Automation in the Grinding Process of Cast Parts
Automating the grinding process at Hittech Prontor GmbH (D) has significantly improved efficiency and process safety and enabled production that is independent of individual operators.
Managing Director Volker Kiefer discusses the need for these improvements: “Our goal was to automate the time-consuming tasks of removing sprue overhangs and pre-processing cast surfaces, allowing us to minimise the time spent on checking and fine-tuning afterwards. We accomplished this automation using robotic technology, which included all necessary peripheral equipment and associated processes such as extraction, the design and manufacture of gripping and clamping units, palletising, programming, the sanding belt unit, and the fencing.”
Have the improvements been realised? Volker Kiefer answers: “We have successfully enhanced our processes, achieving notable results such as a reduction in the manual grinding process time from 35 minutes to just 15 minutes. We have eliminated the need for a grinding process with a flex machine, which improves work safety, and we now maintain a consistent quality level. Additionally, this shift means that specialised bottleneck skills are no longer required.”
