Integrated Automation for CNC Turning

August 18, 2011 12:05 pm

Murata Machinery, Ltd. (brand name ‘Muratec’) is a global leader in providing state-of-the-art technology for CNC Turning process fully integrated in-house with built-in automation for a wide range of applications, especially for the medium and large volume production industries. Muratec has accumulated over the past 2 decades, application know-how covering a wide range of components, simple to most complicated and high precision requirements. Fully servo-controlled 3-axis Integrated Gantry Loaders are the key solution offered with every type of machine in the full range to handle work pieces up to 350 mm diameter, weighing up to 20 Kgs.
Muratec’s automation solutions include not just loading and unloading the work pieces from the machine chucks with the unique gantry loader chucks, but also full range of peripherals for work piece feed-in, poka-yoke, turnaround from one operation to next, washing, post-process gaging, feed-out, transfer and line layouts. For each of these peripherals, Muratec has standardised modules to cover a range of product sizes or designs and builds customised solutions to match individual production volumes and variations. Ultimate aim of automation is to achieve high levels of efficiency of productivity on 24×7 basis with stable quality-controlled production output.
Work piece Feed-InMain factors to decide the type of feed-in unit are:• Ease of feeding the work piece by even semi-skilled labour• Stock volume to let the full system operate unattended for certain minimum period such as lunch time break• Ensure that every work piece is picked up by the gantry loader in safe environment and stably load onto the machine chuck.
The most standardised solution to cover a wide range of round or non-round, symmetrical or non-symmetrical work pieces to feed-in, is the pallet feeder. Basically there are 2 types: stacking type and flat non-stacking type. The pallet jigs can be easily designed and manufactured locally if required to suit the input casting or forging or cut bars of varied shapes. For round work pieces, the simple 3-pole setting design adds to flexibility and reduction in set-up change time as well.
Re-chucking / Poka Yoke stationDepending on the quality of the feed-in material, simple re-chucking station is provided which can be designed for Poka Yoke check as well. This eliminates wrong or improper work piece loading and thus avoids accidents and damage to chucks.
Single / Twin Gantry Loaders / Turnaround UnitAlmost every work piece which has to be turned needs two chucking operations (front and back). Muratec’s twin-spindle chuckers with the gantry loader and turnaround unit satisfy this requirement for every kind of application. It is essential that the loader keeps pace with the actual machine turning cycle times of the two operations. For shorter cycle time operations with very high throughput requirements, twin gantry loaders and multiple-spindle line are offered.
100% Quality ControlFor close tolerance control with high levels of Cpk, Muratec has standardised and customised solutions for post-process gaging which ensures unattended quality control without productivity loss. To further enhance the reliability of the gaging system itself, work piece washing station is also offered.
Finished Work piece Feed-OutCompletely finished quality-controlled work pieces can be fed-out finally to a variety of standardised or customised systems similar to feed-in. Linking up with a succeeding process such as broaching, heat treatment, drill center, etc. is also achieved easily with the versatility of the gantry loader.
In majority of the applications, the integrated gantry loader is able to handle the work piece through all the peripherals, without the necessity for any additional handling units or robots. Muratec’s Automation solutions are ultimately economical and help in reducing the cost per work piece finally, even in developing countries like India, China and Brazil where traditionally labour cost is considered very cheap. Meiban Engineering Technologies in India (subsidiary of Muratec), is fully geared up to give the best application proposals for CNC turning machines with integrated automation.
Contact:Meiban Engineering Technologies Pvt. Ltd.[An associate company of Muratec, Japan]38, 7th Main, J.C.Industrial Estate,Yelachenahalli, Kanakapura Road,Bangalore – 560 062.Ph: +91 80 26860600 / 26860601 Fax:+91 80 26860605 www.meibanengg.com.