Assembly Line for Range Gearbox
Need
New Assembly Line
When the customer decided to expand their operations with a completely new facility (greenfield), they faced the need to acquire new equipment for assembling range gearboxes.
This assembly process includes several key steps:
- Measurement of incoming components
- Shimming of bearing packages
- Pressing of incoming components
- Marking
- Screwing
- Application of various chemicals included in the product
An assembly line with multiple workstations comprising a combination of automated, semi-automated, and manual stations. Material flow in and out is handled using an AGV system.
Solution
Turnkey Assembly Line
To meet these requirements and create an efficient assembly line, the following solution was designed:
- Implementation of 8 Kistler presses for product assembly, ranging from 30kN to 300kN.
- 2 electric Bosch servo presses.
- 2 EMC-HP servo presses.
- Installation of 6 ABB robots for automated tasks.
- Implementation of a TS2 conveyor system from Bosch to efficiently move components between stations.
- Use of 6 Atlas Copco screwdrivers to ensure proper assembly.
- Integration of Swedweld screw feeders.
- RFID readers for component traceability.
- Equipment for greasing.
- Oil filling to ensure lubrication of components.
- Material supply using an AGV system.
- 7 inspection cameras from Cognex for quality control.
- A Siemens control system to coordinate and monitor the assembly process.
- Communication with the higher-level system established for data transfer and production monitoring.
Facts
| Customer | NDA |
|---|---|
| Production Start | 2023 |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Managed Product | Range Gearbox |
| Product Size | 400x300x300 mm |
| Product Weight | Moderately Heavy |
| Cycle Time | 96 seconds |
| Serial Number | A22052 |
Result
Swedish Assembly Prize 2024!
The customer won the Swedish Assembly Prize 2024 with the following motivation:
"They have developed a flexible system for final assembly that can handle both today's and future products. The group has created a modular system to change both the assembly order and the proportion of pre-assembly steps. The takt time on the main line is constant regardless of variant mix. The assemblers participated in the development by identifying deficiencies and proposing solutions. The group presented the advantages of the new system to factory management. The proposal assumed that a newly built facility would be used for assembly instead of machining, which management also decided. The group's work has been characterized by solid knowledge at an overall level along with an unusually good attention to detail. The result is a system with reduced floor space requirements, fewer incidents and accidents, while productivity has increased in assembly and logistics. The group's collective work serves as a model for Swedish industry."
An Efficient Assembly Process
The implemented assembly line creates a well-balanced mix between automated and manual stations. This efficient solution enables fast and reliable assembly of range gearboxes with high quality and traceability. By using the AGV system for material flow and integrating modern technology such as RFID and inspection cameras, the customer has achieved a highly efficient assembly process that meets their needs in the expanded operation.
