Robot automation integrator Wittmann UK has teamed up with hydraulic press and tooling specialist PJ Hare to produce a fully automated production cell for one if its major US automotive clients. The GBP 1.5million contract marks the start of a long-term relationship between the two companies that aims to improve automation, productivity and efficiency for its clients without compromising on quality. For Hare, one of the UK's largest manufacturers of hydraulic presses, developing close links with Wittmann UK, a key division of the global Wittmann group, will mean that it will be able to provide the group with specialist consultancy in hydraulic manufacturing techniques.

The recent automotive contract is an illustration of how such a relationship will benefit their customers.

Wittmann was commissioned to automate the production of the four interior door panels for a motor vehicle for its US client.

Production runs were anticipated to be for 100,000 cars per annum.

Due to the intricacies of the components, the initial injection moulding process for the door panels from their client's 8000kN moulding machine could not accurately form the non-standard apertures required for housing loudspeakers, door pulls and other essential fixtures.

Wittmann's remit was to integrate the additional cutting operations with the injection moulding process, and to attach and cure the door panel seal to deliver the finished product.

Working with Hare they managed to achieve a cycle time for the entire process of only 50 seconds.

First the injection moulded panel is extracted from the moulding machine and placed onto a cooling station by a Cartesian Wittmann W643 robot.

Once cooled and degated, the robot employs a 16-camera vision system to check the quality of the component.

Approved components are then loaded via a Kawasaki FS10L six axis robot onto the Hare press.

'From this point integrating the Hare press and tooling really starts to pay dividends,' explained Dave Womack, project manager for Wittmann UK.

He continued: 'The component is a plastic with a 50% glass composition.

Our first thoughts were to opt for laser cutting.

This would have been expensive in terms of initial cost and the additional necessity for fume extraction equipment, however, advances in hydraulic press tooling meant that we could arrive at a solution that facilitated precise multi-axis cutting without such expense.

Aside from savings on capital outlay, the hydraulic press solution allowed for faster production as all apertures could be created in one hit rather than multiple operations with a laser.

When you're looking at 400,000 components a year with six apertures each that's a considerable time saving.' Phil Cornell, operations director for PJ Hare added: 'The controlled stroke of the 250kN, large bed hydraulic press ensures consistently accurate component pressings.

By equipping the tooling with auxiliary hydraulic cylinders we are able to simultaneously cut apertures in differing planes in a single stroke, once again in a controlled manner and thus to the strict tolerances required.' After the apertures are pressed the door panel is then moved by the Kawasaki robot onto a rotary table.

Another Kawasaki robot, this time a FS20N equipped with a foam extruding head attaches the door trim sealant to the panel, which in turn is introduced by another robot into a curing oven.

The finished component is then removed and the process complete - from start to finish in 50 seconds.

Whilst Hare were able to create efficiencies during production, savings did not stop there.

The company went a stage further by making its press and tooling combination quick and easy to set up.

With four door panels to produce, four sets of tooling were required.

Hare developed a quick-change, colour coded tool system using pneumatic die lifters, quick release clamps and detachable tool rails.

These allow each tool, weighing over 1,100kg, to be safely changed and set up by a single operator with a forklift in less than 5 minutes.

On the future, Womack added: 'With increasing pressure for productivity improvements due to cut-price overseas competition we need to ensure that we can equip our clients, from all over the world, with the most efficient means of production available.

We are confident that by developing close links with specialists such as PJ Hare we will be able to help our clients optimise their productivity whilst maintaining the highest possible quality standards.'