Robotic automation improves safety, efficiency on five-press tandem line

Situation

Spartanburg Steel Products Inc., Spartanburg, S.C., manufactures pressed metal parts, components, and complex assemblies mainly for cars, trucks, and agricultural machinery.

To improve safety, make manufacturing more efficient, shorten cycle times, and increase flexibility, the company decided in 2017 to automate an existing manually operated five-press tandem line. Since the company had previously purchased a transfer system from AP&T North America, it approached the press manufacturer again for a proposal.

Resolution

For AP&T, it was a technical challenge to bridge the substantial gap among the line’s presses efficiently.

“Rather than use conventional industrial robots, we presented a design solution based on our new generation of five-axis SpeedFeeders,” said Adam Allansson, president of AP&T North America.

Spartanburg Steel placed an order for the equipment in April 2018. It was installed and integrated a year and a half later.

“In total, we installed six SpeedFeeders for blank feeding, transfer of parts between the five presses, and unloading,” Allansson explained. “As we were doing our work, Spartanburg Steel upgraded the presses in the line and their tool exchange system. We cooperated closely with other suppliers to ensure the best possible total solution in the shortest possible time.”

Since that time, the upgraded five-press tandem line has delivered according to expectations.

“We installed the automation to improve safety on the line,” said Chad Raynes, vice president of business development and engineering at Spartanburg Steel. “This has also resulted in better efficiency at a lower cost.”