International ropeway manufacturer Leitner ropeways needed an automated production step for a globally unique ropeway drive system that works with a synchronous motor but without a gearbox. With the drive, called "Leitner DirectDrive", the output shaft is connected directly to the sheave. The rotor required for the motor consists of hundreds of so-called rotor poles. For logistical and quality reasons, the poles are assembled at the company's North Tyrolean branch in Telfs. The Linz-based system provider Hainzl developed a concept for the installation of a fully automated assembly cell with integrated quality control there - from the initial idea and realization through to delivery and implementation in the production process.

The heart of the fully automated production cell for rotor poles is a six-axis articulated robot. It performs the necessary handling work and manipulates the individual parts between the assembly stations. A total of over 20 work steps have to be carried out at different stations. The individual parts are each provided separately. Due to the advantageous positioning of the individual part magazines, which are located outside the safety area of the robot, filling can be carried out safely and without interrupting the assembly process.

To minimize errors, various work steps are optically recorded using high-resolution cameras and monitored by image processing. This includes checking the applied adhesive pattern or the position of the individual parts to be removed.

Correct further processing of the rotor poles requires compliance with the dimensional, shape and position tolerances. The length tolerance of the width and height is recorded and evaluated by digital measuring probes. If there is a deviation from the tolerances to be adhered to, the rotor poles concerned are declared as faulty. In order to measure the shape and position tolerances of the rotor poles, they are also randomly removed from the production cell and checked by a quality employee.

In contrast to manual assembly, the use of the robot not only offers advantages in terms of time. The assembly cell has been in operation at the Leitner Group in Telfs since mid-March, significantly improving the quality and flexibility of the rotor poles, including their assembly. In addition, digital error recording is available thanks to the actual value measurement and optical checks of the adhesive patterns. as