Machined Automotive Part Handling - System Spotlight

This system was designed to transport and combine machined automotive parts from 6 machining lines to two lanes for feeding a polishing machine and then accumulate for manual removal at final assembly. Machined parts are discharged from each of the 6 machining lines. As parts approach the main trunk for transportation, they are merged onto the main trunk from a matte top conveyor to Shuttleworth’s Slip-Torque® conveyor. As the machined parts merge, pneumatic pin stops accumulate and index existing parts on the main trunk to ensure a jam does not occur. When the parts meet at the intersection leading to the machining center gantry, they are indexed to a lift and transfer device to allow proper lane placement depending on the type of part presented. Pin stops create an escapement to allow only one product on to each lift and transfer device at a time. Frame mounted sensors indicate to the controls when a product is in place and ready for transferring. Once in their determined lanes, the parts continue to the machining center gantry where the parts are lifted to be presented to be picked up for additional machining. When machining is complete the parts are placed onto a different lane to proceed to a finishing machine. Unique in-surface guides are used to ensure that all parts maintain a single row within their designated lanes. When the parts approach the finishing machine, pin stops will present the part to a customer supplied robot for finishing and placed back on to the line to continue around a ninety-degree corner toward the wash station.

Welcome to System Spotlight, giving you an in-depth look at Shuttleworth’s more advanced product handling systems and conveyor applications. In this video, we will showcase a solution for one of our customers that wanted to transport and combine machined automotive parts from six machining lines to two lanes for feeding a polishing machine and then accumulate for manual removal at final assembly.

Machined parts are discharged from each of the six machining lines. As parts approach the main trunk for transportation, they are merged onto the main trunk from a matte top conveyor to Shuttleworth’s Slip-Torque conveyor. Shuttleworth’s Slip-Torque conveyor was chosen due to the gentle handling characteristics as well as the low back pressure accumulation created from Shuttleworth’s Slip-Torque technology.

As the machined parts merge, pneumatic pin stops accumulate and index existing parts on the main trunk to ensure a jam does not occur. When the parts meet at the intersection leading to the machining center gantry, they are indexed to a lift and transfer device to allow proper lane placement depending on the type of part presented.

Pin stops create an escapement to allow only one product onto each lift and transfer device at a time. Frame-mounted sensors indicate to the controls when a product is in place and ready for transferring. Once in their determined lanes, the parts continue to the machining center gantry where the parts are lifted to be presented to be picked up for additional machining.

When machining is complete, the parts are placed onto a different lane to proceed to a finishing machine. Unique in-surface guides are used to ensure that all parts maintain a single row within their designated lanes. When the parts approach the finishing machine, pin stops will present the part to a customer-supplied robot for finishing and place them back onto the line to continue around a ninety-degree corner toward the wash station.

For more information on Shuttleworth capabilities and solutions, please visit our website at Shuttleworth.com.