Custom pump manufacturer Scherzinger Pumpen in Furtwangen, Germany, is aiming to increase the level of automation in production so that employees tied up with simple tasks can work in more demanding activities. Another motivation for automation is to increase the efficiency of existing machinery.

The first automation project was the loading and unloading of a Kellenberger cylindrical grinding machine. Two main features were included in the requirements profile. First, it had to be possible to continue loading small batches manually and have full accessibility through the operator door for set-up. At the same time, space is limited, so the new automation process had to fit into the area occupied previously by the machine operator.

Scherzinger Pumpen turned to nearby EGS Automation, which has been offering experience in robot automation since 1999 and has already installed more than 2000 robots. Further discussions revealed that one of the EGS standard automation solutions from its Sumo series was suitable for the requirements. A standard solution saves costs since the engineering effort is significantly lower. Furthermore, a standard product line is tried and tested and has found use in various applications.

The Sumo Multiplex, a 12-fold palletising system based on the paternoster principle turned out to be the perfect solution for Scherzinger. A Motoman GP7 robot from Yaskawaperforms component handling. This six-axis jointed-arm robot has a range of approximately 1 m with a payload of 7 kg. The fast travel speed and high accuracy ensure rapid, reliable and accurate part changes in the machine.

Patrick Wehrle, machine operator at Scherzinger Pumpen, is enthusiastic about the automation system: “The robot relieves me of monotonous tasks. I had no robot experience before, but now,after programming training at EGS, I create new programs myself.”
For further information www.egsautomatisierung.de