E-mobility assembly line

A highly autonomous, robotic assembly (gluing) line for heating elements for the e-mobility industry

Emobility
 

Main features

Feature Description
Component feeding Pick & place: SCARA Mitsubishi robots with vision systems and PROFINET IO
Unloading and setting Automatic
Gluing units 2 components at the same time
Dosing compensation system (dosing path control)
Side gluing dispenser
Needle calibration and cleaning system
Dosage amount control (weighting)
Thermal hardening station

Automatic gluing

Gluing processes are not easy to automate or robotic. Properly selected glue must be applied to a specific place or component, then the next one is applied with precisely selected force. In ELPLC, automatic gluing is a process usually inscribed in a larger whole, a technological line on which other assembly activities are carried out and fully automatic quality control.

A good example is the assembly line for elements for the e-mobility industry. The client started the implementation of an innovative project involving the production and delivery of a new type of heating elements. The project required the development, construction and implementation of two semi-automatic lines - one for interior assembly, the other for housing assembly (with full automation options), with cycle time requirements of 50s / 12 pieces. In the case of the assembly line, the fully automatic variant was finally adopted. Automated loading of components is carried out with the use of vibrating feeders and high-speed robots. This ensures an optimal supply of components to the station. The operations performed on this line include: assembly of components, automatic gluing with visual inspection of the layer (2 systems), welding (2 stations), and the whole operation is supported by a transport system with manipulators needed to apply glue, rotate components, and reload.

Adhesive dosing with compensation, based on a vision system, servo drive and weight, enables the correct application of the layer (dosing precision ± 0.0125 g, drop diameter approx. 1.9 mm), based on the actual position of the component. The correct composition of the adhesive is ensured by a dispensing needle system with a mixing tube with a constant mixing ratio. Servo-controlled dosing pistons feed the substrates into the mixing tube. There are 3 glue application paths. At the next station, a voltage is applied to the metal plate which heats the component to a temperature of about 100-120 ° in order to consolidate the connection. The second auto-gluing system handles the side walls of the component (dosing precision ± 0.005g).

Summary

The use of our knowledge to design the whole, the selection of equipment and its integration, as well as the construction and software of the line, gave the customer the opportunity to manufacture a new type of elements. Thanks to the option of full automation and robotization, the assumed performance parameters and the ability to install 2 elements at the same time were achieved. In addition, the vision system allowed for precise positioning of components, and the full traceability of the process allowed for the maximization of the use of data from the process and a complete quality history. Under normal conditions, the line can operate periodically autonomously, and the role of a single operator is basically limited to supervising the process and ensuring the appropriate level of components on the loading feeders. Thanks to the integration of the necessary stations connected by a transport system within a single layout, we ensured compliance with the standards of efficiency, safety and cleanliness.