Consisting of heavy loads and repetitive movements, the machine (bench) tending process becomes a monotonously boring operation with extremely low added value when performed with manpower. If the machines such as CNC machines (milling, lathe, grinding vb.), hydraulic press, eccentric press, guillotine shears, aluminum injection, plastic injection, blow molding injection are tended by robots, the existing manpower may be used in more needed and qualified areas thanks to increased efficiency and quality. The production amount increases and the cost per piece decreases thanks to the robotic machine tending process preventing dangers that may occur with human interaction in the machines.
The product loading and unloading to the machines may be carried out at one time and high speed with the gripper specially designed according to the product and bench configuration and the bench tending robot with all safety precautions. A material taken from fixed or movable tending area through the centering or scanning method may be put directly into a machine or it may be transferred between operations through transferring from a different machine to the next machine.
Successive operations are integrated thanks to the communication between bench tending robot and the machines, and the serial material flow is provided uninterruptedly throughout the manufacturing chain. In this way, planning, production and delivery processes may be carried out in a more controlled and stable manner compared to manpower.
All requests and demands of the customer are collected for the transition to robotic machine tending system and the following steps are followed:- The compatibility of the part to be tended is checked for the transition to the robotic system.
- Machine tending robot is determined which has suitable cycle times, speed, reach and load capacity for process, through analyzing the parts on the simulation which to be tended.
- If more than one machine tending robot is required to tend the products, the system is set up with a line-shaped stations.
- Gripping and centering equipments are selected to be suitable for tending work that will provide the highest efficiency.
- In addition to the main equipments, other peripheral equipment such as tool changer are used.
- Electricity, automation and plc infrastructure is created according to the project scope.
- Upon request, the entire system is provided in the tending cabinet or a cell.
- The suitability of the designed system is finalized as a result of the studies conducted with the customer, and the system is formed into its general shape.
- The prepared system is equipped with compatible equipment for occupational health and safety and then it is commissioned.
- After the completion of commissioning process, the system is maintained through after-sales services.
