Robotic Assembly Automation Considerations 10-21-08
Robotic Assembly Automation Considerations 10-21-08
Robotic Assembly Automation Considerations 10-21-08
2
Robotic Assembly Opportunity
• T
Today,
d robots
b t are commodity dit products
d t yielding
i ldi superior
i
performance, reliability and versatility.
3
Robotic Assembly Opportunity
4
Robotic Assembly Opportunity
• Robotics p
provides a unique
q opportunity
pp y for assembly y
automation solutions. These opportunities include:
– Minimize Risk
– Minimize Product Handlingg
– Minimize Damage To Product
– Minimize Failure Opportunities
– Minimize Operator Intervention
– Minimal Product Change Over
– Minimize Maintenance
– Optimize Operational Performance
5
Robotic Assembly: Features & Benefits
6
Higher Reliability
• Robots ((including
g controller)) are p
proven to
provide:
– 50,000 to 100,000+ hours MTBF [Mean Time
Between Failure] of operation without failure.
• Equivalent to 25-40 “man-years”
7
Higher Reliability
8
Higher Reliability
• Robotic Components
p Required
q
– Robot (4-6 axes) [50,000+ MTBF]
• Includes controller
• Includes collision guard software eliminating break-away device
– Gripper
9
Higher Reliability
• 6 - Axis Robot
– * A robot can be considered as one component since it exceeds 50
50,000
000 MTBF
10
Higher Reliability
700
600
500
400
# of Failures 3-Axis Pneumatics
300
200 6-Axis Robot
100
0
Single Station 6 Station
Machine
11
Higher Reliability
• Simplify
p yp part handling
g to minimize total number of
system electrical/mechanical components.
– For example, using vision and robot to locate and pick parts from
a bin or off a moving conveyor eliminates collating
collating, accumulating
and orienting. It also reduces part jamming and part changeover
seen with conventional feeding.
• Addition of automatic tool changer eliminates operator
handling, storing and assembly of tooling
• Utilizing
g robot auxiliary
y axes for ancillary
y motion/control
eliminates an additional servo/control/software platform.
• Utilizing 6-axis robots for part handling can eliminate
complex pneumatic devices and changeover
changeover.
12
Robots Reduce Risks
13
Greater Flexibility & Versatility
14
Greater Flexibility & Versatility
15
Optimize Part/Product Handling
• Speed
p
– Optimizing speed/motion while minimizing part handling. A robot
can pick and place gently while moving from point to point very
fast and with controlled acceleration/deceleration.
• Assembly
– 6-degree freedom robots provide optimum motion for assembling
parts For example a circuit board can be “rocked”
parts. rocked at an angle
into a mating part instead of straight in which requires almost a
perfect alignment of both parts.
• Quality
Q lit
– Replacing the “bang-bang” motion of pneumatics with optimized
motion profiling of a robot increases product quality.
16
Quicker Changeover
• Product changeover
g can be minimized or even
eliminated with the use of “Tool Changers”.
• Automatic tool changers are available for all ranges of
robots and payloads.
17
Quicker Changeover
• Incorporating
p g the dexterity
y of a 6-axis robot reduces the
number of electrical/mechanical devices required with
conventional configurations.
• Database programming allows computing of robot
motion based on product parameters which reduces the
amount of robot programming when changing process or
parts or product types
types.
18
Lower Maintenance
19
Greater Layout Flexibility
21
Control & Software
23
Ease for Upgrade or Redeployment
24
Environmental Compatibility
25
What is the real “system” cost?
• Facility/Line
y Configuration
g
– Multiple Lines
– Minimal Space
– Minimal Accumulation due to space
– Utilization of existing material handling or peripheral equipment
• Operational Challenges
– High frequency of changeover
– Difficulty to ramp up production between changeovers
– Market driven changes in product and product presentations
28
Robotic Assembly: Misconceptions
• If yyou’re trying
y g to improve
p yyour assembly
ypprocess,, don’t
be misled by these old misconceptions about robot
reliability, complexity and costs.
