Ball valve rod assembly

This ball valve rod assembly can handle the assembly of dozens of different product codes.

Different product combinations can be made according to:

  • Rods with different geometries (height, diameter and oring position)
  • O-rings with different compounds, torus and diameters
  • Number of orings mounted on a single rod

Large numbers of combinations necessarily require rapid retooling systems to speed up the changeover from one product to another, replacing as few components as possible and zero adjustment.

The machine can work in two configurations:

  • 100% automatic, where the loading of the rods is carried out by vibrating feeding systems
  • with manual loading of the rods (orings fed automatically)
 
Automatic mode

In 100% automatic mode, the machine covers a high percentage of the article range, producing 80% of the total rod volume.

In this configuration the machine can work unmanned. This allows a single operator to manage several automations and related feeding systems in total autonomy.

 
Manual mode

Products with a smaller volume, or which would have had a large impact on the investment and complexity of the vibratory feeding system, are loaded manually by the operator.

 
Automation management

The ball valve rod assembly automation manages the unloading of parts in both modes. This allows the right oring to be checked before unloading.
This machine is also very easy to manage, maintain and has a reduced footprint with its total footprint of 4.5 square metres.

Camas has also produced the same type of automation, with the appropriate modifications, for the assembly of internal orings in valve bodies.

 

 

 

Robotized island for valve mounting

This robotized island, designed and built by Camas, carries out the assembly of the opening valves on CO2 cylinders.

The productivity of this system is 2000 bottles/hour without any intervention on the part of the operator other than the subjugation of the components.

A fully automatic line

The line is composed of:

  • a rotary table with 4 divisions where screwing takes place
  • a 3D bottle pick-up vision system
  • a valve feeding palletising system
  • a palletizing system for drying the valves after glue dosing
  • 4 anthropomorphic robots

The delicacy of the valves (protection of the thread) and the volume of the cylinders and the management of the two components within the customer’s production cycle, required different types of interlocking systems. Each one dedicated to the specificity of the component.

3D vision system

Camas has completely designed and developed the 3D vision system that allows the recognition of bottles arranged in boxes and guides the robot to the grip.

In order to allow a continuous production of the robotized island, without stops for container changeover, two pick-up points have been created where two containers can be positioned and prevent the interchange from generating machine stops.

Glue dosing

The great elasticity of anthropomorphic robots allows to carry out several operations in addition to the simple classic pick&place.

Before the valves are brought onto the rotary screwing table, a safety ring is fitted to the valve and a threadlocking sealant is then dispensed.

Valves drying

The technical specifications require the adhesive to be partially dried before the valve can be screwed onto the bottle.
For this reason an automatic storage system has been created to allow the valve to rest for 1 hour before being mounted.
The system automatically presents only those valves that have rested for the necessary time to the loading robot.

Robot Programming

The two loading areas and the table are connected by robots. In this case, Yaskawa anthropomorphic robots were used in order to have only one brand of robot inside the production site. However, Camas is able to program the main brands of robots, carefully chosen according to the application to be performed.

Screwing table

On the rotary table the actual assembly takes place: the valve is screwed to 55 Nm, where 4 Siemens Brushless motors, directly managed through the Camas Supervisor.Net operator interface, finalize the screwing.

Flexibility and production changeover speed

Two different bottle diameters and heights can be managed by the robotic island.
All the equipment that must necessarily be interchanged for the production changeover are made with quick release systems or with automated systems that, through special routines, are activated at the recipe changeover.

Soap pump assembly line

Rotary tables

The assembly line for the soap pump consists of two rotary tables with mechanical cam-controlled movements. This technology makes it possible to achieve high productivity with enormous precision, associated with lower air consumption and lower noise emission levels.

On the first machine there are 24 divisions and the pump motor is assembled. On the second table, with 16 divisions, the complete assembly of the pump takes place. The two machines are independent, but it is possible to satisfy the request for connection between the two.

