Production without waste

Automated processes at ifm electronic GmbH thanks to ViscoTec dosing systems

Fichter Maschinen GmbH designed a system for ifm ecomatic in Kressbronn that performs various assembly and dosing processes. The system consists of two dosing stations and an assembly station. The dosing stations are equipped with a 2-component dispenser and a ViscoTreat-R storage container from ViscoTec Pumpen- u. Dosiertechnik GmbH.

Since 1969 ifm electronic GmbH, headquartered in Essen, Germany, has manufactured sensors for motion control and safety technology, position and process sensors, products for industrial image data processing and communication as well as identification systems and systems for mobile work machines.

At the first station of the new plant, the material "Delo Duopox AD821" is removed via suction lances from the 20 L hobbock of the material supplier into the ViscoTreat-R storage tanks. Then the 2-component material, pressure-controlled from the storage tank, is fed via a hose line to the mixing and dosing head of the dosing cell – separately for each component. In the next step, the material is mixed and then dosed into the housing frames for sealing. Numerous challenges were mastered for this process:

• Longest possible, self-sufficient system runtime - without operator intervention

• Ergonomic handling of the delivery containers with suction lances

• Closed system – for the protection of the environment and employees

• Clean thread breakage at the end of each dosage to avoid contamination of the component and the system

The thermal paste "Henkel-Bergquist GapFiller 1500LV" is applied in the second metering station of the system. The paste is removed from the 600 ml cartridges of the material supplier via cartridge emptying systems. The GapFiller is fed via hoses to the mixing and dispensing head in the dispensing cell, then the material is dispensed onto specified surfaces on a printed circuit board. The aim of the application: To transfer the originated temperature to the housing. In this way, the heat balance of the control unit can be kept as low as possible. Some challenges also had to be mastered for this part of the plant:

• Guarantee a sufficient material supply to the mixing and dosing components to dose the defined quantity - in the defined dosing time

• Ensure the dosing of the high abrasive heat-conducting paste with a long service life of the dosing equipment (by using special materials in the mixing and dosing head)

Key advantages of ViscoTec's dosing systems for optimum process reliability:

• Flexibility through customer-specific plant design combined with a huge knowledge of the used materials

• Component materials are selected or developed for each application – especially the dispensers and the emptying systems

• Very gentle processing of the media due to the low-shear mechanism of the dispenser during removal and dosing

The plant promises absolute process reliability. So ifm ecomatic carries out a waste-free production without any unnecessary increase in production costs.

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/8_DeGr4D_4Q