I News
Rigid EOAT design for automotive tandem press automation lines increases load capacity and productivity, overcomes strokes per minute limitations and improves interchangeability in the plant.
The latest development project between CompoTech PLUS (Suss, Czech Republic) and Bilsing Automation (Attendorn, Germany) produced a new carbon fiber composite end-of-arm tool (EOAT) on a six-axis robot for automotive tandem press lines using suction cup tooling. This type of EOAT is often referred to as a gondola beam due to its geometry, with two symmetrical square beams attached to a flat central body. The robot arm, which holds the suction cups, is attached to the gondola beam via a tool holder.
The collaborative project was initiated by a leading automotive body panel producer who was looking for a custom-designed replacement gondola beam to replace an existing hybrid aluminum carbon fiber composite beam. The project team’s main goal was to simplify tool management by developing a stiffer, longer EOAT that could provide the desired interchangeability of standard suction cup tool holders throughout the plant.
The novel "all-carbon” 2.6m long, flat pod beam design reportedly enabled highly beneficial standardization of the One-Click Adapter (OTA) tool nests between different types of EOATs used within the plant. As a result, toolbox assembly time and OTA-related maintenance, parts and storage costs were halved.
Key production benefits of the project include higher load capacity and increased productivity, overcoming the 9 strokes per minute limitation of the original hybrid metal composite pod. According to CompoTech, the stiffer all-composite pod creates the possibility that the press line can now run more than 75% faster, at 16 strokes per minute.
CompoTech says it has established design and production expertise in creating innovative carbon fiber composite machine tools and automation solutions to replace steel and aluminum. Using proprietary Automated Fiber Laying (AFL) technology, CompoTech is able to deliver a stiffer, lighter alternative production component with better natural frequency damping, thereby increasing productivity while reducing overall manufacturing costs.
Bilsing Automation is known for the development of automotive stamping, body shop EOAT tools and modular industrial tooling systems. The company is reportedly leading the way in automated tooling using carbon fiber composites, co-developed and manufactured by CompoTech.
CompoTech developed a new laminate design using two types of carbon fiber to meet the design parameters required for standardized EOAT for the factory's tandem stamping lines. The design specifications were based on data generated by an actual factory press line. The carbon fiber/epoxy laminates for each section of the new pod use a combination of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fabric and axial pitch fibers, placed exactly where needed using its AFL technology.
The pod upgrade has an overall width of 2.6 meters, is required to handle payloads of up to 100 kg (about 220 pounds), and can operate at 2G (about 20 square meters/second) accelerations with minimal deformation in both the vertical and horizontal (perpendicular to the beam axis) directions. CompoTech says this low-profile construction minimizes press openings and reduces processing time when mounted below a linear axis. Here, linear motion is a custom seventh axis of a six-axis tandem feeder robot mounted on an existing press line for faster, more efficient panel transfer and reach.
Carbon Fiber Technology
The carbon fiber pod beam is made of three parts: two hollow square carbon fiber beam (80 x 80 mm) sections, with a tapered central carbon fiber body section molded in two halves (top and bottom). The three separate sections are then bonded together and wrapped with additional fiber in critical load areas for added reinforcement. CompoTech claims the complete composite pod beam weighs just 14 kg (about 31 pounds). Once assembled, with quick tool change accessories and a standard suction cup tool set installed, the fully operational EOAT weighs 35 kg (about 77 pounds).
Axial Spacing Fibers Lay on PAN Fiber Fabric.
Each section uses unidirectional (UD) high modulus axial "spacing” carbon fiber and high-strength PAN fiber with different laminate layer combinations on the top, bottom and sides. The composite mats were bonded and machined at critical points on the structural beams to provide a precise surface for the assembly of the EOAT tooling set. Dynamic load testing of the fully assembled carbon fiber pod confirmed the high stiffness of the laminate system, with a maximum deformation of only 4.9 mm.
"The challenge was to design the pod with a central section that had a similar bending stiffness to an 80 x 80 mm profile beam and avoid areas of stress concentration,” notes Gabriel Martinot, lead design engineer at CompoTech, explaining how the company approached the project to meet all design parameters. "UD pitch fibers are used to compensate for the geometric loss of stiffness. We manufacture an ultra-high modulus carbon fiber preform for the center body to achieve this. Our AFP [Automated Fiber Placement] process enables us to automatically and precisely stack XN-80 UD pitch fibers on the PAN fabric, combining zero-degree axial "pitch” carbon fiber with standard ±45-degree PAN fabric. This provides the center beam with the highest stiffness exactly where it is needed.”
Gabriel goes on to explain the other manufacturing stages of the new design: "The center body half and the two square beam sections are first bonded together and then put back into the AFL machine, which winds additional 90-degree carbon fiber to further strengthen the beam where it is most stressed. This ensures reliable long-term performance, even under the heaviest loads, and significantly reduces the risk of crack propagation between pod sub-assemblies.”
