Automated Surgical Mask Assembly with SCARA robots, Courtesy of Genik

While the world is searching for the new normal, COVID-19 has forced distributors and manufacturers of surgical masks to rethink their supply chain and take matters into their own hands. Quebec based company Génik developed the first fully automatic industrial robotic mask manufacturing machine in response to the global demand for surgical masks. With a price sensitive market for PPE, automation was the only solution for a North American company to remain competitive with overseas options and ongoing labor shortages. Genik’s all-in-one solution incorporates six-FANUC SCARA robots per machine, allowing each machine to produce at higher speeds to increase throughput without sacrificing the quality of each mask coming off the line. The robotic system is more reliable and precise than previous hard automation. Each machine provides additional capacity of up to 64 million masks/year, allowing manufacturers to quickly ramp up production. For more information, visit