UNITED GRINDING North America
UNITED GRINDING North America, recently unveiled a feature for WALTER Tool Grinding Machines called Automated Tool Production (ATP). With this new system, WALTER machines now offer an automation solution for cylindrical precision tools. ATP is available on WALTER grinding, eroding and measuring machines, as well as machines from other system partners both upstream and downstream in the production process.
Increased efficiency demands, stronger competition and a shortage of skilled workers make a higher degree of automation in industrial production essential. The ATP system requires no additional floor space, it can be integrated into existing system layouts and is also suitable as an interface for machines from other manufacturers.
Automated Tool Production system components
The system control is based on the OPC-UA data model, FLAMES. It consists of at least one robot cell (ATP ROBOCELL) accessible from the front for automatic loading and unloading of the machines, plus at least one autonomous, mobile transport robot (ATP AMR) for transporting the workpiece pallets and individual parts between the storage and processing stations. This also includes a standardized communication model between the machines and the ATP AMR transport robot, as well as a control system for higher level data and process control.
Maximum flexibility
WALTER customers can easily retrofit the ATP system in their existing production facilities without having to change the existing system layout.
Automatic tool processing, measuring and correction
A separate removal station for the in-process exchange of individual parts between the measuring and processing machine enables automatic correction, and thus, complete closed-loop processes. In the ATP ROBOCELL, a multi-range gripper contributes to the high flexibility of the system. It covers a large workpiece diameter range without changing the gripper unit and can exchange the collets at the same time.
“We developed the innovative ATP system in collaboration with our partners,” says Simon Manns, Vice President of the Tool DivisIon at UNITED GRINDING North America. “Our expertise in tool machining and measurement and the know-how of our partners in automation now offers customers an automation solution that is state-of-the-art in every respect.”