Accurate and stable actuator for an automatic screwdriving application
01 December 2021
Accuracy, repeatability and stability were the key performance requirements specified for an actuator to be used in an automatic screwdriving application for AVK Plastics, a manufacturer of synthetic surface boxes and pallets based in the Netherlands. AVK Plastics turned to HepcoMotion after the previous actuator could not provide the high stability required, causing the company to need a replacement.
A central part of the system, the actuator is responsible for moving an automatic screwdriver horizontally in order to fix 3 x screws (spaced 300mm apart) into a pallet. Precision and repeatability are key here, as the screwdriver needs to be precisely aligned to fasten the screws into the screw holes. In addition, the unit needs to offer high stability, due to the precision and accuracy required.
Mr Hylke Vlieg, Technical Service Engineer from AVK Plastics, explains: “With the previous actuator we used, there was play on the car in no time, which did not improve accuracy.” After 14 months, it broke down and, after research, AVK Plastics replaced it with HepcoMotion’s SBD belt-driven actuator, which was able to meet the technical requirements.
Based on ball rail technology, SBD carriages are pre-loaded to eliminate play and deliver high rigidity for precision applications such as this. As AVK Plastics experienced with the previous system, any movement in the carriage plate affects the accuracy of the screwdriver, making the process obsolete. The resistance to movement provided by Hepco’s SBD was therefore of utmost importance for AVK Plastics.
Read the full article in DPA's December issue
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