leak testing, assembly technology & automation
4 drive units, 14 robots
16 assemblies & 8 leak test stations
If you are wondering how the implementation of state-of-the-art leak testing and sophisticated assembly technology with highly complex automation can look in practice, this reference project with an extensive production plant for AUDI housings from the e-mobility sector will give you some answers.
In the production hall of our customer GF Casting Solutions Werdohl, topics such as "Industry 4.0" and "IoT" become tangible when an enormous dynamism within the production process lures our automation specialists out of their reserve.
What is it specifically about?
The housings for four different AUDI drive units pass through extremely different machining, cleaning, assembly and leak testing steps in a specific sequence, fully automated and intelligently coordinated by various control levels. At the same time, comprehensive process and production data is delivered, naturally including pinpoint component traceability. And that's not all: within the six cells there are special technical features such as a gantry with 3 robots and – according to our partner ABB – a unique working range of 50 meters. Assembly technology has some impressive technologies, such as joining with inductive heating, the fully automated application of individual adhesive beads and state-of-the-art verification options such as data on position and temperature monitoring or volume measurements of applied sealant using a 3D camera.
Sounds exciting? For a deeper insight into the project, we have compiled detailed and in-depth information. Please note: Due to the size of the project, two video versions are available. You can choose between a short trailer and the complete machinery as a detailed video. Have fun!
TRAILER
Overall System - Detailed Version
Some INDIVIDUAL OPERATIONS at a glance
Special features in the project
Now that the technical highlights of the machine have been described in detail, we would like to talk about a factor that should not be underestimated: The modularity of our machines. In this specific case, a capacity and type extension was carried out during the course of the project, and some of the housings were integrated into the plant only at a later date, which naturally necessitated sophisticated extensions. Thanks to good preparation and intensive coordination with our customer GF Casting Solutions, this was easy to implement thanks to the modularity of our concepts.
Facts
- Production in 1:1 mix of four different housing types with different processing times as well as assembly and test contents
- Leak testing using mass flow method
- Intelligent raw part feeding via buffers and storage systems
Conclusion
Normally, in this section of the reference projects, we list an overview of the various process steps, divided into leak testing, assembly technology, and automation. For this major project, however, the space should rather be used for a small conclusion including an appeal:
With this exciting project, we would like to demonstrate the high performance that modern special mechanical engineering is capable of. Every manager knows how demanding it is to coordinate all employees in such a way that everyone works as efficiently as possible and is sufficiently supplied with work and the work materials. At the same time, the work must be checked and, ideally, errors should be detected even before they happen. The comparison may sound a bit lame, but the software of this plant faces a similar challenge – and is doing its job really well so far. Intelligent warning mechanisms report possible errors even before they occur or provide extensive data for tracing problems that have already occurred. In this way, state-of-the-art automation is implemented with a entirely new level of process reliability, fully adapted to the wishes and requirements of our customer. And this can also be transferred to other industries, because the still untapped potential with regard to Industry 4.0 is still rather great almost everywhere. So have the courage to think in a completely new way for your next project...
CONTACT
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