Alcon
Automation brings flexible unattended running at Alcon
Alcon is a name synonymous with the manufacture and supply of high specification brakes and clutches for motorsport and high performance vehicles.
Anyone working the field of motorsport knows how important it is to achieve a fast response to their customers needs. Manufacturing processes must be able to adapt quickly to customers demands. Investment in the latest machine tool technology is one way to ensure these demands can be met.
Alcon’s flexible production cell includes a Hermle C20U 5axis machining centre and an EROWA Robot Easy automatic pallet loading system. The cell was configured to handle 12 pallets based on the Erowa Production Chuck 210. Each pallet can be loaded with work up to 260mm square or 325mm diameter and the transfer weight can be up to 130kg. This capacity allows Alcon to automatically load large and complex brake calliper housings that can require as much as 2 to 3 hours machining. This means the machine could be left unattended for 24 hours. More typically, the highly skilled operators attend the machine during the day for process proving and the machine then continues on its own during the night with more established work.
Alcon Production Engineer, Allan Ford, says “As well as being able to run unattended, the cell gives a more flexible way of working. One-off jobs are easily accomplished and the repeatability of the pallet base allows us to stop jobs before they are finished and restart them later with no realignment. We can change the production plan at any time.”
The Robot Easy is just one of a range of standard EROWA automatic pallet loading systems and was tailored to match Alcon’s specific requirements.
The Tamworth based company is a Technical Partner to Raybestos, supplier of braking systems to the American Nascar racing tour and they have provided all the brake hardware to support Citroën’s dominance of the World Rally Championship [WRC] in recent years. In addition, the motorsport departments within Audi, BMW, Honda (Dome), Peugeot, Renault and Volkswagen count amongst their many customers. In the field of specialist and performance road cars they serve an impressive list of prestigious road car manufacturers, including Bentley, Brabus, Jaguar and Land Rover. Alcon also supply bespoke braking systems for specialist armoured vehicle manufacturers.
www.alcon.co.uk
August 2010
