8 minute read
PROCESS
Efficient, Reliable and Flexible:
WefAG AG Automates CNC Machine Tending with onRobot
In order to continuously deliver Swiss-quality results to its clients, WEFAG AG does not only invest in new CNC machines, but also relies on a collaborative application featuring the 3FG15 gripper developed by OnRobot to tend CNC machines. This makes it possible for the Swiss family-owned company to meet extremely short delivery times and smaller batch sizes confidently, while also reducing the workload of employees, who can now focus on more demanding tasks. Thanks to its three customizable fingertips, the 3FG15 precisely handles parts of different shapes and sizes. WEFAG AG was increasingly facing a high mix/ low volume production challenge, mainly sparked by changes in client demands. “We are now, very often dealing with extremely short delivery times and smaller batch sizes,” explains Damian Hediger, Managing Director of WEFAG AG. “Process reliability must be guaranteed – for all components.” When machining workpieces with CNC machines, both absolute positioning accuracy and repeatability are crucial.
WEFAG AG offers its clients a wide range of CNC machining services in an almost unlimited variety and combination of materials. The components go through various machining steps within the CNC machines, including turning, milling, drilling, vibratory finishing, assembly, refining and the final machining of the workpieces.
At WEFAG, an employee would spend the entire day placing workpieces in a machine and removing them, which made the company look for a way to make its production processes more efficient. After much research and consideration, the company finally decided to automate and developed a collaborative application consisting of a Doosan robot and a three-fingered 3FG15 OnRobot gripper.
Flexible Gripper Needed to Load and Unload the Machine
Due to the limited space between CNC machines at the production facility, WEFAG was faced with another challenge: the process had to be automated in the most space-saving
way possible. Furthermore, the solution had to be accurate enough to precisely place a variety of components in the machine and remove them without damaging them. Since the implementation of the automation project was not feasible for WEFAG alone, the company turned to Cobot Solutions AG, a Swiss company specializing in comprehensive automation solutions using collaborative robotics. Cobot Solutions is not only an integrator, but also a distributor of products manufactured by Doosan Robotics, OnRobot and other manufacturers in the field of collaborative robotics.
“WEFAG approached us with a request to develop a solution that would allow them to quickly and easily automate CNC machine tending,” explains Beni Zimmermann, Managing Director of Cobot Solutions AG. “Based on this request, we researched, tested and validated various grippers. The main challenge was the variety of workpieces, as it placed enormous requirements on the gripping range and flexibility of the gripper.”
WEFAG and Cobot Solutions decided on an application in which OnRobot's 3FG15 gripper is seamlessly mounted on Doosan's collaborative robot arm. The electric threefinger gripper stands out due to its high accuracy and flexible gripping range. The 3FG15 enables precise gripping of objects of different shapes and sizes. Its fingers can be mounted in three different positions, enabling different gripping forces and diameters. Thanks to its symmetrical rotational motion, the 3FG15 places objects very precisely. It is also IP67 certified, which ensures that the device is dust tight and protected against temporary immersion.
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Since its founding 35 years ago, the Swiss family-owned WEFAG AG has focused on the manufacture of fluid technology workpieces. At the WEFAG production facility in Fällanden, Switzerland, production is supported by a collaborative application featuring a Doosan robot and the three-fingered 3FG15 gripper from OnRobot, loading and unloading a CNC machine.
This makes the 3FG15 the perfect solution for CNC machine operation.
“Cobot Solutions developed the application for us from scratch. It was important for us that the application would be easy to use and the changeover times short,” comments Nathanael Hediger, Managing Director of WEFAG AG. “The component itself is difficult to grip due to its round shape, which is why not every gripper was suitable. In the end, only the OnRobot 3FG15 met the requirements,” says Nathanael Hediger.
Before the application was put into operation, WEFAG and Cobot Solutions carried out various test runs. “OnRobot let us use the gripper for test purposes. This allowed us to test and validate the overall application beforehand,” says Jérôme Perdrizat, Development Engineer at Cobot Solutions AG, describing the decision-making process. “The gripper's firmware enables various external interfaces. In this case, we employ a serial communication interface, which allows us to use the gripper in a very flexible manner. Since the gripper no longer needs to be set manually, even employees with no prior knowledge can easily set up and operate the robot cell.” To make the application even more intuitive, Cobot Solutions also developed software with input screens that can be used to configure and automate a new task in just a few minutes.
ROI: 2 Months
Once the application was up and running, it ran day and night to fully optimize the use of the machines. This resulted in a significant increase in workpieces processed in less time. Employees now only need to load the trays of the Easy Robotics Pro Feeder with the workpiece blanks and enter the necessary parameters in the software input screen. The
application then automatically pulls out the trays of the Pro Feeder, takes out the raw material and accurately places it in the CNC machine. Once the workpiece has been machined, the cobot arm removes the finished component from the machine with the help of the 3FG15 gripper and places it back in a free spot on the tray. “Thanks to automation, our processes are now much more efficient, and we are able to reduce the workload of our employees. We expect the investment to be paid off within a few months,” adds Damian Hediger, Managing Director of WEFAG AG.
The application is integrated with Easy Robotics’ Pro Feeder solution with loaded trays that the gripper picks the blanks from and places them in the CNC machine. The machine then processes the workpiece and shapes it as desired, after which the gripper places the finished component back into the tray. Extend Automation
By employing the collaborative application consisting of the Doosan robot arm and the OnRobot 3FG15 gripper, WEFAG AG has proved that small and medium-size family businesses can make their production processes substantially more efficient using automation.
Even though WEFAG AG has only recently started operating its automation solution, the company already has its sights set on the future. The CNC experts are currently considering implementing another OnRobot gripper, the two-fingered 2FG7, and integrating it into their everyday production processes.
ABOUT ONROBOT
OnRobot is based in Odense, Denmark, and manufactures hardware and software technologies for collaborative robotics solutions, also known as “cobots”. OnRobot develops grippers, sensors and other cobot equipment that enables the technology to be used in a variety of applications including packaging, quality assurance, material handling, machine maintenance, assembly and welding. In addition to its headquarters in Denmark, OnRobot now operates sales offices in Germany, Poland, Japan, China, the USA, South Korea, Singapore, Spain and Hungary, and employs more than 175 employees.
The 3FG15 gripper is specifically developed for machine-tending tasks and automatically centers workpieces, resulting in a strong, stable grip and precise placement in machine chucks. With a gripping force from 10 N to 240 N, the 3FG15 competes with much less flexible finger grippers.
ABOUT COBOT SOLUTIONS
Cobot Solutions AG is based in the Zürcher Oberland region. The company offers comprehensive solutions for automation with collaborative robots, from simple pick-and-place tasks to complex production lines. Cobot Solutions is also a distributor of products developed by Doosan Robotics, OnRobot and other manufacturers in the field of collaborative robotics in Switzerland.
For further information, please visit the website cobotsolutions.ch
ABOUT WEFAG
WEFAG AG is based in Fällanden, Switzerland, and has focused on the production of fluid technology workpieces. The company specializes in CNC requirements. Its strength lies in its great flexibility, decades of experience and its adherence to the highest quality standards.
For further information, please visit the website www.wefag.ch
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