E-Archive

Articles

in Vol. 20 - November Issue - Year 2019
High Cleanliness Requirements Are Perfectly Met Within The Prescribed Cycle Times
Surf-Finishers are utilizing a rotating work bowl, which ensures an especially high processing intensity. In this version of the Surf-Finisher, multiple components can be processed at a time

Surf-Finishers are utilizing a rotating work bowl, which ensures an especially high processing intensity. In this version of the Surf-Finisher, multiple components can be processed at a time

The overall system includes 
deburring, fine cleaning, quality control, packaging in small load carriers (KLT’s) and their transfer 
to stacking cells

The overall system includes deburring, fine cleaning, quality control, packaging in small load carriers (KLT’s) and their transfer to stacking cells

With the help of a chain link conveyor and workpiece-specific carriers, the components are staged for transfer to the washing/cleaning system. There they undergo a washing as well as a drying cycle. This ensures that the cleaning process consistently fulfills the stringent cleanliness requirements.

With the help of a chain link conveyor and workpiece-specific carriers, the components are staged for transfer to the washing/cleaning system. There they undergo a washing as well as a drying cycle. This ensures that the cleaning process consistently fulfills the stringent cleanliness requirements.

In the Spotlight

International market leader Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH offers total solutions in the field of mass finishing and shot blasting, painting & preservation systems and mass-finishing consumables. In addition, Rösler offers a broad spectrum of surface-finishing technologies (deburring, descaling, desanding, polishing, surface grinding,…) for workpieces made from metal and other materials. Headquartered in Germany with plants in Untermerzbach/Memmelsdorf and Bad Staffelstein/Hausen, the Rösler group also maintains sales and manufacturing branches in Great Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Serbia, Switzerland, Spain, Romania, Russia, Brazil, India, China and the United States.

For a renowned manufacturer of various throttle valves and exhaust flaps, Rösler developed a complete, fully automatic, integrated processing system. It includes a work piece transfer unit from different machining centers, the Surf-Finishing and fine cleaning process itself, the application of a data matrix code, packaging of the finished work pieces in small load carriers (KLT’s), and their transfer to stacking cells.

The Klubert + Schmidt GmbH, located in Pottenstein, Bavaria, develops, manufactures and markets highly complex throttle and flue gas damping systems for all kinds of on- and off-road as well as marine and industrial applications. The company also produces sophisticated single components and assemblies for leading manufacturers in the field of hydraulics.

Challenging requirements regarding surface finishing and component cleanliness

During the course of a capacity expansion project for the CNC machining of precision components, like insertable housings for the control of exhaust gases, the company also invested in a combined solution for deburring and fine cleaning of the work pieces.

Klubert + Schmidt purchases the raw parts as castings from two suppliers. In this context the integrated production system must ensure that no part mix-ups occur. After machining the exhaust gas control housings may contain small internal burrs, which must be completely removed. The subsequent cleaning process must ensure that the components meet the most stringent cleanliness requirements.

Fully integrated, linked processes with robotic work piece handling

For the Surf-Finishing operation, a highly specialized mass finishing process, a robot picks up the machined housings from a transport belt. Prior to the actual deburring process, the workpieces undergo a rough cleaning step with compressed air. Subsequently, the workpieces are placed into the loading stations, where they are automatically mounted to specially developed work piece fixtures. These allow the clamping of multiple components onto each spindle of the Surf-Finisher. A partial protection of certain workpiece surface areas during the finishing process is not required. The deburring operation takes place with non-chipping ceramic media. The high speed of the rotating work bowl with the resulting high pressure between media and workpieces not only results in relatively short deburring times but also ensures the removal of all burrs on difficult-to-reach internal contours. To prevent corrosion of the workpieces, the mass-finishing compound contains a water-based additive that provides a temporary corrosion protection.

After the workpieces have been removed from the workpiece fixtures, the robot places them on the transfer station for the subsequent cleaning process. There, a second robot picks up the parts and positions them on specially designed workpiece carriers. In an initial step, the housings are passing through a cleaning station, where they receive all-around cleaning with a special wash solution. After passing through a rinse-off zone, the workpieces are then dried with hot air.

Automatic quality control, application of a matrix code and packaging 

The quality control fulfills two tasks: The camera system identifies the workpieces being processed with the aid of a raw part designator. At the same time, sealing surfaces are checked for potential surface faults. Components, which do not meet the required values, are automatically phased out of the system. The robot feeds all other (correct) components to a laser station, where a data matrix code is applied. Subsequently, the robot places the parts in a specially designed small load carrier (KLT). As soon as one KLT is full, the robot changes its gripper tool to deposit the KLT in movable stacking cells, which were also part of the initial order scope. The stacking cells themselves are staged by company employees.

For Information:
Rösler Oberf lächentechnik GmbH
Vorstadt 1, 96190 Untermerzbach, Germany
Mr. Daniel Hund
Tel. +49.9533.924-802
Fax +49.9533.924-300
E-mail: d.hund@rosler.com
www.rosler.com