CASE
Assembly of complex modules using multitasking industrial robots
At Wild & Küpfer, three multitasking industrial robots assemble complex modules on an indexed rotary table in a 24-hour operation. The compact robot cell is equipped with an machine vision system that can be used to recognize and sort the components in the delivered cardboard boxes.
The challenge
Servomotors are all-over in HVAC applications such as building air conditioning. For the production of motor pressure carriers, the Swiss high-tech plastics processor Wild & Küpfer needed a new compact assembly system in which the precise plastic parts from its own injection molding shop are assembled into modules: These consist of small electric motors, gear wheels and circuit boards. A particular challenge was the location of these parts, which are supplied in cardboard boxes.
The solution
The heart of the system is a flexible robot cell with three 6-axis robots from FANUC. An vision system recognizes the parts in the cardboard boxes and then positions them precisely on a rotary table. Fully automatic assembly into modules takes place at several stations. Robots sort, position, insert and check at one-second intervals, while step conveyors feed in new cartons or remove the assembled modules. Finally, the finished modules are checked manually outside the cell, packaged and sent to construction sites all over the world.
"What is impressive about this robot cell is its compactness and autonomy: Three robots with machine vision system and rotary table work together in a very small footprint and are fed by conveyors."
The project
Wild & Küpfer opted for robot-assisted automation at an early stage and worked with Robotec Solutions on several robot systems. These projects took around 8 to 10 months, from kick-off to commissioning. The Robotec team members involved included Rolf Kalt (design), Stefan Hänseler (software) and Urs Heimann (assembly).
Nick Koch, CEO / Sales
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