Automated Machine Shop
A modern day machine shop is distinguished by its automated loading & unloading system. The automated handling system is important for reducing the handling damages, operator fatigue and the space requirement, while increasing the machine utilisation and shop throughput. These systems are built to handle the parts and components on machine tools and between machines.
Our machine shop handling systems ensure:
- High-speed overhead gantry movement & continuous operation
- Perfect gripping of big size, heavy components with critical geometry
- Precise component positioning, orientation & placement
- Flexibility through customised and modular solutions
- Perfect integration and safety interlocking with related equipment
With the new industrial revolution (industry 4.0) under way, there is a need to automate/digitise even the simplest machine shop processes. This is required to keep the machine shop competitive, efficient and secure. Our automated material handling system helps achieve these goals. Thus the benefits of our machine shop part handling systems go far beyond increase in productivity.
Gantry Robot for Machine Shop
The gantry robot is a 3-axis rectangular plane Cartesian coordinate robot, which performs pick and place tasks and also detects the obstacles in its path. The robot runs on a machined beam with defined stations. It typically has a rack and pinion arrangement in X and Y direction. While working in X direction, the rack will be fixed and pinion will be moving. For the Y direction rack will be moving and pinion will be stationary. The control system ensures the speed and stopping accuracy.
The gantry robot plays an important role in replacing manual work, especially in heavy manufacturing, hazardous environment and high-speed production. It helps achieve production speed, efficiency and accuracy, which is not possible through manual operations in a machine shop. The gantry robot also adds lot of flexibility to the production process. Moreover, it is a completely modular system that can be scaled up in the future to meet higher production needs.
For more information on gantry robots and overhead pick and place systems click here
Loading and Unloading Machine
The auto loading and unloading machine provide users with benefits including higher throughput, improved process flow, reduced product damage and consistent run speeds with no breaks, shift changes or rehires. Increasingly, machine shops are looking for ways to automate their complete production facilities with installing auto loading and unloading systems at every workstation.
Manual picking and placing is inefficient and prone to damage. Compared to an automated loading and unloading machine, the manual process is slow, inflexible and unsafe. A loading and unloading machine uses automation making the process much more reliable and efficient.
The loading and unloading machine is designed based on the required accuracy, weight of the object, metal and non-metal detection, obstacle detection and overall cost. A programmable logic controller (PLC) or an industrial PC controls the entire system. Sometimes a pick and place robot is used to meeting the application requirement.
Conveyor System
Different types of material handling conveyors are used for moving the parts and components in a machine shop. The parts are either place on a pallet or directly on the conveyor. The conveyor system automates the transfer of the parts within the machine shop. They are also used to transfer the parts from one machine to another for the next step in the machine shops.
Inspection of the parts can be done on the conveyor system itself. For this purpose the conveyor system can be integrated with the inspection equipment, turn over devices and turntables. The inspection can be done manually or through automated systems such as cameras and sensors.
A number of times an overhead conveyor is used in the machine shop. As the name suggests, the material is conveyed overhead utilising the typically unused overhead space in the machine shop saving on valuable floor space. An overhead conveyor can move parts in a straight path, around a curve and along a vertical rise/fall. Overhead conveyors use a single track or rail and can be manually pushed, motorised or power and free.
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