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innovations CASTING


Robotics Extend Into Casting Creation with Real-Time Telemanipulation


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ew telemanipulator/ robotic technology from Vulcan Engineer- ing Co., Helena, Ala., puts the precision and


fl exibility of automation at an opera- tor’s fi ngertips. T is can benefi t both the quality and effi ciency of a casting supplier’s process. T e Vulcan Tactile System (VTS), which was displayed in action at CastExpo’13 in St. Louis this April, allows an industrial robot to be operated manually in real time putting the full functionality of the robot in the operator’s hands. Risers can be cut off and the remaining pads and fl ash can be easily removed via the guidance of the operator. The VTS system works in three modes—fully manual with tactile feedback, semi-automatic and fully automatic. Using tactile force feedback, the


operator is able to feel the actual process forces as he or she manipulates the robot from the operator cab. In the manual mode, using load cell technol- ogy, the operator feels the actual forces of the grinding process. But unlike grinding manually, real-time grinding with a robot off ers the ability to set in place guides and limits for better accuracy. For instance, in manual mode, the operator can touch three points on the cast- ing to create a plane that prevents the operator from grinding below that plane (overgrinding). T e plane can be bumped down a notch at a time until the desired results are achieved. In semi-


automatic mode, the operator touches three points around a riser and a point on top of the riser. T e opera- tor then enters a depth of cut and the machine calculates the grinding paths


48 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Jul/Aug 2013


and starts the auto-grinding mode. Once the robot has auto-ground the riser, control is returned to the operator. T e robot also can be positioned onto a rigid fl oor mount near a turntable or other casting positioning device and programmed and operated like a tradi- tional robot cell. “T e VTS system is extremely


fl exible. You can use it one or two shifts a day manually, and then use it during the remaining time in auto- matic mode,” said Chris Cooper, vice president, Vulcan Engineering. “T is fl exibility is something our customers have been asking us for.” A motion library provides the


operator with the ability to process a product using the functionality of the robot. This library provides pre-programmed functions to sim- plify the operator’s job; an example is cut mode. The robot is positioned at the correct angle to cut a riser off


MEDIA


RESOURCE Using the Actable App, scan this page


to see the VTS in action at Cast- Expo. For instructions on how to use the app, go to page 30. To watch online, go to www.metalcastingtv.com.


of a casting; the cut mode button is then pushed to establish the plane of the cut. In this mode, the robot can move only in the taught plane. This feature alone greatly reduces the chance of breaking a wheel, and reduces the manipula- tion of the casting. Processing the castings in virtually any orientation reduces or eliminates the need for fixtures or positioning equipment. T e VTS can be track, fl oor


or gantry-mounted. T e gantry- mounted robot is suited to espe- cially large castings, as the equip- ment can be maneuvered up, down and around the part. Cameras that display the surroundings provide the operator a full view of the operational area. According to Cooper, the basics


of operation are learned within an hour, and an operator can become fully comfortable using the tactile system in a week or less. “We had people at CastExpo using the robot to see how easily the system can be learned and they became quite profi cient within a short period,” he said.


“It’s more like becom- ing familiar with a new


computer. It becomes second nature in a very short time.”  For more information, go


to www.vulcangroup.com.


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