February 2021 Volume 3

AUTOMATION

• What ancillary equipment will interface with the desired automation? º Saws or Shears º Billet feeder º Induction heating º Die lubrication º Part ejection systems º Tooling º Discharge location/Cooling conveyor • What are the internal competencies required to successfully maintain equipment? These answers will assist in developing scopes of work to the supply base when requesting quotes. This discussion will focus on robot automation. However, other automation methods are available depending on the circumstances. Supplier Proposals (RFQ) Development Like all projects, accurate supplier proposals are important when developing a solid automation project. Therefore, the request for quote (RFQ) must be accompanied by an explicitly detailed SOW. The SOW spells out for the supplier your organization’s delivery expectations. The SOW will include the answers to those earlier questions the team developed and document the project requirements such as; the project timeline and milestones, product, cycle time, process (cold, warm, or hot), requested equipment, interfacing equipment, electrical requirements, specific organization requirements (PLC, paint, documentation, training, etc.) and proposed equipment layout. Some organizations have in-house expertise to develop automation systems, but many require the assistance of qualified automation integrators. Therefore, once the organization has determined a particular automation process and equipment, it is important to provide the robot supplier or automation integrator with detailed part geometry identifying the anticipated process design. The design defines the number of forming stations and associated process and/or preform designs. Detailed process design is a prerequisite to accurately select the automation equipment. Sizing payload capacity is a critical consideration when specifying automation. The automation must be properly sized to accommodate the weight and inertia of all product being conveyed to accurately pick-and-place within the desired process cycle time. Keep in mind end-of-arm tooling weight must be considered in addition to product weight. Integrators can provide automation simulations that provide an accurate analysis of the process. Training was mentioned earlier as an integral component of the project objectives. Take advantage of pre- and post-installation training for your technical staff. Many integrators will offer training on your system prior to installation at their facility. The technical staff assigned to maintaining forge press automation should be well versed in programming, occasional point touch-up, and scheduled / preventative maintenance requirements.

Most often your personnel can take advantage of training on the simulated set up prior to it being installed within the forge facility. Layout Considerations Equipment placement is an essential consideration when planning robot automation installation on your forging equipment. Installing new automated forging equipment will most likely provide more flexibility in the floor layout than existing equipment. However, both scenarios require thoughtful positioning of key ancillary components. Consideration must be given for the robot control panels, robot controller, operator control panel and human-machine interface (HMI), safety fence, and access locations. The forging equipment will require maintenance, and possibly considerable repair at some point in time. Therefore, ample aisle space must be planned during equipment layout to accommodate forklift traffic, crane, and boom lift (JLG) maneuvering, or other large equipment access within the area. Die maintenance is a consideration when determining the automation placement. For instance, a project with multiple robots servicing one forging press can occupy access points to the die cavity. Ideally, one entry location to the die cavity will be accessible without significant manipulation. Multiple robots assigned to loading, transferring, and unloading can occupy significant floor space.

Throughput Optimization The objective of any forging process is to manufacture quality products in a profitable, highly efficient, repeatable, and productive method. To accomplish these objectives, there must be a focus to maximize equipment uptime and minimize downtime. Many organizations utilize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to capture uptime vs downtime as a measure of manufacturing productivity. Tooling related activities such as repairs, or changeovers will influence equipment effectiveness. Automated equipment is best suited for reliable and repeatable processes; therefore, low die life and excessive die maintenance associated with marginal forging processes will negatively influence the equipment’s operational efficiency. Most often, the automated process will accelerate the failure modes of an inferior die design frequently plagued with premature wear or breakage. This is particularly true when converting from a manual to an automated

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2021 43