– Robots cannot handle high speed lines
– Robotics technology is complex
– Robotics requires higher skilled operators and support personnel
– Robotic solutions are unreliable
– Robotic solutions are expensive
29
Getting Started: Developing an RFQ
30
Getting Started: Developing an RFQ
33
Developing an RFQ: Project Requirements
• Other p
product,, p
process or g
general requirements
q or
issues
– Assembly Constraints
– Quality and Reliability
– Product mix-up validation
– Machine Noise Limits
– Operator Height Range
– Data Acquisition
– Validation & Certification
– Project Timeline
– Expected uptime and efficeincies
34
Machine Cycle Rate Analysis
35
Machine Cycle Rate Analysis
• Conservative Analysis
y
– Example shows a machine cycle rate of 4.14 seconds
• 85% Machine Availability [parts available shift changes, etc…]
• 95% System
y Efficiency
y
• 99% Product Yield [1% scrap]
36
Machine Cycle Rate Analysis
• Realistic Analysis
y
– Example shows a machine cycle rate of 4.63 seconds
• 92% Machine Availability [parts available shift changes, etc…]
• 98% System
y Efficiency
y
• 99% Product Yield [1% scrap]
37
Project Management
• Preliminary Acceptance
• Qualification of System
– Installation & Training
– Final Acceptance
– Qualification of System
39
Peripherals: Chassis Configurations
• The “chassis”
chassis configuration provides the means
for indexing the “assembly” through the
assembly automation process.
• Robots provide the flexibility to easily integrate
into any configuration.
• Chassis configurations may include:
– In-line, Rotary Dial, Work Cell, Carrier Strip, Blow
F d H
Feed, Hybrid…and
b id d more
40
Peripherals: Chassis Configurations
• In-Line
In Line
– Power & Free
• Using pucks/pallets which float/travel on
continuously running “belt”.
– Precision Indexing
• Carousel or Over-Under
Over Under
– Walking Beam
41
Peripherals: Chassis Configurations
• Rotaryy Dial
– Assembly rides in fixtures which
are indexed from station to
station
t ti on a rotary
t dial.
di l
• Work
W k Cell
C ll
– Robots or operators provide
“indexing”
indexing of assembly
42
Peripherals: Chassis Configurations
• Carrier Strip
p
– Example of a creative solution
whereby the assembly is
performed
f d with
ith th
the “b
“body”
d ” off th
the
assembly still attached to a
carrier strip.
– The strip is indexed using the
excise die.
• Blow Feed
– Transfer of assembly by
blowing part from one station
“blowing”
to another.
43
Peripherals: Chassis Configurations
Carrier Strip
Precision
Indexing
Power-Free
Rotary Dial
44
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
• Machine Vision/Sensors
– Parts Handling
– Part Identification
– Robot Guidance
– Assembly Verification
– Package Verification
45
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
46
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
47
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
48
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
• Vision p
provides the ability
y to locate and orient p
part for
assembly
49
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
50
Peripherals: Vision & Sensors
51
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Products/Parts Feeding
– Most system problems are due to PRODUCT
QUALITY or “PRESENTATION” issues
• It is also where engineers tend to spend the least amount of effort during the design
process.
52
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Part Feeding
– Bowl Feeding
– Step Feeding
– Fl ibl F
Flexible Feeding
di
– Flex Bowl Feeding
– Bin Picking
– Tray Handling
– Magazine Feeding
– Tapes and Reel Feeding
– Carrier Strip Feeding
• Bowl Feeding
– Bulk load
– Vibrate or Centrifugal
g
– Orient and Lane Parts
– Singulate for Transfer
Hopper
In-Line
Bowl
55
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Step
p Feeding
g
– Bulk Load
– Quiet
– Gentle on Parts
– Compact
– Very Reliable
– “Lower” Rates
56
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Flex Bowl Feeding
– Feed variety of parts in ONE bowl
– Bowl feeding without final orientation
• Feed parts only “right side” up
• Utilize vision to locate part and robot to orient
57
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Flexible Feeding
– Incorporates vision to simplify the mechanics
– Increases Flexibilityy
– More tolerant to part variances
58
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Bin Feeding
– Layered or Bulk
– Incorporates vision and/or
sensors to locate for robot
pickup
59
Peripherals: Part Feeding
• Tray Handling
• Magazine Feeding
• Tapes and Reel Feeding
• Carrier Strip Feeding
60
Peripherals: Test & Qualification
• Historically,
y engineering
g g for automation has emphasized
p
mechanical design over software or control.
