Automated Sheet Metal Handling - Ingersoll Press

1 Automated Sheet Metal HandlingAtlas is the metalforming industry leader in designing and building:Die Change Systems; Die Storage and Retrieval Systems including complete die cart/rack systems for individual or tandem line pressesProgrammable Tri-Axis In- Press Transfersincluding the patented FLEX 5000 Stacking and Destacking Automationfor Sheet Metal blanks or partsAtlas provides a unique level of in-house engineering experience, proven products,an extensive supplier network, and comprehensive training and support specifically focused on solving your complex pressroom problems, have complete in-house capability for total system responsibility, mechanical and controls design, fabrication, machining, assembly, test and Technologies, Inc., 201 S. Alloy Drive, Fenton, MI 48430-1797(810) 629-6663 FAX: (810) 629-8145 1997 Atlas Technologies, Inc. Maximize Press uptimeby maintaining aconstant flow of material to and from thepresses Maximize Press speed Improve ergonomics Achieve consistent surface finish qualityby keeping blanks free of contaminants thatcan effect surface finish Protect quality of finished partsafter Atlas, our entire business is centeredaround the goal of optimizing the movementof Sheet Metal and dies during stampingprocesses in short, solving your pressroomproduction problems and taking advantage ofautomation opportunities.

2 We ve been doingit for over 30 years, and we ve designed andbuilt destackers, stackers, die cart and die storage/retrieval systems, programmable in- Press transfer systems and other pressroom automation for hundreds of tandem Press linesand single Press extensive experience with presses anddies ensures than your tooling and equipmentis fully compatible with your automation. Atlas is a full-service resource that providesobjective engineering studies and simulationsto evaluate your present and future needs,examine alternatives, and find the most productive mixture of manual and automatedoperations. Sheet Metal Handling : The ObjectivesAtlas: The Pressroom AutomationSpecialistAtlas destacker, with in-line cranesaver, feeds atransfer Press in a continuous-run, high-volumeautomotive stamping Destacking Systems and Strategies The BenefitsAutomated destacking improves the perfor-mance of stamping presses, including transferpresses and tandem Press lines.

3 It reduceslabor costs and allows you to increase produc-tion with existing presses, ensuring that a constant flow of blanks will be fed to thepress. It also keeps blanks free of contami-nants that can blemish product destackers are used extensively in theautomotive, appliance, HVAC equipment, lawnand garden and other industries, to increaseboth Press uptime and production rates range from 200 parts per hourto 1500 parts per hour, with maximum speedsachieved when magnetic belts and lift tablesare No Interruption DestackingAtlas destackers can provide continuousdestacking with no interruption of the pressstroke between stacks. As a stack of blanksgets close to depletion, the remaining blanksare supported by carriage-mounted forks thatallow the lift table to reposition and queue the next stack underneath the destack head,which is then ready for immediate destackingwhen the outgoing stack is Fanner MagnetsAtlas has designed a destacker fanner magnetunit (patent pending) that utilizes a simplefixed magnet yet allows the magnetic field tobe broken if you need to pull the fanner unitaway from a stack.

4 This gives you easy accessto a partial stack of blanks during production. NO INTERRUPTION DESTACKING: As a stack of blanks gets close to depletion, carriage-mounted forks movein to support the remaining blanks. The lift table lowers, and another stack is moved onto the lift table andqueued under the destack head. When the last of the previous stack is destacked, the forks retract and thevacuum cups descend on the next cycle to destack the first blank of the full destackers ensurethat a constant flow ofblanks will be fed to the Destack SequenceDuring operation, an individual blank is separated by fanner magnets, picked up by overhead vacuum cups, and raised to a magnetic belt conveyor. Magnetic rollers areused in some applications, and systems can beconfigured for non-magnetic sheets as vacuum cups release their grasp andretract above the belts (or rollers). Each blankis then conveyed through a rollcoater or washer, if required, and positioned in a gagestation, ready to be picked up by first- Press pick-and-place load automation or transferpress automation.

5 Lift tables are utilized tomaintain blanks at a consistent height as thestack is depleted to reduce destack head travel. Programmable Gage StationAdjustmentsManual or fully programmable gage stations,with automatic 2-axis adjustment of the crowders, are available. This optional featureallows changeover in seconds between blanksizes, blank position, or even between singleand double-unattached modes. It also assures consistent, tight-tolerance positioning for accurate Press Transfer Press Loader RequiredIn most transfer Press applications, the Atlasgage station configuration eliminates the needfor a Press loader, since the destacker isdesigned to interface with the transfer Press An individual blank is separated by fanner magnets and picked up by overhead vacuum blank is raised to, and held by, a magnetic beltconveyor. The vacuum cups retract above the blank is then conveyed forward to a gage station for Press 90 cranesaver ondestacker for high-volume tandem Press for pickup from the gage station bythe transfer fingers or crossbar vacuum cups.

