Assembly - January 2009 - (Page 46) Assembly in Action Robotics Notebook Robots Improve Insert Molding Processes olding International and Engineering Inc. (MIE—Temecula, CA) is a custom insert-molding company that serves the automotive, telecommunications, electronics and medical industries. It specializes in producing precision components incorporating metal terminals and lead frames as thin as 0.005 inch. Some time ago, MIE found that it needed a better way of loading precision stamped terminal pins in one of its connector assemblies. Of critical concern was the accuracy with which it was placing the inserts prior to molding. Specifically, it needed to place a set of terminal pins measuring just 0.008-inch. The pins needed to be placed quickly and carefully, both to meet the customer’s production targets and avoid damaging either the pins or the molds. To solve the problem, the company implemented a workcell equipped with a VM 1000 six-axis robot from DENSO Robotics (Long Beach, CA)—a first for MIE, which had never before employed robotics in its manufacturing process. According to MIE engineering manager David Hart, his company employed automation only sparingly in the past. Today, MIE is using robots on nearly all of its insert-molding jobs. The result has been a significant improvement in part cleanliness, dimensional consistency and in-process yields. Process consistency, for example, has greatly improved due to the fact that there is less shot-to-shot cycle-time variation when robots are use to load and unload the molds. The company has also realized a significant reduction in the number M By using robots in its workcells, insertmolding specialist Molding International and Engineering Inc. was able to improve both its cycle times and the quality of it products. of small particulates generated when the soft tin plating on some of its connector terminals comes in contact with a hardened mold steel cavity—a chronic problem when loading and unloading an injection mold. “We were very surprised at seeing how much cleaner our processes have become as a result of deploying the DENSO robots to more accurately perform insert loading tasks,” says MIE director of sales and marketing Stephen Hughes. “MIE customers demand insert molded connectors free of embedded metal particulate, which we are now able to produce using DENSO robots to load our inserts.” For more information, call DENSO Robotics at 888-476-2689 or visit www.densorobotics.com. For more on robots, including a robots-for-assembly tutorial, visit the Robotic Industries Association at www.robotics.org. To solve the problem, GBR Systems began securing the pulleys to the shaft using the Concentric Maxi Torque (CMT) system from drive and pulley manufacturer Custom Machine & Tool Co. (Weymouth, MA). Comprised of a single screw and a hub with a tapered bore to match the CMT bushing, the CMT system allows for precise component positioning and tight runout control for demanding applications. Assembled parallel to the shaft, the system is easy to install, provides a positive connection without damaging the shaft, and eliminates the need for the secondary machining required by setscrews. In operation, GBR System’s customers found that maintenance costs and downtime were dramatically reduced when supplied with pulleys using the CMT system. First introduced in 2000, the CMT system can be used to secure timing pulleys, gears, sprockets, pinch rollers and couplings. It is available in 12 sizes for bores ranging from 0.125 inch to 1.187 inch. With typical radial runout of less than 0.001 inch as assembled, the CMT system enables machine builders to attain higher drive speeds, reduce vibration and maintain concentricity. The mechanical shrink-fit approach of the CMT system provides a torque capacity far exceeding that of a two-setscrew arrangement, thereby offering a robust and reliable connection. In addition, its compact design eliminates the need for the extended hubs often required to accommodate conventional setscrews, saving space and weight and shrinking design envelopes. For more information on CMT pulleys and hub-to-shaft connections, visit www.cmtco.com or call 800-355-5949. 46 ASSEMBLY / January 2009 www.assemblymag.com http://www.robotics.org http://www.densorobotics.com http://www.cmtco.com http://www.robotics.org http://www.assemblymag.com
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