• Robot Controller,
Controller PLC or PC controls are normally used
as the “main” controller. Larger lines have a Host-Line
Controller.
62
Control and Interface (HMI)
• At a minimum, software and the HMI
Interface should include:
– Graphical User Interface Touch Screen
– Automatic, Manual, Audit and Re-Test
Modes
odes
– Basic Process Tracking
– Automatic Diagnostics for all feed back
devices including sensors
– Single Step/Cycle of each station process
– Low Parts Indication
– E-stop
E t and dEError recovery
• The challenge is to provide “simplistic”
p
control architecture with “complex” or
“sophisticated” control capabilities.
63
Case Study: Key Fob Assembly
• Robots (6)
• Vision Inspection (8)
• Vibratory feeders (8)
• PCB Tray handling
• Power-free conveyor system
• Distributed network control
• PC NNetwork
t k ffor vision
i i and
d remote
t access
• Process tracking, remote access and automatic diagnostics
64
Case Studies: Key Fob Assembly
A D
U
Upper Housing
H i L
Lower H
Housing
i
•Verify 3 hole or 4 hole •Vision OCR Part Number
•Date Stamp •Robot with Flex Feeder places
housing
•Robot with Flex Feeder places
h
housing into pallet
ll •Pneumatic “snap”
“ ” and
d sensor probe
b
assembly verification
B
E Key Ring
Keypad
•Robot removes Fob from pallet and
•Vision
Vi i V
Verify
if (Obj
(Objectt Recognition)
R iti ) positions for assembly of ring
•Robotically place into Upper Housing •“Ringer” assembled
•Robot presents assembly for
“ringer” vision inspection
C
Transmitter PCB
•Robotic handling of trays and PCB
•Vision Inspect for battery seat & model number
•Robotically place into keypad
65
Case Study: Automotive Sensor
3
• Unique configuration integrated in phases
to minimize risk and maximize overall
project success.
• Common control platform for all sub-
systems
• Phase-1: Final assembly of the
automotive sensor product assembly.
• Phase-2:
Phase 2: Assembly of the “float”
float sub
sub- 2
assembly
• Phase-3: Assembly of internal switch
assembly.
• Phase-4: Product calibration, functional 1
4
test and pack out.
66
Phase-1: Final Product Assembly
• Robots (3)
• Rotary Dial Indexing
• Bowl Feeders (3)
• Vision Guidance
• Rotary Indexing
• RTV Dispense
• O bit l W
Orbital Welding
ldi
• Leak Test
• Part Sorting
• Data Acquisition
• Two Part Types
• 800 parts/hour
• 1 part/4.5 seconds
67
Phase-2: Float Sub-Assembly
68
Phase-3: Internal Switch Assembly
• Robots (1)
• Carrier Strip Indexing
• Vision Guidance
• Vision Inspection
• Precision Indexing
• Resistive Welding
• Ci i
Crimping
• Part Sorting
• Data Acquisition
• Two Part Types
69
Phase 4: Calibration, Test & Pack Out
• Robots (2)
• Vision Inspection
• Rotary Indexing, Precision Indexing and Power-Free
• Functional Test
• Part Marking
• Part Sorting
• P k i
Packaging
• Data Acquisition
• Two Part Types
• 800 parts/hour
• 1 part/4.5 seconds
70
Case Study: Automotive Sensor
71
Case Study: Medical Component
• Automatic ggauge
g assembly y incorporating
p g robots for p
part
handling, tray handling product assembly.
– Robots (4)
– Rotary Dial
– Bowl Feeders (5)
– Robotic load/unload
– Robotic tray handling
– Robotic assembly
– Torque
q drivers ((2))
– Taper
73