Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 16

FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING TRENDS 57 PIERCARLO BONOMI Technical Director Trebi Robotics ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Articulated versus cartesian robotic riser cutting • The dangers with manual cutting of risers W hen casting with low pressure or gravity technologies, you must remove risers and sprues. While there are different cutting technologies (for example cutting with disc), the band saw is typically the preferred method. There are several advantages for cutting with a band saw: • Easily cuts large sections at high speeds • Ability to pass in restricted areas A band saw however, if not use properly can be very dangerous and presents enormous risks for the operator: • Cutting of hands and fingers • Continuous noise • Continuous vibrations • Breathing of aluminum dust If we stop for a moment and think about how much all this costs in economic and human terms—it’s really pretty frightening. One of our customers calculated that with only the costs related to safety, that they will pay back the investment of an automated cutting machine in just two years. This is because it is very common Automated Versus Manual Riser Cutting for Low Pressure or Gravity Castings for an operator to be seriously injured or to be absent from work in order to recover from this exhausting manual and dangerous job. ROBOTIC CUTTING Riser cutting with a standard articulated robot— appears on the surface to be both a safer and economical solution. It seems pretty easy to envision taking a standard off-the-shelf robot and adding a band saw to have an automated and safer cutting solution that would be easy to install. However, the performance problems that came from equipment vibration and poor clamping; made it not a very effective solution. We suggest that successful clamping of a piece, must be from the top, to push the pieces into the shapes. Compared to traditional clamping systems, a top clamping system allows the pieces to always be in proper position while leaving space required for cutting. Continued on next page