and consistency demanded in long-life industrial applications are maintained. Having worked closely with its robotics partners to develop custom tooling and to train and calibrate the cobots, experienced operators are now working closely alongside the cobots to increase throughput and capacity while maintaining quality and ensuring consistency. Explains William Heath, Commercial Director, OMC: “Global electrification is driving increased demand for our fibre-optic datalinks—particularly for applications requiring isolation in high voltage, transportation and medical sectors—and this development allows us to respond with considerably enhanced throughput and efficiency. With each skilled operator supervising multiple cobots, productivity can be increased up to 10x, reducing time-consuming and repetitive manual tasks to improve their working environment.”
This approach helps explain why OMC maintains a strong track record in beating industry trends. Post-pandemic inflation led to raw material costs increasing by between 50% and 100%—and many in the market responded to these pressures by raising prices by 70% or more. OMC refused to accept hiking prices as the solution to these challenges. Instead, the company drew upon the fruits of its prudent long-term financial management, deploying significant reserve capital into cost-reduction measures and technologies, as well as enhanced buffer stocks of key materials, reducing cost and safeguarding supply. As a result of this innovative approach, the company was able to maintain its average sell prices to within 10-15% of pre-pandemic levels.
OMC technologies are found in many diverse applications where long-term performance and reliability are key. From transportation, aerospace & defence, research & instrumentation, medical and power distribution to industrial & consumer electronics, signage, commercial or domestic buildings, and leisure, OMC products are used daily and globally by millions of people, making their everyday lives safer and easier without them even realising it. With a strong focus on export, OMC’s wide-ranging, global end-user base ranges from SMEs to global corporations, as well as leading universities, public sector and research institutions.
