tube processing: Automation Systems for Process Safety

SCHMALLENBERG, Germany - April 22, 2016 - PRLog -- Precisely produced tubes help make energy and water flow or medical devices support the life-saving work of doctors. Robust, short hose connections for automotive construction or long, multiply-processed tubes, e.g. used as air conditioning lines, also need many different requirements to the proper production solution. Depending on industry and application area, they need to be specifically formed, bent, and diversely processed, of course. The networked 't motion' automation systems by transfluid create combined options for the large series operation for this. This not only leads to capacities but also ensures the process safety that parts are always produced at the same good quality.

"We use our sophisticated technology concepts for tube bending, separation, cleaning and tube forming for the automation systems, supplementing them, e.g., with loading systems, weld seam control or complete handling," says Stefanie Flaeper, managing director at transfluid. "With the easy-to-operate production cell coordinated in this manner, production can start right away. The principle clearly is one of Plug and Produce. Our customers place value on this. They trust in our decades of experience and our progressive high-tech solutions."

Complete systems for complex challenges
The specialists at transfluid integrate expansions such as marking facilities, seam detection devices, printers, tightness tests or visual, contact-free camera systems for inspecting geometries or surfaces, brazing and welding units and auto-frettage as optional components on request. Effective loading systems, storage systems, supply of the workpieces or complete handling by robot or in linear systems can be added as well. "We coordinate the solution specifically with the customer's requirements, including generation of the layout to achieve optimised material flow and best utilisation," explains Stefanie Flaeper.

What is better? Highly flexible linear systems or robots?
Selection of handling of course also focuses on highest possible efficiency. The devices used strongly depend on the parts to be produced. Stefanie Flaeper presents a general principle: "Everything that can be done to the tube in the straight condition considerably reduces the handling effort. From the bending machine onwards, the robot usually takes over. Linear handling can often be faster, more cost-efficient and easier to reach." For smooth production flow, transfluid develops its production systems to permit loading of isometric data online from a CAD system and to avoid elaborate programming of robots.

The matching component supply
Coming off of the starting block well and maintaining the head start will bring a runner in first, too. Therefore, the systems for loading and separation already contribute to the high performance of 't motion'. Components (nuts, flanges, screws) are supplied from splitter magazines or rotation separators with presence and position checks. Additionally, supplies from the coil or by loading table, by belt, stage, plate, chain or vibration conveyor are available to match the overall system. In strong connection with its tube forming, separating and tube bending technologies, transfluid thus ensures high-performance linked automation systems linked in a result-oriented manner that offer individual solutions for many different tube productions.