Assembly & Leak Machine Station – Six machines in one!

Impetus to Invent

New programs bring new toys to the factory. Why not take advantage of the opportunity and invent automation that consolidates several machines into one? That’s exactly what this client did when they asked us to quote six new machines for a project. Instead, we offered a machine that could do it all and cut labor by 80%.
With the contract in hand, we went forward and made a machine that accommodated two part numbers, leak and flow tested, and assembled the product, all with no changeover. With a variety of sensors, it also ensured that the part was made correctly every time.

Problem Solved

Multiple machines consolidated into one cut labor and significantly reduced floor space.

Lessons Learned

We could have done a better job planning how we were going to move them. Oops!

What Was Unique 

The client had always used six machines to perform these tasks on several other cells. In this case, floor space was tight, and they were open to the idea of "what if."

What Was Challenging

Whenever you try to have one machine accommodate multiple parts, it’s always a challenge to figure out how to hold both parts without having to do a changeover. We do love a challenge, though!