TPT January 2017

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30 JANUARY 2017
T E CHNOLOG Y
Fully automatic, integrated, complete machining
THE companies RSA cutting systems
GmbH and sema Systemtechnik
GmbH & Co KG have developed and
brought into operation an integrated
high performance machining centre for
sawing, de-burring, punching, doming,
flattening and unloading of tubesmade of
steel and square and rectangular tubes
for PERI GmbH, a major manufacturer
in the areas of scaffolding technology
and formwork.
The challenge was to be able to
produce individual scaffolding parts
as well as shuttering props with the
sawing and machining centre faster
than before. There were previously
individual processing stations for each
process, with set-up times of up to 30
minutes. The aim of the new line was
to connect all processes in one system
and to reduce the changeover time to
less than five minutes, which is now
being successfully implemented in daily
operations at PERI.
Project manager Günter Reif con-
firmed, “Our ambitious demands for very
short cycle and set-up time are already
fully met. For this reason we are able to
handle extremely economical both large
series and fast and individual parts, that
are less frequently used and required in
lower quantities.”
The modular and therefore adaptable
and extensible sawing machining centre
has an RSA-developed, standardised
and user-friendly operating concept
that allows programming of all stations,
including punching, doming and
flattening unit from sema, via a single
control system. In general, the machining
centre is characterised by an efficient
chaining of different processes in a single
system with short processing times. For
example, the cycle time including all
single processes like rod feeding from
the magazine, sawing, de-burring and
double-side punching of up to eight holes
for a steel tube 48.3 x 3.25mm is only six
seconds. Alternatively, in the same low
cycle time a tube of 38 x 3.2mm can be
punched and domed from one side.
This is not achieved by high-priced
special tools, but by a fully optimised
overall process that allows parallel
processing steps. For instance, the RSA
saw uses standard HSS saw blades that
can be reground up to 15 times, and the
punching units use standard tools.
A key component of the new system
is the single-cut high-performance saw
Rasacut SC from RSA, supplemented
by the fully automatic de-burring system
Rasaplan, a custom-built punching and
doming unit from sema, and RSA’s
Rasaport unloading unit.
The punching and doming unit
can optionally punch each tube on
one or both sides at different tube
positions with up to four clearance
holes and can deform the end of
the tube. The punching of blind
holes is also possible. The modern
programming and control system
allows different hole patterns.
RSA produced a higher-level
control for the special system, with
a user-friendly operating concept
that includes all plant modules.
Another feature of the sawing and
machining centre is that round,
square and rectangular tubes that
should not be punched are guided
through the punching unit without a
reduced output. For this purpose,
belt transports are used in the area
of the punching unit.
The modular overall concept of
the sawing and machining centre
also allows the integration of
further modules, eg for measuring,
washing, drying and marking. The
sawing and machining centre
can be fully networked with EDP/
BDE systems to manage, for example,
customer products, to report plant
conditions, to remind maintenance, to
request raw materials or to report the
finished material development. The
single-cut Rasacut SC saw covers
a wide tube diameter spectrum with
high output and minimal set-up times.
Changes in length and blade change
can be carried out in less than one
minute, with format changes in less than
five minutes. The stopper and saw blade
are positioned fully automatically.
The Rasaplan fully automatic brush
de-burring system for simultaneous
inside and outside de-burring is also
designed for a high output. When
changing a diameter or length section,
set-up time is omitted because
the necessary settings are made
automatically. When developing the
sema punching and doming unit, the
focus was also on the shortest possible
cycle times. To achieve flexibility of the
tube length with minimum set-up time, a
tool side can be driven and positioned
via a servo drive.
RSA cutting systems GmbH –
Germany
Email:
Website:
sema systemtechnik GmbH & Co KG
– Germany
Email:
Website:
Sawing, de-burring, punching, doming, flattening
and unloading in one machine
Double-side punching of up to eight holes
simultaneously
Automatic flattening of lateral rods
for branches such as scaffolding
Punching
and doming
of tubes
Photo credit: RSA/sema
Photo credit: RSA/sema
Photo credit: RSA/sema
Photo credit: RSA/sema