Automatic pallet loaders are now standard equipment for competitive manufacturing. Only automation increases the production time with unattended running at night and weekend. But customers not only demand fast lead times and low cost; they also demand a high degree of quality. In automated processes the CMM can become the new bottleneck.
EROWA’s automation for CMMs offers the solution to overcome this bottleneck by providing the same unattended running that you get with the machine tools.
The prerequisite for process automation is a standardized workpiece palletizing system on all the machines and Erowa is now well known for the reliability and precision of its systems. Now there is nothing in the way of automatic production – including inspection.
The Erowa handling Robot continually loads/unloads the CMM with palletized workpieces and these workpieces are measured automatically. Chip identification on each pallet ensures the CMM always runs the correct measuring program. At all times the operator can see the progress of any job and see any failures that need attention. Automated measuring can be integrated within machining cells or run as a stand-alone process.
Such autonomous manufacturing makes marginal and night-time hours available for unattended production. The machine operator focuses on the preparatory work to enable machining, and now QC work, to be continued around the clock.
