Parallel kinematics of assembly facility increases output

Pick-and-Place Unit Parallel kinematics of assembly facility increases output

06.06.2012Redakteur: Kathrin Schäfer

The engineers at Weiss have opened new avenues in handling technology with the compact and dynamic HP70 direct-drive pick-and-place unit. Two horizontal axes are stacked and connected via a kinematic unit that provides a vertical lift of 55 mm.

Firmen zum Thema

Weiss GmbH

Camozzi Automation GmbH

FAULHABER Antriebssysteme

Micro Systems Technologies Management AG

Two parallel horizontal axis are placed on top of each other in the direct-drive HP70 pick-and-place unit.
(Bild: Weiss)

The HP70 is slimmer than conventional linear-motor or pneumatic handling modules. This is possible because of the new drive concept. The module operates with two linear-motor axes that provide all the benefits of a direct drive: high dynamics, free programmability, low wear and high accuracy, as well as a space-saving layout. Indeed, the unit has a width of just 60 mm.

Lower space requirement, more output

The user benefits are several. The same processing operations can be performed in a smaller installation space, which means less production-line area is consumed. At the same time, output can rise sharply because the time required for transporting products from one processing station to the next is less. In some cases, the optimisation potential can be almost 50%.

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Their reduced (60-mm) width means that there is space for not one but two HP70 pick-and-place units in the line; thus, indexing tables can be equipped with double the number of stations.

A comparison of various pick-and-place structures. The HP70-s new parallel kinematics makes this system considerably more compact than conventional solutions.

The kinematic connection of the two horizontal axes provides 55 mm of vertical lift.

The stimulus for this new technology development came in part from user feedback. Customers suggested the need for optimisation, and now they can fit double the number of workstations on a given indexing table or linear assembly system.

Fast, easy operation

Whereas typical pick-and-place modules have to start and stop two axes, the HP70 slows down just one axis in order to move at full speed from the horizontal to the vertical direction. The time-consuming start of a second axis is completely dispensed with. In the process, the unit achieves speeds of more than 100 strokes per minute at a repeatable accuracy of 0.01 mm.

Manual teaching of positions in very easy. The module can freely traverse, and the appropriate position can be set in the Weiss application software at the touch of a button. Component replacement or retrofitting also has been simplified. For example, users can easily install additional valves themselves.

MM-Award for assembly

The aforementioned system benefits moved the editors of the industry magazine Maschinenmarkt to distinguish Weiss’s HP70 pick-and-place unit with an MM-Award in the Assembly category at Automatica recently in Munich.

For further information:

Weiss GmbH

Buchen, Germany

www.weiss-international.com

(ID:34069660)