Assembly Automation: Volume 3 Issue 2

Part feeding is the Achilles heel of robot assembly

Salford University's Mechanical Engineering Department has been studying and teaching assembly for two decades. Its latest research is pointing toward a newtype of linear feeder…

Choosing the right level of assembly automation

Peter G. MacLaren

This paper provides an overview of five types of assembly equipment and indicates where each type is typically suited to small parts assembly operations

A flexible system handles engineering components

K.G. Swift, R.J. Dewhurst

An orientation system incorporating a low power He‐Ne laser system is described. In one application grub screws were fed at rates in excess of 100 per minute

Best solution integrates assembly and testing

A family of disc brake caliper units are assembled and tested at the rate of 600 an hour with only four operators on a £1 million flexible system, delivered last month by Wickman…

Dedicated in design but versatile in application

Industry is finding a variety of uses for assembly machines. Three examples are described which illustrate how widely differing products can be made on one make of machine

A technical menu to satisfy most industrial appetites

The technical conference sessions at AUTOMAN offer a wide variety of options. Here some of the papers concerned with assembly are examined.

Integrated systems appeal to the Japanese

An ability to integrate complete production systems is claimed by one Japanese company to be the reason for an expanding order book. Brian Rooks reports on some of the activities…

Automation keeps music boxes turning out

Sankyo Seiki relies on many automated lines to produce music boxes at the rate of one million a week. John Hartley reports.

More assembly robots

John Hartley

Seiko is all set to introduce robots to assembly, Toyo Kogyo uses a couple, and the accent is on assembly at the ‘Mechatronics’ Show