Automotive: faster system within tolerances
Our customer is a multinational with branches around the world. They are employed in the automotive market. In the Netherlands there is a component which mainly deals with the development and manufacture of turbocharger and related subcomponents for various major car manufacturers.
New technology for less emissions
One product group assembles and tests active actuators. These are used to optimally control and run the operating pressure in a turbocharger. As a result of the new emission standards and the expectations of demanding customers with regard to, among, engine power, it is necessary to maximize the engine characteristics over the entire range of applications. Previously, a simple switch between normal and maximum use of the engine torque was sufficient, but this did not benefit from CO2 emissions. In view of the great challenge of achieving a high level of low emissions, one can no longer suffice and an analogous and constant regime must be applied. With the more renowned brands with an exclusive image, this technique is already applied, but the middle class cars will increasingly be equipped with this technique.
From semi-automatic to fully automatic
The need of our client involves a highly accurate, reproducible and especially fast assembly process, with all steps measured, monitored and automatically adjusted. The assembly is now semi-automatic. The assembled parts are assembled in such a way that they, together with the other sub-assy’s, fall within the ultimate tolerance requirements. The tolerances present on the loose parts themselves are a result of the chosen processing steps and the pursuit of an economically feasible cost tag. However, due to the higher volumes, tightening of tolerances and logging of the measurement data of all assembly steps, the current assembly process is no longer sufficient.
Z-tech has been asked to design and build a faster system, which enables the current components to be completely automated and within the set tolerances.
The approach of Z-tech
Due to the nature and mobility of the various subassemblies, it is only possible to add and remove them in specially developed product-specific deep-drawn blisters and milled trays. The different subassemblies have many degrees of freedom and, above all, the necessary tolerances. To fix and reproduce it, we use full servo-controllable and adjustable recordings, combined with a 6-axis robot and an automatically configurable gripper. In addition, we do not use the adjustable recordings passively but actively, so that we can change the settings during the assembly process and thereby measure through measurements where and in which position we should build them. To give an example, we need to mount a link axle on a round shaft with an accuracy of 1º, while this shaft itself can have an axial clearance of more than 6º relative to a reference plane on the actuator housing. The servo system in combination with a power transducer and a vision system automatically searches the minimum angle and then the maximum angle of the shaft with respect to the housing and then automatically calculates the correct position of this shaft for the linkage with its own clearance To assemble.
Systems meets the high standards
Z-tech Solutions has developed a system that is independently capable of extracting different parts from the trays, automatically measuring the gaps, correcting each deviation and perpendicular to the final mounting level of the actuator. This method complies with the high requirements for reproducible assembly with the turbocharger. Of course, all steps are monitored, the data logged, the actuator uniquely encrypted and is traceable every step, even later after installation with the car supplier.