Assembly - February 2009 - (Page 63) Advertisement Advertisement CASE STUDY Assembly Requires Precise, Controlled Pressing Service Robotics ready for take-off SCHMIDT® ServoPress Model 420 and Ball Joint Assembly prominent aerospace manufacturer of flight control actuation systems began working with SCHMIDT® Technology, a leading manufacturer of precision assembly presses, to solve a labor intensive and costly problem in the production of a ball joint for a hydraulic piston pump. The assembly consists of two components: a cylindrical piston (about 0.25” dia. x 1.25” long) and a swivel shoe. To assemble, the swivel shoe must be accurately swaged (with less than 0.002” linear play) to the outside sphere of the piston without visible creases on the shoe surface. Previously, the manufacturer used a hand-operated press with a dial indicator to perform the swaging operation. The assembly then required a secondary roll form operation to allow free rotation of the joint. These operator-driven processes yielded inconsistent results and a high scrap rate. The manufacturer turned to SCHMIDT® Technology for a solution. The SCHMIDT® ServoPress Model 420 with PressControl 4000, featuring real time data acquisition and force over distance parameters that provide true closedloop force and position control of the press ram, was the perfect choice. The System compensates for the component tolerance variations along with compression/relaxation of the parts, tooling and press frame by applying its standard delta stroke and patented dynamic bending compensation features. These features and a SCHMIDT®-designed segmented tool eliminated the need for two production steps. Now, one pressing operation, totally controlled and monitored for quality, completes the assembly. For this application, the SCHMIDT® ServoPress has proven to be the ideal choice. SCHMIDT Technology Corporation Cranberry Corporate Center 280 Executive Drive Cranberry Twp., PA 16066-6415 724-772-4600 • Fax 724-772-4688 A W ith the aid of cameras, watertight rotary modules from SCHUNK enable the underwater robot for the International Space Station (ISS), to orient itself and precisely determine its distance from handles and other objects. Using an underwater robot, the European Space Agency (ESA) is currently testing the use of service robots for the ISS. In this highly complex system, SCHUNK automation plays an important role. Here on Earth, astronauts spend many of their training sessions under water to simulate the feeling of weightlessness in space. This is why the consortium built a robot that could be deployed under water. Like the future space robot, this prototype is equipped with three identical arms attached to a central unit. Each of the arms has seven joints and is equipped with a parallel gripper and a camera. Additional cameras are located in a central video head, which can swivel in all directions with the aid of two combined rotary modules. SCHUNK was asked to revamp their PR 70 series model to make it watertight. Within three months, SCHUNK completely revamped the series. The housings were adapted to the new requirements, equipped with new cable glands and rendered impermeable to water under pressure by means of additional seals on the joints. Although the additional seals absorb some of the torque and have an adverse influence on efficiency, SCHUNK’s engineers managed to comply with all the technical requirements and to retain the original values of parameters such as velocity, acceleration, controllability, forces, and moments, despite the modifications. SCHUNK Inc. 211 Kitty Hawk Drive Morrisville, NC 27560 Phone: 919.572.2705 or 800.772.4865 Fax: 919.572.2818 www.schunk.com info@us.schunk.com www.assemblymag.com February 2009 / ASSE M B LY 63 http://www.schunk.com http://www.assemblymag.com
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