Robotically Loaded Baffle Press Automation
Project summary
MWES provided an HVAC products supplier with a robot for tending condenser header tube bin picking, orientation, baffle press machine loading and assembly system.
The Challenge
Having enough workers to staff an assembly process is a challenge. The work is repetitive and labor-intensive. For that reason, an HVAC supplier was looking to automate the manufacturing and handling of aluminum condenser header tubing. The fully automated system had to take in baskets of parts from an infeed conveyor and run the parts through a baffle press before being dropped into bins on the outfeed conveyor.
The Solution
MWES provided our customers with an entire system that would receive baskets of condenser header tubes via the infeed conveyor. The robot would then pick a tube one at a time and transfer it to a orientation station were a vision camera system mounted on the robot’s EOAT would verify the correct orientation of the tube so that the holes are facing up. Once verified, the robot transfers the tube to a mount on the baffle press infeed indexing conveyor.
As the tubes index through the machine, two brackets are pressed near each end of the tube. At a second station, a cap is pressed on at one end of the tube. The caps are feed via a bowl feeder. Once the assembly is complete an overhead robot picks the assembled tube off the indexing conveyor and drops the tube into a collection bin on the outfeed conveyor. Once the bin is full, it transfers out of the cell on the outfeed conveyor.
Impact to the Customer
The system MWES provided our customer utilized a single robot and a conveyor system to tend a baffle press assembly machine. The robot cell tends a machine safely and accurately without interruption all the while requiring minimal supervision.
Midwest Engineered Systems has extensive experience in building custom robot assembly automation systems. If you want to improve your manufacturing throughput, we have the knowledge and experience to make the project successful.
Contact us to learn how Midwest Engineered Systems can automate even your most complex and challenging operations today.
Innovation Through Automation
Client Details
A leading commercial and residential HVAC products supplier based in Racine, WI.