Consumer Electronics Robotic Assembly System

MWES designed and built a robotic automation system that utilized three robot stations and a conveyor to move the parts. Once the parts are assembled, they pass through an automated laser marking station that etches each part with the necessary information. The automation system requires three operators to manage; one operator to load the parts and two more at the end of the line for testing and packaging.

Before the start of the assembly, an operator scans the barcodes of the bins to verify that the correct components are being assembled. That operator then loads the plastic lower and upper housings, sled assembly, and blade assembly into the proper nest on the fixture. A vision camera will then verify the motor assembly is in the correct orientation before conveying it into the system.

At the first robot station, the robot feeds a fastener and screws it into the blade assembly twice. Next, the robot picks up the sled assembly and places it into the upper housing. It then picks up the lower housing and places it on top of the sled and upper housing. The assembled fixture then moves to the press station where the part is pressed together firmly. At the second robot station, a clamp holds the assembly while a screw gun mounted on the robot arm feeds a fastener and screws it into the assembly in four pre-defined locations. 

The assembly moves to the final robot station, where the completed assembly is picked up by the robot and placed on the exit conveyor. As the part conveys, it passes through the laser marking station where it receives the required etchings. After the part has been marked, it moves to the packing station where two operators test and pack the product. If an assembly reject error is thrown within the automation process, the fixture returns to the first operator indicating the rejection on the HMI.