Machining + heat-treatment cell
Machining, hardening and machining again, in one cell instead of a week of logistics.
2018–20 · GreenBau, Romania · Industrial robotics
The problem
A machining company of about 170 people, exporting over 80% of its output, makes wagon wheels. Each part was machined, shipped out for hardening and tempering, then machined again. It took days and a lot of logistics, so management decided to move the line to robotic, computer-controlled production.
Requirements
- Two shaped part types in different sizes
- Integration with two Okuma lathes
- Integration with, and control of, a third-party hardening and tempering machine
- Safety without fences
- A cycle time of about two minutes
What was built
- A cell feeding two lathes and the hardening and tempering machine
- Loading and unloading from belt conveyors
- A mechanical stopper that puts every part in one exact position
- An electromagnetic gripper with a pneumatic “kicker” to release the part cleanly
- Safety with two safety scanners, emergency stops, request-to-enter buttons and status stack lights
- Full integration with both machines and the heat-treatment unit through Ethernet/IP I/O modules
- An HMI built inside the robot’s teach pendant
Challenges
- Hot, shaped parts must be gripped and released reliably
- An electromagnetic gripper with a pneumatic kicker
- No fences, but people work around the cell
- Two safety scanners with zones
- A third-party heat-treatment machine had to be run by the cell
- Full I/O integration over Ethernet/IP
Technology
Kawasaki · 2 × Okuma · Hardening & tempering · Electromagnetic gripper · Safety scanners · Ethernet/IP · HMI on teach pendant
At a glance
- ROBOT
- Kawasaki
- MACHINES
- 2 × Okuma + hardening & tempering
- GRIPPER
- electromagnetic + pneumatic kicker
- SAFETY
- 2 safety scanners, no fences
- CYCLE
- ~2 min
My role. Designed and commissioned the cell layout, gripper, safety, robot programs and PLC
Screens
