Reliable alternative for rotary assembly

Paul Boughton
Designing and building special purpose machines for assembly applications, can be a daunting prospect given the increasing demands for speed, reliability and output.

The risks of failing to achieve one or more of these objectives, is significantly increased when conventional pneumatically operated devices are used.

Pneumatically operated assembly machines require complex control systems and an array of sensors, which in turn are highly susceptible to failure.

Weiss has developed the perfect solution to these problems in the Pick-O-Mat, a cam operated assembly system, designed and built upon the Weiss philosophy of providing high performance and cost effective solutions to assembly tasks.

The Pick-O-Mat cam operated rotary assembly system, developed by Weiss, uses a single central drive to operate up to 24 pick and place modules at speeds of up to 75 cycles per minute, providing a robust and reliable platform for automated assembly.

The rotary indexing table is linked electronically to the central drive providing smooth and synchronous operation, with one 3600 rotation of the barrel cam on the central drive unit generating a complete cycle (four vertical strokes + two horizontal strokes) for the pick and place units.

The impressive performance characteristics of the system are further enhanced by the 40mm vertical and 120mm horizontal strokes and a positional repeatability of ±0.03mm.

These attributes combined make the Pick-O-Mat concept adaptable to a wide range of automated assembly applications. The system can also be configured to enable different strokes on individual pick and place modules by modifying the lever mechanism.

Two models of the Pick-O-Mat are available – PM1100 with a 1050mm diameter dial plate and the PM1500 with a 1500mm dial plate, this model can also accommodate up to 36 index positions. The simplicity of design of the Pick-O-Mat combined with the repeatability and reliability of all WEISS products mean that  machine builders and end users alike can expect high up times and efficiencies.

The Pick-O-Mat product does not stop at the assembly mechanism, Weiss also offer a wide range of complimentary items allowing machine builders or end users to specify as much or as little automation as they wish.
 
An essential part of any automation system, if speed and repeatability are to be maintained, is a robust machine base. Weiss offer standard options on circular or square steel fabricated machine bases (which can also be manufactured to the customer’s drawing), providing the ideal mounting platform for the Pick-O-Mat mechanism.

Additional assembly modules such as Lift Units, Press Units and the Weiss HP140 programmable pick and place unit can be specified and mechanically integrated by WEISS at the production stage, saving valuable machine development time by the machine builder or end user.

For more information, visit www.weiss.uk.com

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