6 Robotic DestackerIn applications with slower Press speeds, a traversing head or robotic destacker provides a cost-efficient alternative. A destack head or end-of-arm tool is utilized to grab a blank,raise it, and traverse it to a gage station ordirectly place it into the die from the Rollcoaters & WashersIntegrated rollcoaters or washers automaticallyensure required blank preparation. Units feature a closed-loop fluid system, and the ability to adjust film thick-ness on both sides of the blank aswell as the degree of cleanlinessyou Queue Stacks of BlanksAtlas cranesaver conveyors or carts areintegrated with the destacking automationto queue stacks of blanks, quickly movethem into position for destacking, andmove empty pallets or dunnage out afterdepletion. Blanks can also be placeddirectly on the conveyor or cart in to five stations can be provided in L-shaped, in-line, rotary or right angle (singleor bi-directional) cranesaver configurations.

7 A U-shaped configuration provides maximumpallet queuing in limited floor Stamping Cell or Press Line IntegrationAtlas provides pressroom systems integrationservices, and can provide complete automatedstamping cells and tandem Press lines, including die change systems, in- Press transferautomation and die coordination. Large destacker for crossbar transfer Press , with integrated washer. Programmable gage station allows fastchangeover between double-unattached blanks and various-sized body panels up to 80" x 160". Atlas-designedsoftware includes diagnostics and teach mode. Vacuum cups are easily accessed for adjustment from new light-weight aluminum adjustabledestack head allows near-infinite positioning of vacuum cups, includingindividual cup adjustment;new design ensures longcomponent of blanks are conveyed to thedestack head from either Transfer Press Atlas Bundle Turnovers Protect Quality, Simplify Tooling and OperationsAtlas Bundle Turn-Overs automate the processof reorienting Sheet Metal blanks, eliminatingthe use of cranes for this cumbersome taskand reducing the risk of damaging blank quality.

8 Atlas applications have simplified tooling requirements for right-hand/left-handprocessing, and allowed easy reorientation insituations involving inversion of edge burrs,and blanks that are coated on one side only. The C-frame design is for fork truck or AGVloading; a Barrel-type design can be loaded byan overhead crane. Flexible Pin Pallets Assure AccurateBlank LocationAtlas Flexible Precision Pin Pallets assure thatblanks of any size or shape are accuratelypositioned for destacking. The positioningpins in the pallet are quickly and easily adjusted for an almost limitless variety ofblank patterns, shapes or pins are oriented on an eccentric hexagonal shaft. By rotating these hexshaftswithin the appropriate holes in the pallet,snug pin alignment of the blank and preciseblank positioning are pin pallets accurately position any size or shape blank. Cranesaver conveyor queues pallets for stampingcell includes (left toright) Atlas die cart,FLEX 5000 tri-axistransfer, and Stack Handling InnovationsMedium-weight barrel-style Bundle It WorksAtlas Automated blank stacking systems reducemanual Handling , improve surface finish quality, and increase production efficiency of cut-to-length operations and stacking of sheetmetal blanks as they exit a blanking Press ortrapezoid stackers can handle rectangular, trapezoid,patterned or irregular shapes, and aredesigned for use by the automotive, appliance,contract stamping and other metalformingindustries.

9 Quality improvement benefits canbe achieved when the stackers are used forhandling exposed Metal or prepainted steel,since features of the stackers help to preventmarring of surface finish. A typical stacker system includes: a run-out conveyor that moves the part away from the coil material being fed for the next stroke a magnetic belt or roller conveyor to position the part for stacking an adjustable stacking box. Many stackers also include: a lift table that adjusts the height of thestack as the blanks accumulate, to achieve a constant drop distance and a more evenstack. It also lowers the stack for clearanceso it can be conveyed or transported away. an exit conveyor or cart that moves the fullstacks out and empty pallets into the stacking systems can be supplied ineither single or double-station configurations,and can be used for side stacker systems allow continuousstacking by alternating the two stations; thereis no interruption while stacks are removed.

10 They are also used for oscillating shear trapezoid applications. Atlas systems provideexcellent stack quality, with uniform edgesand straightness, and can usually accommo-date existing pallets or dunnage, althoughnone are necessary in many applications. Stacker lift table with stack blank stacker alternates between the two stations, allowing continuous blanking and stacking,with no interruptions for stack removal. Full pallets move to either side of the stacker via conveyor. A rejectstation is at end of stacker (at left). Automated Blank Stacking7