Longitudinal transfer system
Assembly in the river
It is always a fundamental decision that the special machine manufacturer Fischer Innomation has to make for its projects: Round transfer or longitudinal transfer system? The company designs both types of assembly system - depending on which is more suitable and fits into existing structures. With a longitudinal transfer system, Fischer was able to serve a customer who wanted to meet high demands in terms of material flow and accessibility for complex assembly tasks.
The project involved the continuous assembly of eleven individual parts in the shortest possible time. In addition, a downstream inspection station was to inspect the product 100 percent and sort it according to possible defects. The assembled parts were then to be processed in different product groups. "We started with a comprehensive analysis of the existing processes and tried to find the optimal way," explains Andreas Gebele, sales representative at Fischer Innomation. The team drew on the Fischer process system for advice. The company introduced the principle of continuous improvement back in the 1990s. The aim is to avoid waste and increase added value. "We develop efficient, lean processes together with the customer and thus have a good basis for designing our systems," reveals Gebele. Targeted and detailed analysis makes it possible to avoid bad investments and meet customer expectations.
Longitudinal transfer systems versus rotary transfer systems
The high level of vertical integration and the requirements in terms of space, material flow and accessibility spoke in favor of a longitudinal transfer system. Based on the experience of previous years, Fischer developed its own system with a robust design and high flexibility. It can be individually configured and used according to requirements.
The reasons in favor of a longitudinal transfer system were obvious: the assembly systems are space-saving and modular, can be set up and rearranged according to process requirements and can be expanded as required. Material and process are clearly separated - independent optimization measures can be carried out in each segment. In addition, individual production steps can be flexibly lined up within a longitudinal transfer system and offer optimum use of space. These assembly systems also have advantages in terms of maintenance: Maintenance measures are easy to carry out because system operators can intervene at any point in the assembly process; all process sections are easily accessible. Due to the long life cycle of the product and the high quantities to be produced, the project team opted for a highly automated system solution.
A part is ready in eight seconds
Fischer started with the planning and design and built the system on its own premises. Due to the long life cycle, a highly automated system solution that can be operated by one person was the obvious choice. The initial commissioning was promising: "The system produces continuously without any problems," says Andreas Gebele. The machine assembles eleven individual parts in eight seconds and produces around two million parts per year. Five Scara robots from Epson are installed in the assembly system, which join and lock the individual parts. Grease is automatically dispensed and applied. O-ring assembly is automated, as is screwing. The autonomy of the system is 4.5 hours.
Industry 4.0 put into practice
Complete process monitoring of the individual assembly steps takes place in the system. These are monitored using a wide variety of sensors and three integrated image processing systems. The results are saved and transferred to a host computer system via an interface. Additional add-ins, such as wear counters, monitor the function of the system. A remote maintenance system is integrated in the event of a fault.
Extensive quality checks characterize this system: Four test stations are integrated. The finished products are subjected to a leak test, checked for movement - by determining forces and torques - and measured values and pressure curves are checked. The results of the quality test are passed on to a higher-level master computer and evaluated. Finally, flawless products are marked using a laser system. pb
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