New Orleans is home to jazz, good eats, Bourbon Street, and Kern Studios. And if you have ever experienced Mardi Gras in New Orleans, chances are you saw floats created by Kern’s artists and “Pixie”, the KUKA robot.
In this case study video, our goal is to show how robot automation is used together with traditional craftsmanship in an artist-based business. Kern Studios can blend the robot’s precision and repeatability with traditional production techniques to create sculptors of all sizes used in Mardi Gras and commercially for companies such as Universal Studios, Disney, M&M Mars, and Chick-fil-A. In fact, when we filmed this case study, the KUKA robot was cutting the leg portion of a Chick-fil-A cow that would eventually be mounted high on a water tower.
The system integrator for this project is Robotic Solutions based in Waukesha, WI. They are specialist at taking KUKA Robots into a milling environment. For the Kern Studio project, the package included a full CAD/CAM package with tool pathing allowing the system to take what is on the screen and make it into real-life.
While we had a great time working with the folks at Kern Studios and eating amazing food on Bourbon Street, We do regret not stopping by Cafe Du Monde for beignets and coffee.
In addition to New Orleans, you can find KUKA robots in unique automation environments across the country. In fact, if you travel to Portland, Oregon, and visit Widmer Brothers Brewing, you can be sure to find a KURA robot working tirelessly in the depths of the brewery