Both machines have a cycle time of 1 second, with 60 strokes per minute. For each cycle two pieces are processed, so as to double the final productivity: 60*2=120 pieces/minute.

The machine produces a pump model consisting of 10 components. The variability is determined by the colours of the external components and the length of the suction pipe, which can be between 100 mm and 240 mm.

The components assembled on the first machine are: body, seal, diaphragm, pumping piston, ring nut and ball.
While on the second table are mounted: the pumping body mounted on the previous machine, cap, spring, dispenser and suction pipe.

The suction pipe is uncoiled and cut to size directly in the machine, without any need for intervention by the toolmaker, so there is no equipment change from one model to another.

Vibrating systems

All the feeding systems are made using vibrating systems. To make colour change efficient, the various feeders are equipped with rapid emptying systems, with an increasingly immediate change from one colour to another.

In the assembly process, which takes place at two pieces per second, with each piece load the presence of the same is checked and when necessary it is oriented (e.g. piston/erogator) or rotated (as in the final phase of pump closure).

At the end of assembly, the soap pump is unloaded onto the conveyor belt in an unordered and random manner. On request it is possible to integrate canning systems.

From this link you can see the video of the soap pump assembly line in operation.

Car sensor assembly and testing

Assembly and testing

This assembly and testing line of auto sensor signed Camas, is fully automatic and of the latest generation. The production line is composed of 3 rotary tables interconnected by going-and-going belts and a total of 40 working stations, which allow the production of 1200 pieces per hour.

Some of the most relevant assembly applications present on this system are:
– Hot welding
– Palletising systems for delicate components (specifically plastic components loaded from blister packs)
– Printed circuit board unwinding system
– Integration of a co-moulding system
– Laser welding of the two body shells

Line with free pallets

Particular attention is paid to the handling of the components, as they are electronic components. For this reason their feeding is mostly done through palletizing systems and the gripping is done through grippers with suction cups.

In the second part, the assembly and testing plant for car sensor consists of a free pallet line, where the sensor, previously assembled, is programmed and immediately tested in its functionality (EoL test).

Programming software

The sensor circuit programming software and the EoL test are entirely designed and manufactured by Camas.

The QR code marking is done through the use of several laser units. The QR code marked includes the serial number of the part to which all production data is uniquely associated. Through the tracking system of the components and the assembly and testing process, it is possible to retrieve all the production data of the single sensor, even in the after-sales phase.
The export of this data is completely interconnected with the company’s production system.

Vision systems

All operations are controlled by means of vision systems that verify the correctness of the components, correct assembly and final aesthetic performance.
Also in this case the programming of the vision systems is carried out entirely by Camas.

One of the successes of this complete automatic line for car sensor is the achievement of excellent production values (OEE), a result obtained through careful balancing and division of the various assembly phases first and then testing.

 

AUTOMOBILE HEADREST ASSEMBLY MACHINE

Main characteristics:
Two rotary tables with 24 stations each.

The machine processes both the right and left pieces. The two couplers can be produced simultaneously or on only a selected side.

Multi-model line (8 types). Piece discharge in bag packaging system.

Line composed of a pair of rotary tables with 24 dividers for complete assembly of the headrest coupler. The line simultaneously produces the right and left couplers, therefore the pair is produced within the line cycle time of 3 seconds.

The machine is fitted with dual stations and the main handling tasks are carried out by pneumatic actuators.

In light of the various model types (length, number and type of components), to reduce the re-equipping time to a minimum, some of the table stations are dedicated to single models and do not require re-equipping. In light of the complexity of the some of the positions of the components, the line has an integrated robotic loading system.

CONNECTORS ASSEMBLY LINE

The connectors assembly and testing line is an high productivity machine. A machine able to produce 2 pieces at each cycle basing its functions on a Camas mechanical module: cam driven.

The machine is a multi-product unit. For an high productivity machine is even more important to optimize the re-equipping times for passing from one production to the other.

Dimensional control on plastic pieces (caliber passed – not passed).

Maximum attention to dimensions with positioning of the electrical cabinet on the roof.