Overview
The robotic system based on a Fanuc robot is designed for tending four CNC machines that process long workpieces (up to 8 meters) of the “pump rod” type from both ends.
The system includes:
raw material racks with automatic feeding,
a finished product rack with a transfer mechanism from the trolley to the rack,
a system for transporting finished products,
a group of steady rests with pneumatic clamping,
a gripper for long workpieces.
The system and racks can be adjusted to accommodate multiple workpiece sizes.
My Role
As a project engineer:
Developed the layout of the robotic system.
As a design engineer:
Designed all custom equipment for the system except for the mechanism for transferring parts between the processing area and the storage area.
Challenges and Solutions
The system layout was designed to allow one robot to tend four CNC machines without additional moving axes. This simplified the design and reduced implementation costs.
A special profile for the feeding section of the raw material rack was developed to eliminate issues with entanglement and interlocking of workpieces.