Focus on: Automation
Robots Automate Assembly, Testing of Medical Devices
Pick-and-place operations are performed by SCARA and six-axis robots.
Manufacturing a new product is often an evolutionary process. Initially, production is entirely manual. Then, as demand increases, production transitions to a mix of manual and automated operations. If demand is strong enough, the manufacturer can justify investment in a fully automatic system that requires little human intervention.
This was the case when a medical device manufacturer contacted systems integrator Tessy Automation and its parent company, Tessy Plastics, with a two-fold challenge: improve an existing critical-care product for measuring blood-flow rate, and simultaneously design and build a fully automated system to assemble it.
“The customer contacted our company based on its previous experience and our reputation,” Bruce Courtney, managing director at Tessy Automation. “This medical device has been used successfully for over 20 years for both pediatric and adult patients. However, the customer’s goal was to make the device easier for doctors to use in theater.
“Developing a fully automated system to replace the two semiautomatic systems was the logical next step to save floor space, increase production efficiency and ensure flawless quality.”
Tessy Automation was founded by engineer Ken Deane, who worked as a specialized equipment builder for Talon Zipper, one of the world’s first zipper manufacturers. There, he gained the skills that would lead him to open his own machine-building business, NuTec Tooling Systems, in 1983 in a rented basement in Meadville, PA. By 1991, the company’s machines were operating around the world assembling auto parts, electrical components, pen knives, medical devices and other products.
In 2019, the company was acquired by Tessy Plastics, global contract manufacturer in Skaneateles, NY, that specializes in injection molding for the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer product industries. NuTec adopted the name Tessy Automation in 2021.
Automated Assembly Line
The fully automated line is approximately 31 feet long, producing two assemblies at a time, one assembly per second, for a production rate of 17 million devices annually. Parts and assemblies are transferred with a precision link conveyor and four rotary indexing dials.
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The T3 robot includes a built-in controller in the base of the arm for simple installation and setup. Photo courtesy Epson
To begin operation, multiple components are loaded into vibratory bowl feeders that singulate, orient and present parts to the assembly line. An automated dispensing system applies silicone to some parts. Pick-and-place operations are performed by various Epson robots, including two T3 all-in-one SCARAs, four LS6-B SCARAs, and one LS3-B SCARA. In addition, a pair of compact C4 six-axis robots tend an ultrasonic staking station.
“All of the Epson robots we implemented were used for pick and place applications, transfer and reorientation, and regrouping between nests. We chose the LS6-B and T3 robots specifically because of their functionality at an attractive price point,” says Martz, whose company is an AutomateElite Platinum Partner of Epson.
Tessy Automation prioritized simplicity, reliability and cost-effectiveness when choosing robots for the assembly system. Compact LS6-B robots can carry a maximum payload of 6 kilograms. The low-cost robots offer high acceleration and deceleration rates and high-speed operation. The T3 robot includes a built-in controller in the base of the arm for simple installation and setup. The robot take up a fraction of the space as robots with separate controllers.
“The T3 SCARA offers simplicity and versatility when handling the small components usually associated with the life sciences industry. It’s equipped with its own controller, offering convenience at an exceptional value,” says Martz.
Parts and assemblies are transferred with a precision link conveyor and four rotary indexing dials. Photo courtesy Tessy Automation
Because the device measures blood flow, the system includes two in-line quality tests: one for torque and the second for flow. The finished assemblies are unloaded into bulk bins.
Tessy Automation provided a proprietary control system consisting of a sophisticated HMI and an Allen Bradley PLC. Tessy engineers loaded CAD files of the assembly stations into the control system so users could have a real-time view of each step in the process and enable them to identify and troubleshoot any maintenance issues that arise quickly and efficiently.
For more information on automated assembly systems, visit https://tessyautomation.com. For more information on industrial robots, visit https://epson.com.
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For more information on robots and automation, read these articles:
SCARA Robots Assemble Automotive Component
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