Custom Automation Solutions

Tube Cleaning & Filling Machine

This machine was design for Pharmaceutical automation of cleaning and filling product tubes.  It uses multiple stations along the conveyors to perform the required operations.

Empty tubes are loaded into a magazine that can hold up to 260 tubes, which are gravity fed into a servo positioned flighted indexing conveyor.  The conveyor indexes the individual tubes into position where an air clean and vacuum nozzle locates the open end of the tube before a blast of air agitates any particles present in the tube.  Particles are vacuumed into a collection filter before the tube is indexed to the next station.

At the rotation station the tube is rotated into position (confirmed by a sensor) before being transferred by an o-ring conveyor to a separate machine for for filling and sealing.

Combining Festo pneumatics with servo motors and associated drives at each station with a Siemens touch screen, gives the operator total control of the machine.

Glass Tube Drawing Machine

This custom glass tube drawing machine was designed to draw glass out to the desired diameter.  Outside target diameters can range from 0.4mm up to 8mm, created from lengths of 4mm to 25mm diameter glass tube.

The lengths of tube are added to the infeed section and are fed into the induction heater with drive rollers.  Using automated control the speeds of the drive roller are varied to draw the tube to the required diameter, which is set by the operator using the interface control panel.

A Zumbach Laser Micrometer was integrated into the machine to allow for precise measurement of the tube within a 0.001mm tolerance as it is being drawn.  The feedback from this laser is used to vary the speed of the drive rollers.

The end result is a machine that is safe for the operator and able to work with the heated glass to a high accuracy.

Valve Assembly Machine

This custom automated assembly machine was designed for stopcock water valve assembly, testing & packing.  The operator loads a pre-assembled stopcock valve into the location fixture and the machine slides the part into place for assembly and leak testing. 

Assembly includes screwing the screw on cap to a pre-defined torque (via Deprag Pneumatic screw driver), and leak testing by creating a silicon seal and using a ATEQ F420 series leak tester.  Parts that pass the test are removed and placed directly into shipping cartons.

This implementation combines the assembly and testing into one machine and improves the efficiency of assembling the product as well as increasing the quality & reliability of the product.

Vacuum Extraction System

This industrial extraction system was designed to extract particulates for a yoghurt filling machine and was integrated into an existing machine being used for production.  

The tubs are indexed through the machine where the extraction system uses a series of custom designed nozzles that lower into the tub, removing particulates via vacuum into a filtered chamber above the machine.  The process was able to perform this task on six tubs every 2 second cycle (supporting a 1.7 - 2.0 second cycle).

The systems were manufactured in accordance with food manufacturing standards for a total wash down scenario, and utilised a Rockwell MPAI Axis with 300mm stroke for the vertical movement, and Simco equipment for deionizing of tubs prior to cleaning.

This implementation combines the assembly and testing into one machine and improves the efficiency of assembling the product as well as increasing the quality & reliability of the product.

Automated Precision Conveyor

In order to meet the high throughput demands required by automotive industries, automated conveyor systems are often used with vision systems for quality control and electrical testing.

This conveyor system completed for Robert Bosch is part of an automated assembly line for measuring and testing of diodes used in automotive components.

Utilising standard motor gearbox combinations with encoder feedback, this assembly is constructed using precision CNC machined components for accurate movement & testing of delicate products.  Festo pneumatics are used in the design the singulation mechanism.