Automotive Design and Production

JAN 2016

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NOTABLE Technology-Driven Fastening Solutions 3.,aPeer2d./rioN4wP.-) 0HoNe &aX; 3aleSiNQUirieSwelcome #ole#arbide´SSelecTioNoF2iViTToolSbriNGSYoU THelaTeSTiNSHeeTmeTalFaSTeNiNGSolUTioNS. 4HroUGH#ole$iVerSi½ed0rodUcTSweoFFera wideraNGeoF2iViTToolSForaUTomoTiVe aSSemblYaNdoTHerSHeeTmeTalaPPlicaTioNS. Tools for Blind Rivets 2aPideF½cieNTiNSTallaTioN. (YdroPNeUmaTicToolSFeaTUriNGaliGHTweiGHT PlaSTicHaNdleaNdalUmiNUmbodYForeaSeoFUSe. #ordleSSTooloPTioNSFormaXimUmcoNVeNieNce. Tools for Rivet Nuts )deallYSUiTedForFaSTeNiNGTHiNSHeeTmeTalS. (YdroPNeUmaTicToolSForboTHmaleaNdFemaleriVeTNUTS. #ordleSSTooloPTioNSForVerSaTiliTYiNaNYworKPlace. www.colecarbide.com Just as is the case with autonomous vehicles, where there are "levels" of autonomy (from Level 0 where you drive to Level 4 where you can safely shave, apply makeup or otherwise let the vehicle do the driving), there are levels of collaboration between robots and humans. Nachi Robotic Systems ( nachirobotics.com ) has developed four collaborative modes for their robots that meet the safety requirements of ISO 10218-1. The frst level is "Safety-Rated Monitored Stop." Here a robot can be stopped in a safe position and the operator can step in and load, unload or perform other tasks without the need for the robot motor power to be shut down. This is a time save, given that the con- ventional restart procedures aren't necessary. Then there is "Direct Teach." This is what it sounds like: the operator can program the robot by moving the robot without the need for a teach pendant. Rather, there is a joystick that allows the user to move the robot to points in space as required. This means that programming time can be sped up compared to the norm. The third mode is "Speed and Separation Monitoring." There are safety-rated sensors used to detect human presence within the robot's space. The robot operates at full speed when the human is in the "green" zone; reduced speed in the "yellow" zone; and at a full stop when the human moves into the "red" zone. Finally, stage four, or what's often thought as a "collaborative robot." Here, motor power and force are limited so that a human worker can work side-by-side with the robot. In the event that the robot contacts the worker, then it simply stops before injury occurs. as produced (and scanned). There are color maps with annotations generated of the comparison. To bring in work that it had outsourced, in 2015 Birmingham Prototypes added a fve-axis laser profling machine from Trumpf ( trumpf-laser.com ) to its shop foor. Noted Adams, "Practically every job that comes off the machine is a unique prototype that needs to be inspected, a job that was previously done by the laser cutting contractors." So Adams said that they decided to acquire a portable CMM arm, a Nikon MCAx, to handle the parts from the laser cutter. This unit is a 7-axis counterbalanced arm with continuous rotation; it offers a four-meter diameter measuring envelope. It is usually used with a digital laser scanner; a touch trigger probe can be used should additional accuracy be required. The arm is equipped with absolute encoders to assure precision. Beyond measuring, Birmingham Prototypes is using the laser scanner to generate CAD models of parts that have no drawings or digital fles. This is then used to create STL fles. These fles are used by the company's Dimension 1200 es 3D printer from Stratasys ( stratasys.com ). There are also four CNC machining centers from Hurco ( hurco.com ) at the facility that are used to manufacture both prototype tooling as well as low-volume production components. The Nikon Metrology CMMs are used to check these components, as well. Four Levels of Collaborative Robotics 16 GEAR

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