Realization of continuous unmanned machining by combining a 5-axis machine with a general-purpose robot

Our company introduced 5-axis machining center in 2019.

A 5-axis machine is a machine with 5 axes: XYZ (3 axes), C-axis (rotation axis), and B-axis (tilt axis).

As the shapes of plastic products become more complex, the nesting shapes of molds also become more complex.

5-axis machines can perform cutting from various directions while the workpiece is fixed, thereby reducing the number of workpiece changes and contributing to man-hour (and cost) reduction.

In this report, we will introduce a case in which continuous unmanned machining was achieved by using a general-purpose robot to eliminate the manual intervention required for workpiece changes.

The following measures were implemented to achieve continuous unmanned machining.

(1) Creation of robot mount & robot hand

(2) Creation of PLC boxes & girders (in-house)

(3) Creation of workpiece stocker & workpiece receiving jig

(4) Installation of bakayoke pins

A bakayoke pin is attached to the workpiece receiving jig to prevent incorrect orientation for installation.

When the workpiece is placed correctly, a green light comes on in response to the sensor.

Without the bakayoke, the workpiece can be mounted in any 360° direction.

Depending on the direction, it may not be able to be gripped firmly and may fall, thus avoiding danger in advance.

⑤Installation of safety doors

For safety, safety fences were installed in the robot operation area and safety doors were installed on the work stocker side,

We have tried to create an environment in which we can work with safety first.

Robot in operation

The realization of continuous unmanned machining has enabled a significant reduction in machining turnaround time and machining costs.