Product category:
Handling and automation equipment
News Release from: Modular Automation International | Subject: Plastic insert loading system
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 February 2002
Automated insert system keeps work at
home
A new plastic insert loading system for a moulding press has improved efficiency sufficiently to allow the user to keep medical equipment production in the UK.
Modular Automation of Birmingham has developed a new plastic insert loading system for Medic-aid The new system is faster and more reliable than the previous method and has improved efficiency sufficiently to allow the company to keep production in the UK
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 28 Jan 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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The system loads plastic inserts into a Negri Bossi 800kN press to form part of a moulding for an asthma inhaler.
The inserts aid the smooth delivery of the drug through the appliance.
According to Ed Waters, Head of Engineering for Medic-aid, the system has made a tremendous difference to efficiency.
"We work in a very competitive environment and seriously considered transferring the entire assembly to China to reduce costs," he explained.
"However, this new automated system, together with some significant tooling changes, has allowed us to improve efficiency by up to 40% and keep production in the UK." The system first bowl feeds the inserts the collects them by vacuum, eight at a time, using the latest design of Pressflow SNC robot.
The robot loads the inserts into the machine's moulding head immediately before injection.
Sensors check that the correct inserts are in place before the mould shuts.
Completed parts are unloaded automatically.
Previously the operation was a semi-automatic system.
This was much slower and was less reliable as it was not possible to check that all the inserts were in place before the mould was shut.
In turn this meant that faults had to be picked up during subsequent operations further down the production line.
Modular Automation has vast experience at developing innovative assembly systems using a modular approach and trusted technology.
By approaching its business in this practical way it ensures that its systems are realistically priced, effective and utterly reliable.
(This was Manufacturingtalk's Top Story on 21 February 2002).
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