Page 33 - CFCM Jan-Feb-2021_Neat

ing programs and changing parameters. High
reproducibility in terms of performance and
the quality of the coating was desired (unifor-
mity/evenness of the lacquer application
while adhering to the coating thickness toler-
ances).
Venjakob created a two-in-one robot ap-
plication solution – a coating booth with
two loading possibilities.

Mode A: Loading with
Workpiece Carrier
In the first operating mode, loading takes
place via a special workpiece carrier. The
carriers are manually filled with screws,
further conveyed in cycles and transported
into the spraying booth via linear axles. The multi-purpose coating plant was realized in a small footprint.
A tray is lacquered and complete within
12 seconds.
Two linear axles that operate in parallel guarantee high system Compact System
performance. While one of the two linear axles lingers with one The entire system was realized in a space of only 6 m x 4 m x 3.7 m.
carrier in the coating booth, the other one moves the finished A Siemens-S7 control system is operated via touch screen. The
coated components to the flash-off zone or to the discharge, drops lacquer programs are stored there as formulas, which can be
them off and returns to the start position to pick up the next carrier. retrieved manually or automatically via a RFID chip.
Because only the thread of the screw is supposed to be coated, the In this case, the system manufacturer and the user worked
area of the linear axle is sealed off around the carrier system and is closely together during project planning.
provided with overpressure during lacquering. To achieve selective “The idea for the two-in-one solution came from us, as we don’t
coating and to keep over-spray in the booth to an absolute mini- expect complete utilization of the thread coating for two years,”
mum, the robot is also equipped with a spray marking gun, which says Dr. Florian Gehrig, Managing Director of Aero-Coating. “The
can atomize the finest amount of coating. second feed system was installed so that in the meantime we can
The carrier plates are outfitted with solvent-resistant RFID lacquer other components and free up the manual coating booths.”
chips, which are selected prior to entry into the spray booth. The Venjakob helped realize the design as well as the selection of the
robot can thus retrieve the respective program automatically. The paint feed systems, the application technology and the conveyor
component carriers are flexibly adapted and are suitable for com- technology. One special feature, among others, is the reduction
ponents in various sizes and shapes, especially for lacquering small from four to just one lacquer spray gun. This cuts costs and reduces
parts. A wide variety of components can be coated with this system the risk of problems with the lacquer supply.
design, without having to manually intervene.
Just Eight Months from Idea to Initial Operation
Mode B: Coating on Turntables The entire project took eight months to complete. After the first
A turntable was installed in the system, whose rotary function can three months following approval of the concept, Venjakob began
be activated as needed, for coating flat and rotationally symmetri- design and construction of the system. The entire system was
cal components. A vertical separating wall simplifies manual load- tested at Venjakob one month prior to delivery. Site installation
ing and unloading. took 10 days and certification by Aero-Coating customers was
The machine operator places the loaded workpiece holder on completed after one month.
the turntable. A toothed belt conveyor moves it in front of the lac- “Customers immediately confirmed the repeat accuracy and the
quering robot and after coating moves it back to its original posi- consistent quality,” says Gehrig, who himself is thoroughly satis-
tion for removal. fied with the overall design.
The robot needs roughly one minute in this mode, depending “We were immediately impressed by the entrance into the world
upon the contour of the workpiece, to lacquer the workpiece. The of robots. By using robotic systems, we are able to handle the sudden
components can have maximum dimensions of 700 mm x 700 mm increase of 30 percent in customer demands and at the same time re-
x 600 mm. duce overall throughput times by 20 percent. In addition, the system
takes up very little space, and we are using less solvent.” n

Alexander Hunger is Project Manager at Venjakob,
www.venjakob.de/en .
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