TPT November 2011

T echnology U pdate

High demands and economic pipe processing

WITH the TWISTER ® , Rosenberger produced a bending system that offers best precision, flexibility and process safety, as well as extraordinary operating comfort. Furthermore, the system with a KUKA robot at its core provides the operator with lots of freedom for set-up and number of the bending heads or automation modules within a production cell. The robot proves that it can do the perfect bend in an example bending process for a seat bracket for industrial vehicles. To take up the components, the six-axle device uses part-specific pneumatic exchangeable mechanical grippers developed for the individual applications. The KR16/KR30 collects the respective pipe at the upstream unit for welding seam alignment independently, moves to the X-, Y- and Z-coordinates servo-controlled and therefore highly precisely, operates the bending head and places the part on the removal belt. This way, it links bending to other processes. This still rather simple production line can be assembled according to individual customer wishes and expanded as desired. The flexibility of such Rosenberger production cells contributes greatly to efficient and economic production. Right after loading of the pipe hopper, precise work commences in the system when supplying the pipes, which are transported up with a sliding plate and separated. The separated pipes are taken to an alignment and placement station. The weld seams are recognised, turned to a defined position and the part is pushed onto a fixed stop. Now the production part is optimally prepared for assumption by the robot. The collection position can be programmed individually and thus adjusted to the work piece at all times. A choice between mandrel and mandrel-free bending can be made in the project named. When using the mandrel, the pipe is precisely gripped by the robot in the hundredth millimetre range and strung up to be supplied to the connection of the bending station.

The TWISTER from Rosenberger

The mandrel as such is equipped with a servo motor, like the entire system, and thus permits the user to perform any required motions in X-, Y- and Z-directions. The bending tool is additionally equipped with an integrated punching tool, so that subsequent processing of the pipes at a separate station is not required. The flexible placement options of the robot mean that the punching can be integrated in the process at nearly any pipe position. The robot presents more than pure handling in these plants: it acts as a fixed component of the bending machine and replaces all axes of a conventional bending machine except for the bending unit. In contrast to a common bending machine, the TWISTER ® can release the component and grip it again in any other position. Attachment parts like flanges, nipples, valves and even flexible hose elements can now be

installed as straight pipes and fastened. The TWISTER ® assumes bending of the ready-installed lines and thus enables smooth production process while dispensing with many previously required interim layers of the “semi- finished parts”. Potential error sources like subsequent bending or manual bending operations are also dispensed with. Rosenberger AG has been designing and producing production cells for companies from the area of automotive, including supplier industry, climate, sanitary and heating technology, furniture and illumination industries, aerospace technology, ship construction, chemical industry, motor construction, medical technology and defence technology for many years. Rosenberger AG – Germany Email: info@rosenbergerag.com Website: www.rosenbergerag.com

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N ovember 2011

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