High-performance assembly system for rubber-metal combination
Innovative automated assembly and test systems are the business of REKO GmbH. The company, renowned in the automotive industry, solves tricky technical test-related as well as production- and assembly-related tasks with high competence and comprehensive process expertise. Proof of this is the development of a high-performance assembly system for vibration dampers in rubber-metal combination, which are used as mounts in vehicles. In order to be able to produce the required number of these components in the required quality, the REKO technicians developed a multi-station rotary transfer system with integrated force/displacement monitoring.
Whilst searching for a suitable drive, REKO got in touch with TOX® PRESSOTECHNIK. The special machine manufacturer had already gained very good experience with their pneumohydraulic and electromechanical drives. One of the challenges was to limit the unproductive idle times to a minimum when picking up, transferring and positioning the steel part to be pressed in onto the rubber body of the vibration damper. The cycle times should be kept as short as possible here, to be able to guarantee the expulsion rate.
Tool and gripper in one
This was made possible by a special detailed solution: The press-in head serves as a gripper for picking up and transferring, or for positioning the steel part, and as a press-in tool. The press-in station is mounted on a slide and travels from the removal position of the steel part to the press-in position via the rubber vibration damper, which is already in position by means of the round index table and workpiece mount. TOX® PRESSOTECHNIK recommended an electromechanical drive solution from the TOX®-ElectricDrive modular system as suitable force/displacement-monitored press system. The EQ-K type is characterized by a compact design which can be easily integrated into workstations or systems. The combination of E-motor and ball screw has a working piston speed of up to 150 mm per second, thus ensuring highly dynamic motion sequences, which in turn ensures short positioning times. The maximum press force is 55 kilonewton and the total stroke is 150 millimetres at displacement repeat accuracies of ± 0.01 millimetres. The force sensor records the force highly accurately with an accuracy of less than ± 1.0 percent, based on the measuring range end value, thus ensuring an accurate and above all reproducible press-in operation. REKO achieves the required short cycle times with the stroke, which can be adjusted as required, in combination with the dynamic lifting/lowering movements and the integrated gripping/pressing functions in the press-in head. These short cycle times confirm also the capacity calculation and the expulsion rates of the assembly system.
The scope of delivery also comprised the control of type STE as well as the intelligent servo controller for the electromechanical drive unit including the especially customized TOX®-SoftWare and cable set. While the single-axis servo controller with integrated logic controls the TOX®-ElectricDrive system and processes the process data instantly, the software simplifies its commissioning as well as process monitoring amongst others. It also enables the export of process data, thus ensuring the complete quality certification.
While TOX® PRESSOTECHNIK provided a completely pre-installed as well as mechanically and electrically ready to connect press-in solution which provides process monitoring and short cycle times REKO was able to fully focus on the realization of the assembly process.