Rail Automation Links Modular Machines
EMAG LLC (Farmington Hills, MI) has developed its new modular TrackMotion automation system to link a wide range of its modular turning, grinding, hob- bing, and induction hardening machines. TrackMotion automation consists of two components—the rail system or track and the lifting and rotating TransLift unit that moves along that track. The TransLift is a lift and turnover carriage with program- mable electric gripper that rapidly conveys the parts between the machines and the part storage facility, covering 480' (150 m) in a minute, The TransLift not only transports the part, but can rotate it as well. A Z axis can lift the part up to 25.5" (650 mm), allowing the use of stackers for infeed and outfeed, or the deployment of measuring and marking stations at different heights along the track, which is located at the rear of the machines, right behind the machining area. To make room for it, the modular machines’ energy container has been offset from the rest of the machine body. The resulting “tunnel” behind the machines permits speedy transportation of parts on the track. This extremely close arrangement of automation system and machine makes it possible to construct manufacturing systems in very tight spaces. The TrackMotion automation system is modular in structure. Standardized end
pieces are fitted at the start and end, containing the electric motors for the hori- zontal movement of the TransLift. The electric grippers can be programmed easily to adapt to the diameter of the specific workpiece. Setup of the entire system is extremely easy and can be carried out centrally from the machine control unit. For instance, the TransLift receives the information about the transported workpiece (such as its diameter) directly from the machine control and is programmed ac- cordingly. The part determines the size and number of the machines and the tech- nologies required, and the TrackMotion automation system is then simply adapted to the length of the manufacturing system and the diameter of the part. A complete manufacturing system with TrackMotion consists of three coordi- nated units: the modular machines, the TrackMotion automation system, and the infeed and outfeed conveyors. These conveyors, which act as storage units for the parts, can be laid out flat (for large workpieces) or in a three dimensional structure as “stackers” for smaller workpieces. The latter option, in particular, offers top perfor- mance in a very small space, allowing several hundred workpieces to be stored ready for processing. The machines themselves are usually equipped with an L-shut- tle automation component, which transports the parts to and from the pick-up sta- tion. With only a few workpieces on the move at any given time in the entire system, the status of every single workpiece can be ascer- tained on demand. This dramatically simplifies quality management, as parts with deviating values are easy to identify.
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CMS Research 920-235-3356 /
www.cmsres.com
EMAG LLC 248-442-6719 /
www.emag.com
GF Machining Solutions 847-913-5300 /
www.gfms.com/us
Liebherr Automation Systems 734-429-7225 /
www.liebherr-us.com
Mazak Corp. 859-342-1700 /
www.mazakusa.com
March 2016 |
AdvancedManufacturing.org 63
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