As a leading global provider of products and services that support the medical and life sciences industry, our customer needed a system that delivers automated medical product assembly while seamlessly enhancing their existing SDC equipment. Our task was to develop a semi-automated coil staker to join a thin tube to a small component to produce an endoscope cleaning brush. This solution provides a scalable approach for future production growth.
SDC needed to design and build a custom automated assembly machine to manufacture endoscopy cleaning brushes. Our system needed to meet user requirement specifications to perform the following:
Constructed on a heavy-duty welded steel frame and mounted on leveling feet will ensure everything is held rigid and accurate.
We developed a semi-automated system that works alongside the operator to keep production moving. Sitting next to an existing press mold at their facility, an operator feeds four tubes to the loading station. Our system performs automated coiling and automated heat stake operations one tube at a time.
This setup eliminates the need for the operator to be involved in the actual heat stake process. Instead, the operator can focus on reloading the press with new brushes and tubes. By using two robots, automated coiling and automated heat staking are performed consecutively, reducing downtime and increasing throughput.
Epson SCARA robots perform precise tube handling. One robot unloads the molded tubes and feeds them into the coiler. A second robot transfers each coiled tube through the heat stake joining process and places the finished assembly onto an indexing conveyor for operator removal.
To support safe operation, the machine includes Keyence safety light curtains, and interlocked doors. These features allow the robots to work in the rear of the machine while the operator safely loads the tube queueing area.
As an Epson AutomateElite Gold Partner in robotics solutions, SDC integrated two Epson SCARA robots side by side to perform the coiling and heat stake operations.
To address the challenge of accurate tube handling and coiling without slowing production, SDC integrated an Epson SCARA robot to automate the first operation of tube unloading, positioning, and coiling.
The robot removes four tubes from the tube queuing area one at a time, gripping them near the molded end where position is most consistent. Stationary grippers hold each tube in a fixed location, ensuring repeatable positioning before automated coiling begins. This approach improves process consistency while keeping cycle time low, supporting reliable automated medical product assembly.
By loading one tube at a time through a tensioner and into a servo-driven coiler, the system maintains tight control over winding and the end location. The tube remains held in position after coiling, allowing the next robotic step to begin without additional adjustment. This approach improves process consistency while keeping cycle time low.
A second Epson SCARA robot was added to reliably perform automated heat stake on delicate, tightly wound coils while maintaining part orientation and inspection accuracy.
The robot secures the coil using a multi-gripper tool and uses a vision system to locate the tube end before staking. This removes operator guesswork and ensures the tube is placed into the heat stake press with repeatable precision. By integrating the customer’s proven heat staking equipment, SDC preserved validated tooling while improving repeatability.
After staking, the robot returns the part to the vision system for inspection, catching defects early and preventing nonconforming parts from moving downstream. The indexing conveyor with custom fixtures allows operators to load brushes continuously, supporting our customer’s unique brush geometry while keeping throughput high and operator workload low.
The custom automation solution improved the customer’s manufacturing process and fit smoothly into their existing SDC production line. By automating tube handling, coiling, joining through heat staking, and inspection, the system reduced manual work and made the operator’s job easier. Operators could focus on higher-value tasks while the machine handled repeatable processes.
Because automated coiling and heat stake joining happen at the same time, downtime was reduced and the machine maintained a steady 32-second cycle. Automated vision inspection caught defects early, improving part quality and reducing scrap. The machine also increased overall throughput without sacrificing accuracy or reliability.
By building on proven SDC designs and validated tooling, the solution expanded the customer’s successful lineup of automated assembly machines. In fact, because of the value this custom automation solution provides, this is one of eight machines that will be integrated into the customer’s manufacturing facility. This allows scalability for future automation needs.
The machine rate is about 34 seconds. Our machine can process four coiled tube assemblies in about 24 seconds, which fits within the customer’s specified cycle time. At this speed, the operator can unload the completed coils, load the tubes and brushes, and still maintain the overall 34 second cycle time.
Loading: Operator manually loads four tubes – robot begins operation when the Keyence light curtain safety system indicates the area is clear.
Coiling: Epson SCARA robotic arm grabs a tube and loads it in the coiler.
Heat Staking: The second Epson SCARA robot moves the coiled tube to the heat stake where a brush is joined with the tube.
Vision Inspection & Unload: The robot moves the finished coil to the camera for inspection and places it on the unload conveyor.
This project demonstrates how SDC’s custom automation solutions improve efficiency while fitting into existing production lines. By combining robotics, vision inspection, and proven tooling, the semi-automated coil staker reduced manual work, improved consistency, and supported steady throughput. The system allowed operators to focus on loading and oversight while the machine handled the most precise tasks, enabling efficient automated medical product assembly.
The result is a safer, more reliable process that supports higher throughput without sacrificing quality. Because of the value provided by this custom automation solution, this machine is one of eight that will be integrated into the customer’s manufacturing facility. By adding to the customer’s existing lineup of SDC equipment, the solution was easy to adopt and scalable for future growth. This case study highlights SDC’s ability as an Epson robotic integrator to deliver custom automation solutions that create lasting value for medical product assembly operations.
A: The machine automates tube handling, coiling, heat staking, and machine vision inspection. This reduces manual work and keeps production moving efficiently.
A: The system allows automated coiling and heat stake automation to happen at the same time. Multiple tubes are processed in parallel, reducing downtime and keeping a consistent 32-second cycle. This system is the first of eight that our customer will be integrating on their manufacturing floor.
A: Key technologies include two Epson SCARA robots, a servo-driven coiling turret, automated heat stake press, vision inspection system, indexing conveyor, and safety features like light curtains and interlocked doors.
A: The system handles precise and repetitive tasks so the operator only needs to load tubes and brushes. This lowers the chance of errors and lets operators focus on higher-value tasks.
A: Yes. This machine is one of eight semi-automated coil staking systems designed to support the production of multiple brush designs. As the first system built for this customer, it establishes the standard for the remaining machines, streamlining engineering efforts, reducing the overall project timeline, and supporting flexible automated medical product assembly.
