The Intricacies of Part Presentation in Automating Manufacturing Assembly

In the ever-evolving world of manufacturing, automation has played a pivotal role in boosting productivity, reducing costs, and enhancing product quality. One critical aspect of automation in manufacturing assembly is part presentation. Precise positioning and orientation of components for assembly processes can ultimately drive key success criteria for any automation solution, including cycle time, human support and reliability. While automating manufacturing assembly has the potential to revolutionize the industry, part presentation strategies have the potential to up-end the business case for any automation project. In this blog post, we will delve into complexities and obstacles that manufacturers face in automating part presentation and how to address them.

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Component Variation and Complexity

One of the primary challenges in automating part presentation is handling inherent variation and complexity of components. Manufacturing companies often produce parts with slight differences in size, shape, and orientation. These small deviations from one part to the next or batch to another can make it challenging for automated systems to identify and handle these components reliably. These variations can result from minor design changes but most often occur due to specified tolerances, material properties, differences in manufacturing environments, or component manufacturing processes.

Possible solutions include implementing advanced vision systems and sensors that can aid in detecting part variations and adapting the automated assembly process accordingly. In practice this means enabling robotics to see and feel parts and then intelligently respond to maintain high yield requirements. Machine learning algorithms can train robotic systems to recognize and handle different component variations effectively.

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Orientation and Positioning

Achieving the correct orientation and positioning of components is crucial for successful assembly and meeting fast cycle time requirements. Human workers can quickly adjust part orientation by hand. Replicating human-level dexterity in robots is a complex task. Ensuring that components are presented consistently, in the same location and orientation to assembly robots is a significant challenge that often requires expensive mechanical customization.

Utilizing robotic end-effectors with advanced gripping technologies, such as adaptive grippers and force-torque sensors, can enhance the ability of robots to adjust part orientation during assembly or at least recognize when an error has occurred. This often requires sophisticated software, such as machine learning solutions that enable the robot to respond in real-time with adjustments.

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Feeding Mechanisms

Automated assembly lines rely on efficient feeding mechanisms to present parts to robots in a controlled manner. Traditional bowl feeders   vibrate batches of components together to randomize and reorient components, eventually filtering out those that don’t meet the specified orientation. Feeders might not always be suitable for delicate parts that can be easily damaged or irregularly shaped components, such as springs that tend to clump together. Thus part nature can lead to jams in the feeder, misplacements, damaged components and assembly errors.

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Designing custom feeding solutions tailored to the specific needs of the components can deliver improved part presentation. Also, consideration for feeding constraints during product design can result in choosing  parts better equipped for standard feeders. Vibratory feeders can be combined with intelligent control systems to reduce the impact on components and enable a wide range of effective part feeding options.

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Tolerance for Error

Automated assembly processes often require stringent tolerances to maintain product quality and reliability. Even minor errors in part presentation can lead to faulty assemblies, affecting product performance and safety.

Implementing closed-loop control systems that continuously monitor and correct part orientation during assembly can help achieve higher accuracy and reduce errors. Additionally, employing redundant sensing and feedback mechanisms can further enhance the reliability of the assembly process.

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Integration with Existing Systems

Manufacturers often seek to automate part presentation in the area of an existing assembly line to minimize cost and complexities associated with kitting components. Integrating automated part presentation systems into existing infrastructure layouts can be challenging, especially with limited space or complex workflows in a high-mix manufacturing environment.

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Conducting thorough simulations and feasibility studies prior to implementation can identify potential integration issues and allow for better planning and modifications. Off-line kitting can reduce the space requirements on the line while enabling greater flexibility and reliability. Collaborative robots (cobots) are often more adaptable to existing assembly lines due to their smaller footprint and ability to work safely alongside human workers.

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Conclusion

One of the greatest challenges to cost-effectively automating manufacturing assembly is part presentation, especially in high-mix manufacturing environments where component variation is diverse and critical. Manufacturers need to consider cutting-edge technologies, such as advanced vision systems, machine learning algorithms, and collaborative robots, to overcome these challenges and ensure seamless and accurate assembly processes. At Launchpad, we deliver more cost-effective and flexible part presentation solutions using these more advanced systems proven in other markets. Addressing these challenges head-on enables our customers to unlock the full potential for automation, even in high-mix manufacturing environments.

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