TPT May 2008

T echnology U pdate

Fully automated workcell solutions for exhaust manufacturing

Fanuc R-2000iB 165kg capacity robot(s); a ‘pin stamp’ tube marking station; and an exit conveyor and cell master control unit. The company’s automated manufacturing process starts with its unique patented bend-tool change solution, which utilises a four-station tool change turntable. This capability was specially developed for truck exhaust manufacturers requiring frequent tool change due to relatively short production runs. Whenever a tool change is required, the program triggers the robot to automatically complete the tool change operation. Embedded within each tool set is a read/write chip enabling the tool change turntable to recognise which tool is in each location. With the correct tools in place in the bend die, the robot moves to the automated roll- down rack. Tubes roll into place, the seam detection device orientates each weld seam into the same position; the robot picks up the next tube from the detector and loads it into the bender. Once loaded, the bender bends the specific component. By using a ‘stick or serpentine’ bending process, multiple parts can be bent from one tube with minimal scrap and labour.

As the car and truck exhaust manufacturing sector increasingly searches for greater precision and efficiency in production, tube bending and end-forming technology specialist, AddisonMckee, has seen a considerable upsurge in interest in its fully automated, complete workcell solutions. Due to this rising demand for automated solutions, early in 2007 the company launched a dedicated workcell automation team, which has already delivered five fully automated cells and over $1mn in

segregated automation revenue in its first year. The high level of automation that AddisonMckee is able to achieve is illustrated by the recent design, development and delivery of a complete automated solution for a global truck exhaust manufacturer. Developed for the bending of large diameter, thin-wall tubing for truck exhaust components, the workcell solution is capable of 1D bending of various grades of mild and aluminised stainless steel tubing up to 150mm in diameter, with wall thickness as thin as 1.65mm.

 An automated truck exhaust workcell from AddisonMckee

A typical AddisonMckee automated manufacturing cell may consist of: AddisonMckee DataBend all- electric tube bending machine(s); a tube roll-down rack (for tube delivery) with seam detector (for correct tube orientation); a patented AddisonMckee bend-tool change solution; AddisonMckee FormMaster tube parting endforming machine(s);

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