STAR AUTOMATION robots and automated system by Selex Industrial

In Mould Labeling automations, disposable cutlery automations and metal inserts loading automations are among the systems our customers appreciate the most. By adapting Japanese technology to our European market, we put quality first, so that the number of rejected pieces are kept to a minimum. And this was the focus we kept in mind when designing the automated system we devised for the extraction, closure and camera quality inspection of caps for food containers. Many of our customers are involved in the production of food containers, a product which requires particular attention to issues such as cleanliness and precision, and this system answers to the customer’s requirement of producing around 70.000 polypropylene caps per day from a 12-cavity mould, checking them and having a ratio of rejected pieces under 0.1%.

Let’s start from the basics: the robot

The main protagonist of such a system is one our high-speed top-entry Cartesian robots, namely the model Fx-1000. The two models of this series were designed making the most of our group’s most advanced technology in order to reach top results in speed and precision. The Fx robots, which have been appreciated by our customers for some years now, are also currently being freshened up by our Research & Development team and are going to be first shown to the public on the occasion of the IPF exhibition, which will be held in Tokyo from the 24th to the 28th October. From now on, the updated version of the series’ two models will be sided by a brand new model with unheard performances, so stay tuned to know more about it in the next months!

Main characteristics of the Fx-1000 used in this system:
Extended Traverse Axis: 2500mm
Horizontal Axis: 680mm
Extended Vertical Axis: 1200mm
Maximum Payload: 3Kg
Extraction Dry Cycle Time: 0.71s
Full Dry Cycle Time: 3.80s
The electro-welded steel-framed structure of the three axes guarantees a high level of rigidity also in case of high stress.

The telescopic structure of the vertical arm helps reducing the overall height of the robot, thus avoiding problems that may derive from a low ceiling, and at the same time rising the maximum reachable speed. All the movements on the axes are performed on double prismatic guides with special bearings, with a positioning accuracy of 0.1mm.

How to manage the whole system: the controller

The setting of the parameters of the robot and the definition of the cycle are performed by our 6,5 inches’ touch screen STEC-510 teach pendant. Its main features include:

• Possibility to operate in two different ways, based on the customer’s needs: operational modes programming (a series of preinstalled operations that can easily be selected even by a less experienced operator), and free programming (free creation of the program, starting from zero), thus guaranteeing the widest grade of freedom
• Extract cycle adjustment: speed and acceleration of vertical and crosswise axis in the mould are automatically modified during the automatic operation by inputting the target value of the product extracting time
• Ejector auto-adjustment timer: this function calculates the synchronisation of the IMM’s ejectors according to the last ten cycles and adjusts the ejector’s advancing timer accordingly.
• Vacuum generator sensitivity setting: controllable and modifiable directly from the teach pendant
• Anti-collision detection function: the anti-collision detector immediately stops the robot, thus limiting all potential damage. It is possible to set up to five levels of detection and sensitivity, in and out of the mould.
• Speed optimization: acceleration is automatically adjusted to its finest value depending on the weight of the chuck plate and product, in order to maintain the robot functionality
• Vibration control system: control of vibrations on the vertical axis for the optimal operation of the unloader, thus permitting an increase of smooth movements at high speed and an increased stability at extraction time.
• Energy saving: the Servo OFF function stops electricity to the servo motors when the stand-by status of the unloader continues for a set period or more: electricity is automatically restored when operations of the axis become necessary
• Mould cycle auto link: the robot automatically adjusts its cycle to that of the IMM, reducing energy consumption, noise levels and tear and wear
  
  

Let’s get into the details: the complete cycle

Firstly, the robot mounted on the injection moulding machine collects the 12 moulded caps from the moving half of the 4-rows-3-columns-mould with the first of the four End Of Arm Toolings (EOAT) of the complete automation and passes them to a pneumatic pick & place (EOAT number two) located beside the machine.

The products are then released on a mechanism for the double closure of the lid and the base of the cap. The correct closure of the base is assured thanks to an additional pressing action on a hidden time while transferring the products to the next station of the process. Here, the caps are picked up by a third EOAT, rotated by 90 degrees and passed over to the fourth EOAT. This last EOAT changes the layout of the products from 4x3 to 6x2, by splitting the central column in two, in order to be able to position them on two narrow conveyor belts. At this point the so-lined pieces enter the camera vision system, which can work with two different solutions.

The simpler solution sees a single camera checking the correct closure of the caps, but an even more complete and precise solution can be chosen: in this case, we provide a complex vision system with multiple visions and a special lighting, in order to inspect the four sides and the top of the product. This light illuminates the product and the cameras detect if the product base and lid are not correctly closed or if there are lacks of material, air bubbles or other defects; if so, the said product is immediately rejected into a dedicated bin. All the caps which are proved to be within the required quality standards are delivered to the final packing box. Therefore, it is possible to produce and check all pieces, thus meeting the initial customer’s requirement of producing around 70.000 caps per workday.

The advantages of such an automated system

Star Automation has always been very attentive to the Japanese concept of kaizen, continuous improvement, and this automated system allows the produced quantity to be raised by 200%. Without this kind of system, workers would obviously have to perform the closure operation by hand, in a time which can be estimated around 35 seconds: if this were the case, the number of closed caps would fall from 70.000 pieces per day to less than 30.000 pieces. Let’s not forget that caps also have to be checked, an action that, if it was to be performed by an operator, would require a few seconds per cap.

Moving forward towards Industry 4.0

Everything that happens to the robot can be monitored through our PCS510, a new generation software able to exchange information with the robot’s controller with the well-known aim of an efficient use. Via an Ethernet connection, it is possible to give several instructions to the machine through the web, such as modifications on the cycle time or axes strokes.

PCS510 ability to remote-control the robot’s work conditions is also most important: through data collecting and system errors detecting, our tele-diagnostics system makes up an efficient tool for preventive maintenance. Using each robot’s IP address, our technical assistance team can reach our customers’ controllers wherever they are and guide the operator through to the resolution of the problem, as well as directly intervene without leaving our headquarters.

We don’t forget anything

It is important to stress once again the fact that when customers turn to Star Automation Europe for such a need, they know that we will take care of every single aspect of the automated system. Given an injection moulding machine, we are able to keep adding machinery around it up to what is called total factory automation.

Alongside this system, we provide customers with the necessary safety fences too; these comply with European and international regulations in order to reach the highest level of safety, which is one of our main priorities. Upon request, we will also certify the entire automation cell, including the injection moulding machine itself, so that customers will be able to start using their new system from the very moment our technicians leave their premises.

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