Automatic Medical Device Assembly Machine

Feeding and measuring the different tube diameters and lengths was accomplished using a Schleuniger ProFeeder/EcoCut system along with custom SDC parts for adding a clamp and capturing and locating the tubes for pickup after the feed.

The clamp and one of the end adapters are fed using Performance Feeders bowl feeders.

The glue is circulated with a Cole-Parmer pump system attached to an SDC custom bath with automated covers.

The other end adapter is fed using a set of SDC Flex Feeding cascaded conveyors to break up parts that are very susceptible to clumping together. The second conveyor feeds them under a high resolution Cognex camera which inspects them to make sure they’re the correct part type and then determines their location and rotation.

An ABB YuMi Collaborative Dual-Arm Robot is the main component of the system. The specialized collaborative robotic technology allows humans to work along side the robot without guarding from the robotic arms, which was a requirement in automating this assembly sequence. The YuMi Robot, using one hand, picks the adapters from the feed conveyor and places them on a locating pin. Then, using both hands, it grabs the ends of the tube from the feed locations, dips them into the glue, and immediately inserts them into the two end adapters. The robot’s final task removes the finished part from the adapter fixtures and places it on a takeaway conveyor.