The projects and experience gained in machine building and automation are now being used in other industries such as defense, transportation, agriculture, cycling and leisure marine.
The latest development project between CompoTech PLUS (Suss, Czech Republic) and Bilsing Automation (Attendorn, Germany) produced a new carbon fiber composite end-of-arm tool (EOAT) on a six-axis robot for automotive tandem press lines using suction cup tooling. This type of EOAT is often referred to as a gondola beam due to its geometry, with two symmetrical square beams attached to a flat central body. The robot arm, which holds the suction cups, is attached to the gondola beam via a tool holder.
The collaborative project was initiated by a leading automotive body panel producer who was looking for a custom-designed replacement gondola beam to replace an existing hybrid aluminum carbon fiber composite beam. The project team’s main goal was to simplify tool management by developing a stiffer, longer EOAT that could provide the desired interchangeability of standard suction cup tool holders throughout the plant.
The novel "all-carbon” 2.6m long, flat pod beam design reportedly enabled highly beneficial standardization of the One-Click Adapter (OTA) tool nests between different types of EOATs used within the plant. As a result, toolbox assembly time and OTA-related maintenance, parts and storage costs were halved.
Key production benefits of the project include higher load capacity and increased productivity, overcoming the 9 strokes per minute limitation of the original hybrid metal composite pod. According to CompoTech, the stiffer all-composite pod creates the possibility that the press line can now run more than 75% faster, at 16 strokes per minute.
CompoTech says it has established design and production expertise in creating innovative carbon fiber composite machine tools and automation solutions to replace steel and aluminum. Using proprietary Automated Fiber Laying (AFL) technology, CompoTech is able to deliver a stiffer, lighter alternative production component with better natural frequency damping, thereby increasing productivity while reducing overall manufacturing costs.
Bilsing Automation is known for the development of automotive stamping, body shop EOAT tools and modular industrial tooling systems. The company is reportedly leading the way in automated tooling using carbon fiber composites, co-developed and manufactured by CompoTech.
CompoTech developed a new laminate design using two types of carbon fiber to meet the design parameters required for standardized EOAT for the factory's tandem stamping lines. The design specifications were based on data generated by an actual factory press line. The carbon fiber/epoxy laminates for each section of the new pod use a combination of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fabric and axial pitch fibers, placed exactly where needed using its AFL technology.
The pod upgrade has an overall width of 2.6 meters, is required to handle payloads of up to 100 kg (about 220 pounds), and can operate at 2G (about 20 square meters/second) accelerations with minimal deformation in both the vertical and horizontal (perpendicular to the beam axis) directions. CompoTech says this low-profile construction minimizes press openings and reduces processing time when mounted below a linear axis. Here, linear motion is a custom seventh axis of a six-axis tandem feeder robot mounted on an existing press line for faster, more efficient panel transfer and reach.
Carbon Fiber Technology
The carbon fiber pod beam is made of three parts: two hollow square carbon fiber beam (80 x 80 mm) sections, with a tapered central carbon fiber body section molded in two halves (top and bottom). The three separate sections are then bonded together and wrapped with additional fiber in critical load areas for added reinforcement. CompoTech claims the complete composite pod beam weighs just 14 kg (about 31 pounds). Once assembled, with quick tool change accessories and a standard suction cup tool set installed, the fully operational EOAT weighs 35 kg (about 77 pounds).
Axial Spacing Fibers Lay on PAN Fiber Fabric.
Each section uses unidirectional (UD) high modulus axial "spacing” carbon fiber and high-strength PAN fiber with different laminate layer combinations on the top, bottom and sides. The composite mats were bonded and machined at critical points on the structural beams to provide a precise surface for the assembly of the EOAT tooling set. Dynamic load testing of the fully assembled carbon fiber pod confirmed the high stiffness of the laminate system, with a maximum deformation of only 4.9 mm.
"The challenge was to design the pod with a central section that had a similar bending stiffness to an 80 x 80 mm profile beam and avoid areas of stress concentration,” notes Gabriel Martinot, lead design engineer at CompoTech, explaining how the company approached the project to meet all design parameters. "UD pitch fibers are used to compensate for the geometric loss of stiffness. We manufacture an ultra-high modulus carbon fiber preform for the center body to achieve this. Our AFP [Automated Fiber Placement] process enables us to automatically and precisely stack XN-80 UD pitch fibers on the PAN fabric, combining zero-degree axial "pitch” carbon fiber with standard ±45-degree PAN fabric. This provides the center beam with the highest stiffness exactly where it is needed.”
Gabriel goes on to explain the other manufacturing stages of the new design: "The center body half and the two square beam sections are first bonded together and then put back into the AFL machine, which winds additional 90-degree carbon fiber to further strengthen the beam where it is most stressed. This ensures reliable long-term performance, even under the heaviest loads, and significantly reduces the risk of crack propagation between pod sub-assemblies.”
The projects and experience gained in machine building and automation are now being used in other industries such as defense, transportation, agriculture, cycling and leisure marine.