Camford Pressings
The Challenge
Camford Pressing, part of the Krupp Hoesh group’s South Wales based plant manufactures a vast range of automotive parts for Honda, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Opel and Toyota. The parts are supplied on a Just In Time basis, requiring rapid response to customer requests. Through their association with Mitsubishi Alliance Partner, the GX was tasked with automating the new production line of hydraulic presses.
The Solution
GX automated the robotic press feeding and quick die change systems for a tandem press line of five newly installed 500tonne Müller hydraulic presses, each with a bed size of 2700 x 1500mm. GX designed and supplied a system for interfacing ABB robots and Atlas Technology for quick die change for individual presses.
The system utilises Mitsubishi FX programmable logic controllers (PLCs), supervised by Mitsubishi MAC 90 industrially hardened graphical user interfaces to ensure the correct die is used to produce particular parts.
The PLCs’ control of the Atlas Technology reduces die change time from a previous major manual operation taking 8 hours; now this task only takes 30 minutes, enabling Camford Pressings far greater flexibility to respond to short term changes in customer needs.
The Result
Productivity increased from 250 parts per hour, to 500+ parts per hour and up-time increased to over 85%. Through GX’s effective risk management and reduction with the new automated production line, Camford Pressings is continuing with its major on-going investment programme to maintain its EN9002 quality assurance accreditation.