Energy chains for highly automated fuel tank production

Basic data

What was needed: Ready-to-install energy chains with cables suitable for robots
Requirements: Reduction of design and installation times, avoidance of failures
Robotics industry
Success for the customer: Cable packages are ready for use immediately and are completely robot-compatible. There are no downtimes, the documentation corresponds to the requirements and the stipulated delivery times are adhered to.

About the robots of Bielomatik:Vehicle fuel tanks (petrol or diesel) are no longer comparable with the earlier sheet-metal tanks with filling pipes. The plastic tanks of today are sophisticated parts that consist of up to seven layers in order to prevent diffusion. Different modules are welded onto the basic elements. The machine systems of Bielomatik Leuze GmbH perform this special task.

Products used

triflex RSP: pneumatic retraction system

readychain: harnessed, ready-to-install systems

chainflex robot cables

Problem

Bielomatik's problem involved an external service provider who harnessed the cables in such a way that the connectors did not fit. Moreover, the service provider was unable to meet the high requirements regarding the documentation. The delays led to unscheduled downtimes and the design and installation times increased.

Solution

When planning new machines, the design engineers of Bielomatik use a standardised concept as each unique machine is always constructed according to general standards. These standards include the use of triflex R energy chains from igus, combined with the RSP pneumatic retraction system, for the supply of energy to the robot heads. This system is pneumatically pre-loaded and is moved by means of a drylin system from the linear technology product range. The maximum extension length of 600mm enables safe and reliable guidance of the cables and hoses, even in the case of complex movement sequences.

In addition, the company relies on the ready-to-install, harnessed readychain systems. igus is now responsible for all the harnessing of the cable packages. After determining the standards for the finished systems, the design engineer only has to look for a "construction kit" with uniform cable separation, connector assignment and attachments. This not only saves time but creates the preconditions for consistently high quality. The documentation meets the requirements completely and there has not yet been any failures.