Figure 1. Machine builders face a unique set of challenges with every job. Source: Zarina Lukash/Adobe Stock

Machine builders face a unique set of challenges with every job; whether constructing a single workstation or a fully automated assembly line that takes a wide array of components and joins them into a cohesive whole. At the same time, a wide range of fasteners – critical to many automation tasks – are standardized. Some may be unique to a particular operation, but most still have similar characteristics to other fasteners. This means it’s likely that many fastening experts have gone through the struggle of handling and installing the fasteners a customer needs to work with, or at the very least something similar.

Rather than starting from scratch, customers can instead add fastener handling and installation expertise to their integration team by working with a company that specializes in fastening automation — and only fastening automation. The needs of screw feeding can best be taken care of by industry leaders with proven experience designing solutions that remove the complication of fastening applications.

Electrical box screw fixturing success

Figure 2. The Viper’s direct-to-tip screwfeeding operation saves valuable cycle time. Source: Visumatic

Consider the following application, where Visumatic worked with a machine builder to help solve their customer’s dynamic screw-installation challenges.

A machine builder found themselves with a unique set of fastening process steps: the fully automated assembly of legacy ceiling electrical boxes to slide installation brackets, with an aggressive throughput requirement. Two #8-18 x 5/8 inch long cross-recess drive pan head screws were used for installation, each needing to be tightened at 15 to 20 inch-lbs of torque.

Assembly components were to be fed, oriented, and placed in a fixture by the new machine, including the metal crossbar and bracket that receives the screw, as well as the injection molded box that is held in place. Notably, the injection molded electrical box contains complex high-wall surfaces next to the screw locations that restrict assembly.

To meet this challenge, Visumatic selected the Viper MBC screw installation package to perform high-speed robotic fastener automation. Its z-axis quill motion reached down into the open cavity and the theta-axis quickly oriented the tooling tip, working around the product’s tight-clearance installation points and high-wall design. The Viper’s direct-to-tip screwfeeding operation saves valuable cycle time by restricting robot moves to point-to-point operations.

The Viper package was customized for the machine builder with their favorite brand of SCARA robot and a customer-specified screwdriving motor. With the fastener operation expertly handled to their specifications, the machine builder could then focus on the overall design and integration of the core parts handling operation. With their expertise and Visumatic’s collaboration, the machine builder delivered the assembly machinery to the end-user on time, under budget and with an improved throughput.

Why partner with Visumatic for fastener automation?

Machine builders and automation experts need to be adaptable to any job that may stretch their skills further. Materials transport is a challenge in any job, and when small components – namely screws – need to be presented in the correct orientation, then pushed, twisted and otherwise manipulated into place, this can present a complex scenario with problems seeming to never end.

Visumatic luckily has expertise and a wide range of proficiency with screws and other fasteners, both on the feeding side – bowl feeders – and with the final presentation and driving operation as well. In addition to screws, Visumatic’s machinery can handle nuts, clips, pins and bolts. While a traditional top-down screw fastening orientation is typically preferred, depending on customer needs, fasteners can be installed in any orientation; even vertically-up.

Visumatic products have proven themselves in a wide range of scenarios with all types of customers and install situations. Since their installation solutions come in standard and customizable packages, they can help shorten the integration time needed to get lines set up.

Visumatic’s products are employed in a wide array of industries, from aerospace and defense, to automotive, to medical device assembly. Specific customers include many well-known companies such as Tesla, Raytheon, Toyota, Harley Davidson, Sony and a wide range of other large and small operations. Their focus on excellence in fastening technology and customer service has resulted in 80% of their business coming from repeat customers.

Customizable fastener solutions

Figure 3. Fastener automation is all Visumatic does. Source: Visumatic

Fastener automation is all Visumatic does. While fasteners may be a piece of the automation puzzle that might be at the edge of customer knowledge, it is the center of theirs. Consider Visumatic’s offerings that can be customized and used as building blocks to meet fastener challenges in an overall system, which can be classed into three broad categories: handheld semi-automated screwdriving systems, fixtured screwdriving systems and robotic screwdriving systems.

Handheld semi-automatic screwdriver systems

This category is best exemplified by the VLB-900 locking bit system, which allows an operator to manually align a part to the driver. A user can even perform a picking operation with the bit as needed, then press down with a natural motion to complete the job. Screws are automatically loaded, and consistent driving is automated which creates a system that is much faster and far better than manually inserting and torquing screw after screw and almost certainly introducing some level of human imperfection. A range of models and implementations are available, and machine builders can pick and choose what elements are needed, even working with other system elements. For instance, any brand of torque or angle control screwdriver can be integrated to construct the perfect work cell.

Fixtured screwdriving systems

These systems take automation to the next level, replacing the ergonomic design needed for operator manipulation with rigid fixturing perfect for integration into automated assembly cells. Visumatic’s fixtured systems work well with six-axis and cartesian robotics. They can also be integrated into dial or linear assembly cells on a weldment or other fixturing as required. Such systems are appropriate for manual cells where the operator positions a part in a rigid fixture, activating the spindle to do its job before switching assemblies. Driver setups can be provided with a single spindle, or multiple spindles can be set up to work in tandem as appropriate.

Robotic screwdriving systems

Visumatic can collaborate on robotics cells that are extremely versatile robotics systems that largely duplicate an operator’s screw installation actions. The company also provides cartesian and SCARA driver systems that function as a screwdriving “black box” elements that integrate into overall automation systems. As with other options listed, Visumatic can implement feeder technology such as vibratory systems, but can also work with machine builders to provide the appropriate level of support for the job.

Each class of machinery listed above is referred to as a “screwdriving” system, which is the most common application and makes for an easy naming convention. However, Visumatic is also well-versed in other fastener types, and many of these systems can be applied to such scenarios as required for overall automation lines.

Beyond these customizable solutions, Visumatic brings a massive amount of experience to the table, helping to avoid common parts-joining pitfalls. With this knowledge, there is likely no need to reinvent the proverbial wheel when it comes to fastening, as Visumatic can help guide customers to excellent solutions that may already exist. They can then turn to new or customized designs while working with customer preferred equipment as necessary.

Figure 4. Fastening automation is what Visumatic does. Source: Visumatic

Visumatic: A true automation partnership

Fastening automation is what Visumatic’s sole focus. With 60 years of experience in this field, they are true experts, having seen it all in the fastening industry and constantly building upon a repertoire to overcome the ever-evolving challenges that customers face. As an equipment vendor, they can shorten delivery times while serving as an ad-hoc fastener expert to vastly improve a final automation product. Once deployed, Visumatic’s systems are unconditionally guaranteed to perform in their intended application and include customer-specific technical manuals along with lifetime on-call support.

Visumatic is a family-owned company based in Lexington, Kentucky, and provides sales and service worldwide. Learn more or get in touch with Visumatic’s experts to take your fastening automation capabilities to the next level.