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Strothmann has installed a complete handling system for high-capacity suction presses all the way from blank loading through to end-of-line parts removal at the production site of a major car company.
The automation concept, which is suitable for all car parts and can be quickly adapted to new products, consists of a blank loader enabled for fully automatic tool change, standard robots at the end of the press line, and the newly developed CompactTransfer which is based on linear servo technology. The handling and logistics expert's transfer concept does not require orientation stations between the presses, since the new CompactTransfer picks up the part, orients it, and places it in the following press all by itself.
Programming the motion curves, STROTHMANN used press simulation software from Siemens to determine the most efficient safe path. This enables a cycle time reduction to the minimum of one press stroke, while the number of strokes has even been increased from 14 to 16 per minute. For the first time, the retrofitted press line allows for the separation of double blanks during transfer and the transfer of up to four parts from one die to the next.
Depending on the die set, the highly dynamic automation technology increases the press line throughput by 20 to 30 percent. The die change has also been automated and the setup time has been significantly reduced. Energy consumption has decreased by 40 percent.
