Machine Tool Loading & Unloading - ESTUN Automation-ESTUN AUTOMATION

Machine Tool Loading & Unloading

Solution Background

The customer's production site faces harsh working conditions and high-intensity repetitive operations, resulting in difficulties in recruitment and serious personnel turnover. Traditional manual loading/unloading and inspection processes suffer from poor operational consistency and high defect rates, urgently requiring automation transformation to improve quality and efficiency. To this end, the enterprise launched an intelligent upgrading project for cross-axle CNC turning-milling composite machine tools, adopting industrial robots to replace manual labor in completing core process operations.

Solution Overview

The system is configured with a fully automatic operation process.

Operators only need to place blank parts on the loading/unloading platform, and the industrial robot then performs intelligent picking through pneumatic dual grippers. A flipping mechanism equipped with a visual recognition system identifies the front and back sides of the workpiece and calibrates the angle, completing posture adjustment through pneumatic flipping. The innovatively designed dual-station exchange system enables seamless connection during machine tool material changes, and the integrated air blowing device effectively ensures the cleanliness of the workpiece picking surface. The processed workpiece is transferred by the robot to the contact inspection station, where a precision measurement system performs 100% inspection of two overall length dimensions and four journal outer diameters. Qualified products are automatically returned to position, while non-conforming products trigger a sorting signal and are discharged through a chute.

Case Features

1. Environmental Adaptability

The robot wrist has an IP65 protection rating, and the electrical cabinet has an IP54 protection rating, enabling stable operation under harsh conditions such as oil contamination, dust, and high humidity.

2. Space-Saving Installation

The robot supports inclined-angle and inverted multi-angle installation methods, precisely adapting to the needs of different machining scenarios.

3. Flexible and Easy to Use

Paired with CNC-dedicated software, it covers one-click return to original position and one-click Z-direction lifting, and supports intuitive display and flexible modification of IO information and CPOS array variables, greatly reducing on-site operational complexity.

4. Rapid Changeover

Equipped with a 3D array function, programming efficiency for trays and bins around the machine tool is increased by about 20%, greatly shortening the changeover and commissioning cycle for small-volume, multi-variety products.

5. High Reliability

It supports a soft floating function, which can absorb errors and impacts from workpieces with accuracy deviations, reducing collision risks and protecting the safety of robot components and external equipment.

6. Intelligent Interconnection

It integrates multiple protocol communication interfaces such as ModbusTcp and TCP/IP, and supports mainstream communication methods such as EtherCAT and Profinet.