Project Scope:
Hose Clamp Assembly Machine
This machine was custom designed and built for an SDC customer specializing in the after-market clamp and connector supplier for the aerospace, military, marine and other industries.
Dual spindle coil unwind with variable proportional speed control
SEYI Mechanical Press
Servo-driven SDC indexing ring chassis
Servo curling station with linear actuation
Screw drive station
Allen-Bradley PLC & HMI
Two vibratory feeder bowls
The Solution:
This assembly machine was built on a servo driven SDC indexing ring with 36 fixtures. The first component, referred to as the housing, is placed into the nest by a custom mechanical gripper. At the next station, a coil despooler feeds the metal band into a SEYI press. The strip is stamped, cut and fed into the housing. Verifying correct placement, the part is moved through the machine.
A custom curling station utilizes a linear motor to curl the bands to varying diameters and no mechanical change-over is necessary. Its parameters are communicated by our programming software to achieve the proper curl of the band.
The screw drive station uses multiple mechanisms in sequence to capture the free end of the band. Once the band is captured, it is guided into the housing. Simultaneously, a servo driven tool rotates the screw to engage the band and feed it through the housing, producing the finished part. There is an advanced feature where the camera will send data to the PLC to position the band based on operator input of required screw revolutions.
This system is flexible because it utilizes a combination of quick-change tooling and programmable, soft change-over technologies, like servo driven part handling and curling to accommodate over 20 product sizes with minimal change-over.
Machine Rate: 52 parts per minute
