Product category:
Automation and assembly equipment
News Release from: Orlin Technologies | Subject: Moving coil actuator
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 November 2005
Actuator solves connector assembly
problem
The motion and force profile of a moving coil actuator can be accurately controlled over the entire stroke of the device allowing it to pick up a pin and press it into a connector housing.
When a manufacturer of electrical connectors needed a system for automated insertion of pins, combined with 100% inspection for quality control, they found the ideal solution in a moving coil actuator from SMAC Europe Unlike other actuators, the motion and force profile of a SMAC actuator can be accurately controlled over the entire stroke of the device
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 10 Nov 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Low moving mass and low friction, combined with direct drive mean that moving coil actuators are unmatched for speed, acceleration, accuracy and repeatability in 'pick and place' applications.
In this application, the SMAC unit is used to pick up the pin and press it into the housing.
For initial insertion, force is set to a low value.
If the alignment of the pin and housing is not correct, or the pin is bent, the pin will bind and position will not be achieved.
A pass/fail position window is programmed into the SMAC controller for this part of the motion profile and an error signal is activated to reject the part.
Once correct alignment is established, the force is increased to drive the pin home to the final position, accurately measured using the actuator's built-in linear encoder.
During this move, the force is programmed to be sufficient to drive the pin, but no so much as to damage it should an obstruction be encountered.
Once final position is successfully reached, the force is lowered once again and the actuator attempts to drive further.
If no movement is achieved, the pin is correctly inserted and the test passed.
If the actuator moves, the pin is missing and an error signal generated as before.
The SMAC actuator achieved 100% inspection of the pins during the assembly operation, so no production time is lost in a separate test.
Also, the same device is used to carry out the inspection and assembly tasks, saving equipment cost.
SMAC Europe is represented in the UK by ORLIN Technologies.
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