BROADCASTS.com

The Sunspring Metal Corporation is a leading producer of cast metal goods, manufacturing zinc and brass bathroom and door fittings.

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The two new production lines are equipped with different machining technologies and have been fitted with EROWA Robots.

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Aiding the automation further are EROWA workpiece tooling systems, measuring machines, wash stations and also the JMS 4.0 process control system.

Jeff Yang, Senior Director of Engineering at Sunspring says \u201cThe aim was to improve plant effectiveness by reducing machine down-time, but at the same time, we had to ensure the produced parts would be of the highest quality and available on time.\u201d

Stable production processes are indispensable in tool and mould-making; and have to be guaranteed even when operating with minimum supervision or unmanned.

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Sunspring chose EROWA to supply the automation for the two production lines.

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One of the lines runs Makino machining centres as well as several wire EDM machine tools.

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This set-up is served by a rail mounted EROWA Robot Dynamic 250 XT.

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In addition, there is an EROWA CMM Qi measuring machine and an EROWA Lift.

The EROWA Robot Dynamic is a flexible and extendable handling system for economical loading of machining centres.

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It can automate the loading and unloading of up to eight machines by running on rails up to 20m long.

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One of the important features for automated manufacturing of single parts and small batches is that the system can switch automatically between different pallet sizes.

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The Robot Dynamic is suitable for loading large and small pallet loaded workpieces weighing up to 250kg with various machine loading options.

The second line also consists of several machining centres that are complimented by several EDM machines. This line is served by an EROWA Robot Dynamic 500 on a rail.

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Here, too, a C-M-M Q-i is in operation as well as an EROWA RoboSpa wash station.

Palletised workpieces up to 500kg or up to 800 by 800 by 500mm can be loaded onto the machine tool safely and precisely with the Robot Dynamic 500.

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It has an exchange gripper system that can handle almost all EROWA pallets and systems.

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The robot switches to the relevant system according to the jobs it has been assigned.

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This removes any obstacles in the way of mixed and flexible manufacturing.

The EROWA Q-i measuring machines fitted to each of the lines have been designed to be shopfloor hardened, with solid granite tables and specially cast portal structures.

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Stable linear axes move on high-precision rails with air bearings combined with symmetrical central axis drives to minimise the effects of thermal fluctuations.

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Fully prepared for automatic loading, it can be integrated into automatic production systems without any problems.

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The high-precision Renishaw measuring probe systems provide the highest degree of flexibility.

The workpieces are also fitted with RFID chips, that relay all the real-time data about every available individual workpiece in the system at any moment.

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This includes pre-setting, current magazine position, scheduled machining processes and so on.

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Finally, EROWA\u2019s J-M-S 4-point-0 Mold Line process control system is used for the overall control of the production lines.

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Equipped with a wide variety of interfaces with order processing and production planning systems such as E-R-P, P-P-S, CAD and CAM, it means that direct imports and feedback becomes substantially faster and more secure.

Jeff Yang says \u201cThe process control system is very important.

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We wanted the production processes to be mapped in the control system, so when an order is created in the JMS 4.0, the individual steps are defined far ahead of the actual machining date.

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Therefore, the availability of machines, electrodes and workpieces, as well as queries for CAM data, are part of the plan right from the start.\u201d

\u201cThe RFID chip identification of electrodes and workpieces is the nucleus of the solution.

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Since the system has all the data of all the workpieces and is aware of their precise position in the process, there is always clarity about the state and correct execution of the work.

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This provides the operator with certainties.\u201d

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Globally the company employs around 6,000 people and everyone at Sunspring is convinced that they have set the right course into the future with this automation investment.

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Jeff Yang concludes by saying \u201cWe want to be ready for Industry 4.0.

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So, all investments are geared towards the ongoing development of I4.0 and we are convinced that with EROWA, we've got the right partner on board.\u201d