For the automated assembly of fries for the chemical industry, the Swiss special machine manufacturer Cerasus GmbH has implemented a flexible robot cell. The servo press from Bosch Rexroth integrated into the cell increases productivity, process quality and flexibility in frying assembly.
There is nothing off the shelf in special machine construction. And yet standardized solution packages are a great help to save valuable time in engineering and implementation. Cerasus in Schweizer Steinen simplifies complex assembly tasks with a mechatronic subsystem from Bosch Rexroth for pressing and joining applications. It is supplied ready for installation and can also map measurement functions with the integrated force sensor.
The complete mechatronic package from Bosch Rexroth is used in a cell for the assembly of frits developed on behalf of Cerasus. These are small, cylindrical throttle elements made of metal that are pressed into a sleeve to produce flow limiters for medical and chemical technology.
The CERAFLEX assembly cell consists of a six-axis robot from Fruitcore Robotics and the Smart Function Kit Pressing, a ready-to-install servo press from Bosch Rexroth, with which different joining processes can be quickly and easily and implement measurement functions. The special feature of the Rexroth solution: The mechatronic subsystem is composed of optimally coordinated, preconfigured individual components and is supplied with pre-installed operating software.
In addition, users have the choice of configuring the Smart Function Kit for pressing and joining applications online using intelligent eTools, design and order or - like Cerasus - design it for specific applications in dialogue with Bosch Rexroth. Both options reduce engineering times. CAD data and documentation can then be downloaded via the online configurator. „For our customer-specific solutions, we value the dedicated and competent engineering support of Bosch Rexroth“, says Gabriel Bösch, Managing Director of Cerasus. „This is not a matter of course in the industry and makes the difference for us.“
With the help of the CERAFLEX assembly cell commissioned, Cerasus has automated the previously manual, monotonous frying assembly for its customers. As a result, larger quantities can be produced in less time. In addition to inserting, pressing and measuring, the categorization of the manufactured chokes is now fully automatic. After measuring the flow resistance, an axis robot places the products in different tanks to separate rejects from OK parts and temporarily store chokes with certain measured values for other applications.
Compared to manual frying assembly, the modular servo press from Bosch Rexroth works with significantly higher accuracy and process stability. „The pressing process therefore requires exact values for movement and force“, explains Bösch. Thanks to the integrated function for quality monitoring with force-displacement measurement, Cerasus can analyze the process and continuously improve it. Excessively large tolerances can already be recognized by the starting force to be applied. Faulty parts are thus detected at an early stage and tool damage is avoided.
The CERAFLEX cell can work autonomously for up to ten hours and in two-shift operation around the clock. With a cycle time of about one minute, the robot and servo press can now handle the previous annual production in a very short time. In view of this time saving, the manufacturer added a second task to the CERAFLEX cell. For these, Cerasus uses another Smart Function Kit with 12 kN nominal force and correspondingly larger electromechanical cylinder. The rest of the equipment remains unchanged, so that the cell can be converted in half a day. The second press application has an integrated length control. The necessary distance measurement is carried out by means of the force-displacement recording, including the press height.
The robot cell owes its high degree of automation and productivity on the one hand to the control software developed by Cerasus and on the other to the combination of a flexible servo press and the open control platform ctrlX CORE from Bosch Rexroth. „The Smart Function Kit Pressing was not only the result of its high cost efficiency, but also the simple and quick adjustment of the pressing process,” explains Bösch. „The control platform ctrlX CORE impressed us with an extremely short delivery time and its large range of open interfaces and flexible expansion options through apps, which provides us with a sustainable basis for various projects.”
Cerasus programmed modular software for the robot cell, including an HMI interface. „The two-in-one solution is well received by our customer, as it saves space for a separate machine and makes production more flexible,“ reports Bösch. In both cases, the complete system is controlled via the ctrlX CORE control platform and matching ctrlX I/O modules. The CERAFLEX software programmed in CODESYS takes over the interaction of the individual components. The WebIQ HMI also integrates the platform-independent operating software of the Smart Function Kit into the machine overview. With the help of WebIQ, web HMIs for ctrlX AUTOMATION can be created even without extensive programming knowledge - for simple process controls with few displays. The WebIQ app of the ctrlX World Partner Smart HMI runs directly on the ctrlX CORE. The partner network ctrlX World extends the automation toolkit ctrlX AUTOMATION with hardware and new apps and thus offers maximum flexibility.
Cerasus now uses the proven CERAFLEX concept with its standardized, force-adjustable pressing process as a flexible basis for the efficient creation of further turnkey solutions. „Our Solution Kit for Presses and Measuring is equipped with everything that is necessary for assembly with distance and press force monitoring,“ says Bösch. „Further process steps such as marking, output or testing of the components can be easily integrated. The operating software is very intuitive and allows simple and fast commissioning. In addition, the automation platform ctrlX AUTOMATION offers us a high level of integration and future viability.“
Looking back, Bösch is very satisfied with the Smart Function Kit and the control platform ctrlX CORE from Bosch Rexroth: „Hardware and software solutions meet the promised performance characteristics. The local support in Switzerland and the programming support from Germany worked well, everything was delivered on time. With the Smart Function Kit and ctrlX AUTOMATION, we can develop particularly economical, reliable and flexible solutions for our customers.“
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