The new DISA MAC shot blast machine is specifically designed to process high-tech light alloy components (aluminium and magnesium) such as cylinder-blocks, cylinder heads, and other castings for the automotive and machinery industry, offering throughputs of up to 200 pieces per hour and designed to operate together with an industrial robot.

This advanced cabinet-type machine incorporates an internally-mounted manipulator to handle castings during blast finishing. Either two or three blast wheels can be mounted in three positions, thus ensuring optimum cleaning of each component by focusing of the stream of abrasive on critical surfaces and internal cavities. The C shape manipulator, holding the workpiece, is fitted with two opposing clamps, one stationary, the other movable, with self-adjusting springs. The manipulator rotates the workpiece in the blast stream simultaneously around two axes. Fully controllable manipulator movements (rotation speed, swinging, holding, etc.) ensure part specific blast cleaning and continuous removal of the abrasive.

Operating Principle

The industrial robot is fitted with a rotating head with double-gripping attachments for two workpieces. This configuration allows an as-cast or raw workpiece to be brought to the manipulator in the shot blast machine from defined pick-up stations before the robot head rotates to secure the cleaned component. The head then rotates once more and inserts the part to be processed into the manipulator before withdrawing the clean part and placing it on an out-bound conveyor. If necessary, the robot can service two suitably-positioned DISA MAC machines operating in tandem, thus increasing throughput.
In addition to loading and retrieving the components, the robot can perform additional tasks, such as turning and tilting the workpiece, after shotblasting in order to drain any residual shot media from internal areas. The robot and its attached head are not exposed to the blasting media as the unit withdraws from the interior of the shotblast machine after the completion of each placement/retrieval cycle.
The DISA MAC shotblast system has been designed to overcome possible explosion hazards, which might arise as a result of the accumulation of finely-divided particles of aluminium or magnesium dust. The blast media separation system is located beneath the shotblasting chamber in order to prevent any retention of metallic dust. The necessary wet-filter system can be supplied as an option.

For Information:
DISA Industrie AG
P.O. Box, 8207 Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Tel. +41.52.631 1717, Fax 631 4888
E-mail: info.sh@disagroup.ch
www.disagroup.com