Page 27 - MetalForming February 2012

Component
Feeder speed (strokes/min.)
Crossbar robot speed (strokes/min.)
Percent increase in throughput
B pillar inner left/right
3.66
5.12
39.89
Side member inner left/right
3.29
5.25
59.36
B pillar outer left/right
4.04
5.33
32.02
Side member outer left/right
4.23
5.68
34.27
Fender left/right
1.61
2.97
83.88
Roof frame left/right
2.26
4.04
78.76
changes out its tooling in 2 min., due in part to the design of the control panel that makes programming clear and simple for the operator. In addition, the mounting area between the press- es provides unrestricted access for maintenance work, which helps to minimize downtime. MF
Article provided by Schuler Inc., Can- ton, MI: 734/207-7200; www.schuler- group.com.
connect everywhere
Network your factories and offices with SmartPAC 2 and LETS (Line Efficiency Tracking Software)
Take advantage of
SmartPAC 2’s built-in Ethernet connectivity to communicate over your network.
Send and receive text messages, display setup sheets stored on a central server, back up your tools to a remote location, and view pressroom status over the network and internet. When you connect your equipment to LETS, you can collect production data, feed critical parameters reports automatically, view machine status in real time, and schedule a prioritized job queue for each machine.
To learn more about Wintriss Controls, please call 1-800-586-8324 or visit www.wintriss.com. ®2011 Wintriss Controls. All rights reserved.
such as inner and outer B pillars and side members. In addition, through- put of body panels such as fenders and roof frames increased by as much as 80 percent (see the accompanying table).
“The crossbar robot is well suited as a retrofit solution for existing press lines,” says Schwab, “since the robots can be used with new and older mechanical and hydraulic presses, regardless of the press manufacturer.”
Flexible, Fast Transport
Like a crossbar feeder in a press line, the robot transports parts in a single action from one die to the next and, where necessary, repositions them with a great degree of flexibility. When retrofitting a crossbar robot to an existing line, the distance between the presses should fall within the range of 15 to 30 ft.
A key advantage of the robot: only one robot is needed per interpress gap to transfer parts from one press to the next. This dramatically reduces costs when compared to using feeders for interpress transfer, as feeders require one loading and one unloading unit per press gap, as well as an intermedi- ate station to pick and place the parts.
The crossbar robot’s six axes of motion also deliver added benefits. The hanging track and a swinging axis fixed to the robot’s hand provide improved flexibility for transfer motion, similar to that of a human wrist that can move in numerous directions.
Beyond the basic step-change in transport pattern, there are other ben- efits to the design, including fast tool change. For example, the previously described stamping plant in Germany
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