Robot handles castings with care
By introducing robotic handling, zinc alloy component manufacturer PMS Diecasting has made sure that it delivers damage-free and competitively priced parts.
By introducing robotic handling, zinc alloy component manufacturer PMS Diecasting has made sure that it delivers damage-free and competitively priced parts.
The ABB robot removes each casting from the die, transfers it to a pneumatic press - where the parts are separated and delivered into collection bins - and returns the runner (surplus metal) to the furnace.
"Previously, the casting was ejected from the die and allowed to fall onto an inclined chute that deposited it onto a weigh scale".
"If the weight was correct, the scale tilted and allowed the casting to slide onto a conveyor that delivered it into a bin to await manual separation", explains PMS Technical Director Gordon Panter.
"Although most diecasters use this method for smaller castings, the drop from the die onto the chute can damage or distort the parts, which at this point have only just solidified".
"The robot eliminates this risk".
"It also saves us cost - and helps us to keep our prices competitive - because no labour is required to break off the parts, and the hot runner is remelted immediately".
"More generally, automation has eliminated many of the problems that could cause the diecasting machine to stop - and therefore reduced the number of 'cold shots' that we have to reject when it restarts".
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