Motor and drive provider Faulhaber recently announced its linear and rotating micromotors have been integrated into Austrian automation system provider STIWA’s modular LTM-CI small-parts assembly system.
Faulhaber said “compact automation” refers to the small dimensions - in the millimeter and centimeter range - of the products to be processed. The modular system can perform a whole series of consecutive production steps autonomously.
Compact modules for small components manufacturing
Individual parts are first fed from storage containers, separated using a shaker and correctly positioned on a conveyor system ready for the first manufacturing step. The components are then transported to the respective station where grippers pick them up and join them together or process them in some other way.
The LTM-CI series from STIWA is designed for products with a spatial diagonal of up to 30 millimeters, about 1.1811 inches. The whole machine is relatively small as well.
“A customer in the west of Austria produces dampers for a well-known furniture retailer that needs millions of these parts every year,” said Roland Schiermayr, STIWA departmental head of automation research and development. “The company wanted to buy a new production machine. The existing machine was 10 meters long. For the production of small components measuring just a few centimeters in length, this was simply too much for the production site in a narrow Alpine valley. This was the impetus for us to fully utilize all miniaturization possibilities.”
Functions include pick and place, welding, labeling
The result of STIWA’s development phase was an automation platform which - depending on the configuration and equipment fitted - can range from 3 to 4 meters, about 9.8 to 13.1 feet. A rigidly linked transport system forms the basis, and the other system components depend on the needs and specifications of the customer.
“We can integrate up to 22 function modules, each measuring 90 millimeters [about 3.5 inches] in width, for different work steps,” said Christian Mersnik, a Faulhaber employee who was involved in development from day one. Mersnik added the functions include pick and place, laser welding with up to five degrees of freedom, screw insertion, press-in operations, labeling, testing, and measuring.
Customers report smooth, rapid operation
Faulhaber said the LTM-CI series has been well received by customers. The company said customers reported uniform, smooth movements without impacts or vibration. One regular customer reported that the system runs “like a sewing machine.”
With the LTM-CI, the cycle times have been reduced to almost just half a second, which Faulhaber said can bring a significant leap in productivity.
A large automotive supplier used the machine to produce valves consisting of just a few components that are only eight millimeters long, about 0.315 inches. The valves are part of the anti-lock braking system, and the supplier required them in seven-digit quantities every year. Production must run with a cycle time of half a second in order to cope with this volume.
LM 1247 linear motors deliver speed and thrust
The drives used in the actuators inside the machine make a major contribution to the smooth movement as well as the high speed, Faulhaber said.
In earlier generations, electric motors of a completely different size class were used. For the LTM-CI, STIWA chose LM 1247 brushless linear motors for up to twenty points in the system, including grippers and stopper units, which are sliders that interrupt the flow of material.
The LM 1247 drive measures 12.5 millimeters wide and 19.1 millimeters high, about 0.49 inches high by 0.75 inches high. Faulhaber said one strength of its linear motors is their extremely high speed. The LM 1247 drive also produces a continuous force of 3.6 Newtons.
“When operating at full power, it can even manage 10.7 Newtons,” Schiermayr said.
BX4 2250 motors feature matching multiturn absolute encoder
Faulhaber said STIWA engineers also incorporated its BX4 2250 brushless motors. These motors drive the swivel units that move end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) or components to specific positions.
When selecting a suitable drive, an important factor for STIWA engineers was the availability of an accessory part.
“At this point in the system, we require an extremely high level of precision and repeatability,” Mersnik said. “This is why it was an important argument for us that Faulhaber was able to deliver this motor with a matching multiturn absolute encoder. The signals from this encoder are necessary to achieve the high production quality and for quality assurance.”
At least 60 million fault-free strokes guaranteed by STIWA
STIWA said longevity and long-term reliability of all components makes the real difference. The company guarantees its compact automation systems fault-free for at least 60 million strokes. This number must therefore also be achieved by all moving parts including the motors.
“We subject our own parts as well as additionally purchased components to endurance tests,” Schiermayr said. “In these tests, we attempt to destroy the parts through wear and unfavorable conditions. Only those parts that survive the endurance tests are installed in the machines. The motors from Faulhaber have shown that they can meet such extreme requirements. They help us to achieve our own peak values with minimum space requirements and the shortest cycle times.”
Article topics
Email Sign Up
Related Assembly News
