MACHINE TENDING – MACHINE TOOL LOAD/UNLOAD
The customer in this case is a smaller contract machine shop in transition to becoming a medium volume automotive part production facility. The robotic automation used provided a flexible load and unload system allowing the customer to lower his per piece cost so that he could be more competitive with the larger facilities bidding on the work. The additional benefits of owning a re-programmable machining cell that can be used for future parts programs places this customer at a strategic advantage to win future programs.
The annual part volumes for the four parts run in the system total approximately 150,000 pieces per year. There are also variations among the part types. The system needed to handle any and all variations in the parts, the different paths required as the parts are processed and to do so consistently.
This was this customer’s first use of robotic automation. Starting with a basic specification, TEC developed the one best solution for the customer. The key to success here, as is often the case, was in understanding the machining details as well as the handling details – the overall process – so that the final system worked to the level expected by the customer.
System Requirements:
-Optimum takt time for each part and part variation
-Direct labor savings
-Focus on quality of construction of the system
-Handle many process steps above and beyond machine tending
-Meet the financial goals set by the customer
-Turnkey with support for a first time user of automation
-Quick changeovers from part type to part type
-Provide parts for inspection at requested intervals
Description of the Solution
TEC designed and built the system with a shaft loader as used on previous robotic systems. This device presents the parts to the robot with a queue of more than 1 hour. The incoming shaft like parts are justified for a clean robotic "peal and pick" routine.
A double gripper end-of-arm tool is used for quick exchange of parts in each of the two machine tools in the cell. OP 10 is a lathe with machining capability used to turn the basic OD and certain ID features and to add slots along the part. The lathe has an internal part transfer gantry type robot; the TEC floor mounted main robot works in conjunction with this machine.
Once the turning is complete, the TEC robot removes the part and places it on a queue table for preparation for the machining center part exchange, the OP 20 machine. This machine has a longer cycle time and therefore two parts are machined at once.
Once we remove the finished machined parts from the OP20 machine, the robot presents the machined parts, one at a time, to a deburring/brushing stand, a part marker and then exchanges the part with one soaking in the rust inhibitor tank.
The parts exit the cell when the robot places the completed part onto the TEC supplied powered conveyor. The parts are placed in a high-density manner with a palletizing routine to allow for the least amount of floor space to be utilized.
Customer Benefits:
All of the stated and agreed to system requirements were met with these additions:
-Consistency in the output of finished parts aided the customer in attaining higher level production goals
-There is one human touch of the finished part; for pack out
-Operators are now focused more on quality and throughput
-The sales benefit to the customer, while not easily measured, is real
Palletizing and Packaging Equipment