PYROTECHNIC POWDER LOADING AND ASSEMBLY
Loading and Assembly - Dry Powders
THE CHALLENGE
Precisely weigh and fill a pyrotechnic powder into a small aluminum cup. Pyrotechnic handling must be safe and eliminate the potential for injury to the operator in the event of an unplanned ignition.
PRODUCTIVITY DELIVERED
Setpoint can build a system that not only has a small footprint but plenty of capability. A single "blast stack" ensures the pyrotechnic powders are contained to eliminate potential hazardous situations to the operator.
Raw cups are automatically fed to the dial table via a vibratory bowl/track system. Cups are tare weighed prior to entering the pyro powder fill station and post fill weighed to ensure the correct amount of pyrotechnic material was placed into the cup during processing.
All scales are mounted on isolation bases to ensure that quick and accurate weight readings can be achieved. This technique eliminates vibration interference caused by the other automated sequences on the machine.
Post fill processes include a cup capping station and a roll seaming process to join cup and cap into a single unit.
Automated off loading of parts are achieved with a pneumatic pick and place system and all processes are monitored through the PLC and displayed on the operator interface terminal.
THE IMPACT
- Cycle Rate Auto: 3-4 Sec/Part
- Reject part container with verification
- Error proof part orientation sensing
- Accurate weight verification
Loading - Slurry
THE CHALLENGE
Due to an increase in demand for a pyrotechnic device manufactured by Setpoint’s customer, the customer not only needed to dramatically increase capacity but also reduce costs. The need to increase capacity escalated concerns about safety risks to operators, plant, and equipment unless an alternate, less risky means of handling the explosive material could be developed. The customer had conceived of a potential material handling solution to reduce the risk and improve efficiency but this concept had not been developed or proven. The solution needed to be implemented as soon as possible.
PRODUCTIVITY DELIVERED
Setpoint delivered a successful solution for the customer by planning and defining risky areas before prototyping the solution to ensure productivity delivered.
- Defined and delivered a unique production system where others had failed to deliver
- Eliminated material handling hazard to operator, plant and equipment
- Improved operational availability from 80% to 95%
SUMMARY
When asked to provide a quote on the development of a new process where a product design needed to be changed and upgraded for quality and safety improvements Setpoint had to take a step back and look at what was really being asked. The definition of what the customer actually wanted was only a concept with no prior experience or drawings. In an effort to manage costs, the customer demanded a fixed bid. Setpoint’s rigorous risk assessment indicated that Setpoint should decline to bid on this project unless other terms could be agreed upon for the definition phase.
Another company agreed to a fixed bid approach and won the contract. Unfortunately for the customer, the company who won the project with a fixed bid and an inadequate risk mitigation strategy went out of business six months later. The customer then returned to Setpoint requesting another bid on the same project. Setpoint proposed a two-phased approach to mitigate risk by further defining the project on a T&M basis by prototyping the risky areas before finalizing the design. Once the design had been defined and proven with prototypes, a fixed bid was agreed upon.
After having the risks mitigated and the project clearly defined, Setpoint was able to execute and successfully deliver 5 more lines to the customer at a fixed bid.
More information on Setpoint's Pyrotechnic Powder Loading and Assembly experience is on our Explosives and Energetics Automation page.