A leading manufacturer of roof racks developed a new quick-release product consisting of three small components assembled into a single unit. Given that the manual assembly of these parts requires a high level of dexterity and poses a risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI), the manufacturer engaged Apex Automation and Robotics to design and supply a custom-built automatic assembly machine.
The machine is required to accept parts loaded in bulk by operators, automatically separate them and accurately assemble the final unit to a tolerance of 0.2mm
The automation solution delivered by Apex Automation and Robotics includes:
- A 6-axis industrial robot
- Three Vibratory Feeders
- A vision system
- Accumulation conveyors
- Part separation stations
- Assembly station
Each vibratory feeder has custom-built tooling to separate and orient the components. Parts exit the three feeders and queue in a consistent orientation on three accumulation conveyors. At the end of each conveyor, high precision tooling and linear guides are used to separate each part and present it to the robot with 0.2mm accuracy. One component has near-symmetrical geometry when it is face-up or face-down, making it impossible to achieve reliable orientation using the vibratory feeder tooling alone. A vision system is used to detect the components exiting the feeder in the incorrect orientation, and return them back to the feeder for re-orientation.
A 6-axis industrial robot equipped with a custom-designed gripper handles all individual components as well as the assembled product. The robot accurately places the parts into the assembly station and, once assembly is complete, it loads the finished product into boxes following a set count.
The machine is controlled by a PLC interfacing with the robot controller the vision system and servo drives. A user-friendly colour touch screen provides operators with intuitive system operation and troubleshooting capabilities.
The equipment is fully guarded to meet all safety requirements, and interlocked safety doors are provided all around for easy access. The safety circuit incorporates redundancy and safety monitoring devices in accordance to the relevant safety standards (AS 4024).
Designed and built for 24 hr operations, this robotic assembly machine gave the client the capacity to produce more than 6000 parts/day. The client was happy to see the increase in capacity without the need for manual handling and the risk of injuries. As for Apex Automation and Robotics, it was another successful project showcasing their expertise in developing custom-built automation solutions.
