High tech Kool Automation (EN) at Twin-Tech Enschede

Project

A robot set-up has been developed for the processing of smooth stainless steel material on behalf of Kool Automation. This industrial robot had to perform various industrial processes. Some of the requirements that the system must meet:

Suitable for automatic operation and use of an existing Safan cutting machine
16 hour unmanned production periods (Unattended, fully autonomous)
Enter the plates as stacks
Place and grip the smooth stainless steel plates in such a way that they are not stuck together
Different formats and cutting patterns available and easy customization using interface
Short changeover time for different types of products

Approach

In collaboration with Kool Automation and the end customer, an analysis was carried out to determine the optimal layout of the robot setup. By considering the specific needs and requirements, the correct positioning of the robot, the switching station and other parts of the system have been determined.

In addition to determining the layout, the cycle times for various products have been calculated. By analyzing production requirements and identifying potential optimization opportunities, planning can be done based on production capacity and the overall efficiency of the process increases.

Custom grippers have been developed to handle the stainless steel plates safely and accurately. A change station enables automatic change of grippers, allowing the robot to respond flexibly to different production needs. A special take-off gripper prevents smooth stainless steel plates from sticking together through controlled movements and optimal force distribution.

With the development of custom grippers, a change station and a special take-off gripper, Kool Automation’s robot set-up offers a customized solution for the processing of smooth stainless steel plates. The result is an automated process that is efficient, accurate and reliable.

Results

After going through the entire engineering and design process, a robot set-up was finally realized for Kool Automation. In the end, the system was delivered in which:

Can be produced completely unmanned for the required 16 hours
Grippers can be changed automatically by the robot
Plates can be picked up 1 by 1 by means of vacuum
Plates are automatically measured and aligned for placement of plates on a cutting bench