Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 16

FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING TRENDS 43 Continued on next page The right robotic finishing cell starts with (...not the robot…not the tool…) the right company. An in-depth analysis of the casting(s) must start by understanding the casting model, the finishing needed, and desired production. Most finishing cells will be engineered for a number of different products today and flexibility to add new products in the future. The best cells will offer features that allow the foundry to add new castings with their own staff and with minimal fixturing. Once a clear understanding of the various castings planned to be processed in the cell is understood, the next step is to analyze cycle times. Cycle time calculation is both art and science. Cutting and grinding tools all have stated feed and force rates but having an understanding of what is practical is important when engineering the process path. A skilled finishing engineer has a number of options when planning the process path. These process path options become more complex as different tools are called on. The goals are to deliver a quality finished casting in the Figure 1: provides an example of a finishing model that identifies the areas on the casting. Each area may need a different tool or finishing process. Each will have varying feed rates, tool changes, casting manipulation, etc. all must be calculated with expert precision. least amount of time and maximizing tool life. A well-designed robotic finishing cell will include flexibility to use either robot manipulated tools or robot manipulated castings. Normally larger castings are fixed in place and the tool is brought to the casting by the robot. Depending on the complexity of the finishing needed, the robot may change tools several times during the cycle and may even manipulate and move the casting to different fixtures. Other design features must include flexibility for different types of tools and consideration for scrap handling/removal. Tool examples may include circular or band saws, grinding wheel, spindle, or belt, milling, boring, drilling. Ferrous and non-ferrous alloys change the tool types and characteristics. The power and torque of the spindles as well as their rotation speed are important factors in the application engineering. There are a wide range of the tools to consider, it is critical to select the right tool type. i.e.: