September, 2018


www.us-tech.com


Page 77


Creating the Best Automation Solution for Unique Applications


By Heike Schlessmann, Marketing, SEHO Systems GmbH


as well as a reduction of manufacturing costs, SEHO has been focusing on expanding its portfolio of automation solutions. The company’s continuous research and close


A


cooperation with partners in science and industry has allowed the company to convert innovative sol- dering technologies quickly into systems ready for serial production. SEHO is committed to a single-source strate-


gy: offering complete solutions for soldering processes and automated production lines. The company offers its customers systems for all areas of automated soldering, solder joint AOI and automation designs for board handling and mate- rial management. Headed by Philipp Trabold,


SEHO has assembled a dedicated team of engineers, technical product designers, industrial mechanics, elec- tricians, and software specialists, who have worked together to turn this product group into one of the company’s largest revenue drivers. “Our portfolio includes pure


board handling using conveyors or elevated conveyors, the ergonomic design of workstations, as well as buffer units, rotating and turning sta- tions, or lift stations that move boards or workpiece carriers from the return conveyor level to the place- ment belt level,” explains Trabold. Versatile collaborative robots (cobots) and other robotics are another fixture of this business unit. “For each project, the customer’s


specific requirements provide the starting point from where we work together to develop the optimal man- ufacturing system,” he says. “Of course, we always keep an eye on the budget.” In addition to introducing a


greater degree of automation into the manufacturing process, another chal- lenge is to integrate as much func- tionality as possible into the smallest footprint for the greatest boost to pro- ductivity.


THT Production Line In one recent project, SEHO was


tasked with fitting a complete through-hole-technology (THT) pro- duction line with automatic soldering frame management on less than 1,300 ft2 (120m2) of floor space. The entire system, including a SEHO wave soldering system, had to be set up in a “U” shape and designed for high-volume production. The eight required component


placement workstations were arranged in four opposing pairs that share a main conveyor segment. When planning the workstations, the focus was on the workers and the ergonomics of the system. The unit where the component placement is performed can be tilted to allow work- ers to be comfortable. Material trays and line-side


racks that hold the components are laid out in a way that is easy to see and to reach. From a logistics perspec- tive, the integrated line-side racks offer the additional advantage of mobility during set up, avoiding inter- ruptions at the placement stations. The ergonomic design of the


See at SMTAI, Booth 430


Elevated conveyor for handling solder frames.


utomation in electronics manufacturing has become the rule, rather than the exception. In order to achieve even greater efficiencies,


workstations includes individual height adjust- ment. “This allows workers to choose between standing up or sitting down,” says Trabold. “Each person can adjust the working height to their pref- erences at any time.” Workers do not need to put the soldering


frame onto the main conveyor segment manually when they are done. A handling unit between the workstation and main conveyor accomplishes this at the push of a button. The unit automatically adjusts to the specific workstation and compen- sates for the height difference. Safety transfer units with safety guards prevent any risk of injury


Continued on next page


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124