Roxor strahltechnik, a Swiss mechanical engineering company, will present their latest shot-blasting design in the spring. This machine is equipped with a precision measurement and control system and designed for shot-peening rotationally symmetric and structural parts subject to maximum load ratings. The process will therefore satisfy all requirements of the aerospace and automotive industries. roxor strahltechnik opens the doors of their blasting system in order to reveal their latest blasting cabin.

The new shot-blasting system is the latest innovation offered by the Swiss Freymatic Group, the parent of roxor strahltechnik. Mechanical engineering and construction are at the core of the expertise and highly specialized, customer-focussed solutions offered by this group, which was established in 1923. In the area of shot-blasting technology, roxor strahltechnik has been in co-operation with TBM Automation AG since 2011. TBM are providers of electrical equipment for the shot-blasting sector and have been established for over two decades. This cooperation is based on two principles:

On the one hand, both these companies are jointly engaged in the design and construction of new precision shot-blasting systems for the production of quality components. On the other hand, they will retrofit existing equipment irrespective of the original equipment manufacturer ¡V by updating and upgrading by new blasting media as well as up-to-date measurement and control systems or electronics. The object is to avoid any significant operating expenditure in consequence of lengthy downtimes, loss of production and expensive maintenance. A targeted retrofit may for example offer the advantage of operating an existing machine with another blasting medium, which will achieve a considerable reduction of investment costs.

A Look "Inside The Cabin"

This recently supplied system is designed for utmost levels of precision and will satisfy the typical requirements of the aerospace and automotive industries ¡V all sectors requiring compliance with stringent standards. Maximum workpiece resistance to material fatigue is a crucial factor for succeeding in these and many other manufacturing sectors with high quality requirements, since components have to be durable and able to resist the highest loads.

Marco Manzanell, CEO of roxor strahltechnik, comments: "We offer our customers innovative products and services, which are optimally tailored for meeting the requirements of the market. Due to our technological know-how and expertise regarding complex systemic linkages, we can offer our customers user-oriented solutions of optimum quality and economy."

Advantages Over Traditional Systems

The inner workings of a blasting cabin are revealed by taking a look. Rotationally symmetric and structural parts are subjected to a targeted shotblasting process by a six-axis robot in continuous operation.

Geometrically Optimized Rotary Head

The newly developed rotary nozzle head features an extremely compact design and enables the internal shot peening of bores and grooves with great precision. Due to the symmetrical design of the head, it is particularly suitable for robot applications. The rotary head movement is performed by an integral direct drive which features redundant speed monitoring ¡V a guarantee for the highest degree of process reliability. Even existing plants can be retrofitted with this head, for example by fitting a "Stand-Alone" control box and system interface.

Uninterrupted Workpiece Exchange

Since the blasting system is equipped with two recessed locks, workpieces can be exchanged without interrupting the blasting process.

Whilst the first workpiece is being blasted, the second is positioned on the appropriate second turntable outside the cabin. Then the recess is closed and the workpiece takes up a waiting position inside the lock. As soon as the blasting of the first workpiece is complete, the turntable frame swivels whilst the blasting process continues, so that the next workpiece takes up a position ready for processing. The processed workpiece may now be exchanged by unlocking the recess. This process facilitates the exchance of workpieces whilst the blasting process is continued, thus reducing the time required for the entire process and ensuring a considerable increase in efficiency.

Measurement And Control System

Roxor strahltechnik and TBM Automation AG have developed a new measuring and control system from scratch. This system operates on the basis of the "closed loop" principle. The system is equipped with up to four nozzles which, dependent on the blasting medium, warrant a precision of up to +/-1%, both with Fe- or non-Fe-media. The system is configured and calibrated in a user-friendly manner by means of a high-resolution 7" touch screen. All parameters and calibration data can be backed up conveniently on a USB stick. The system also features extensive diagnostic options for quick correction of faults and malfunctions. The measuring and control systems are equally suited to retrofitting in order to enhance existing units (for example, obsolete products such as the proven Ascon AC20 controller).

The media flow control gets its nominal values from the equipment control system, which features process visualisation and recording functions in accordance with SAE AMS 2432C. Such enhancements as the KSA ISIC speed measuring or camera function may also be integrated into the controls. The visualisation system is based on the proven TBM application.

Nozzle Calibration Station Including Automatic Measuring Function

As a rule, it is rather expensive to calibrate and recalibrate the shot-blasting systems, since these processes involve a lot of manual work which is costly. Furthermore, valuable machine operating time will be lost.

With the mobile calibration station offered by roxor, calibration may now be performed at any time, such as overnight, without any manual intervention. The equipment is placed into the blasting cabin. The required measurement series are then simply selected on the external operating panel, after which the calibration blasting of the unit may be set in motion. The measurements are performed upon closing the cabin in the same way as when processing workpieces. There is therefore no need to provide an additional dust collector or a medium reclaiming system, whilst the safety of the blasting process is maintained at all times. The measurement series may be conveniently stored and recorded on USB sticks or network drives. Due to the mobile plug-in design of the calibration station, the station features flexible operating options for any number of systems and diverse blasting media.

More Than The Sum Of Its Parts

Marco Manzanell explains the challenge which roxor faces, as follows: "For decades, the FREYMATIC Group has been renowned worldwide for their innovative, durable quality machines, for a high service level and for maintaining a leading role in cutting technology. It is therefore the obvious goal of roxor to claim the same role in the blasting technology. In order to maximise customer benefits, we asked our customers for continuous feedback in the course of the joint system development with TBM when our components were subjected to live tests in the works of our customers. This co-engineering enabled us to keep our development targeted and efficient. We did so with great success since we provided such innovative solutions as the newly designed rotary head and the external calibration station with automatic measurement function ¡V to mention but a few examples. Furthermore, it ought to be noted that the control precision of the dosing unit is market-leading - which is in total agreement with our corporate philosophy of acting "for and with the customer".

All From A Single Source ¡V A One-Stop-Shop

The processing of orders is fundamentally based on the concept of planning in partnership with the customer. Customized plants, machines and components are manufactured in-house by means of the most up-to-date infrastructure. They are then pre-assembled, tested, shipped and commissioned on site. The entire value chain is completed in situ with total flexibility ¡V from the joint generation and implementation of comprehensive solutions right up to commissioning at the end customer.

For Information:
roxor strahltechnik
Roxor Maschinen AG
Paleu Sura 3
7013 Domat/Ems, Switzerland
Tel. +41.81.2584929
E-mail: welcome@roxor-strahltechnik.com
www.roxor-strahltechnik.com