Designing a manufacturing assembly is like creating a story. And just as every story begins, every assembly line begins with a layout design. This is an often overlooked chapter, but it is central to the project's story.
The design stage is the first touchpoint that determines the success of a project. When executed inefficiently, team members have a tough time ahead. If done well, it will make the process more streamlined from start to finish. So when Eagle Technologies was faced with a complex design challenge, he created an LED using inks from Bosch Rexroth Corp.
Top quality product
Eagle Technologies, an automated manufacturing machinery supplier based in Bridgeman, Michigan, was an early participant in the electric vehicle market with battery and powertrain assembly systems. They needed a turnkey battery module assembly system for cylindrical lithium-ion cells and were faced with a tight schedule for a complex product. Time constraints, as well as floor space and throughput challenges meant that the initial proposal was critical. The new line required several parallel processes and conveyors that could handle variations due to complex routing and construction schedules. Two basic module types and his three cell manufacturers were involved, resulting in 12 different part numbers produced on the final line.
“Complexity impacts two areas of the line,” explains Earle Cooper, senior key account manager at Eagle Technologies. “The module manufacturing process is very similar for all 12 models. There are two module shapes, and different cell manufacturers and cell quantities constitute variations within the two types.”
From a production and testing perspective, this is pretty straightforward. At the end of the line, the modules are stored in a buffer system.
“Based on the pack build recipe, we need to pull modules sequentially by part number,” Cooper continues. “Modules are delivered to three different automatic module loading stations within the pack assembly line (supplied by other companies). The order and timing of these deliveries is very important and the most It's a complex issue.”
design professional
Since 1978, Eagle has partnered with Bosch Rexroth, part of German engineering giant Robert Bosch GmbH. Combining its experience in the EV market with Bosch Rexroth's technology has allowed Eagle to tackle this application head-on.
Eagle says it was able to use Bosch Rexroth's free design engineering tool MTpro and Bosch Rexroth's extensive knowledge of conveying and aluminum frame products to generate a highly accurate system layout during the quotation stage.
Developed in 2010 as a digital sales tool in response to industry demand for computer-aided design (CAD), MTpro is software for planning assembly systems that assists users with everything from component selection and configuration to ordering. It's a tool. MTpro allows you to plan, calculate, and document your assembly system in just a few steps. From transfer systems and profile frames to manual production systems, the layout designer's operating concept allows you to create even complex designs and system layouts.
MTpro is an electronic catalog of Bosch Rexroth products such as MGE, MPS, TS, VF, etc. Bosch Rexroth Applications His Engineering Assembly According to his supervisor, Gerald Berzins, all the products of his technology division are listed in the catalog.
MTpro software is free to all users, and everyone has immediate access to all the features of the package. Customers who purchase a conveyor from Bosch Rexroth receive a copy of the line his layout that identifies all the modules used.
“Most projects have lead times, so we build lines based on proposal drawings, and MTpro allows us to do that,” Cooper says. “If we didn't have that tool, we wouldn't be able to do that or meet our customers' needs.”
MTpro impacted Eagle's project in two ways:
This enabled the design team to develop a robust layout from the beginning.
This allows Eagle Technologies to start projects with accurate bills of materials (BOMs) that can be submitted as orders within weeks instead of months.
To meet lead times for such a robust line design, modules had to be ordered early, even before mechanical engineering was complete. Therefore, an accurate BOM has become essential for the successful execution of the project.
Cooper cites MTpro's complete library of configurable 3D models for Bosch Rexroth assembly technology components as a key factor in the speed of the design process. Export single models or entire layouts to a variety of file formats or insert directly into popular CAD systems.
“The Bosch product line features a very wide range of product configurations based on the weight and size of the application,” Cooper explains. “The ability to use this tool to configure modules and download CAD models in a variety of formats allows us to quickly design systems, generate BOMs, and release these requirements to purchase much faster than other vendors. can.”
From a conveyance perspective, a common challenge faced by Eagle Technologies is that other suppliers do not provide CAD blocks before ordering, preferring to provide full design support after the order is placed. The company says this creates unnecessary risk by not providing detailed information at the quote stage and can slow down the transition from 2D proposals to full 3D line layouts.
By combining MTpro and Bosch Rexroth's estimating tools, Eagle was able to provide a detailed BOM, accurate costs, and a comprehensive layout.
seamless execution
The overall layout went through 15 revisions before being commissioned. In the process, Eagle Technologies says it quickly gained access to CAD blocks for the Bosch Rexroth TS 2plus conveyor module, aluminum structural frame, and all other components needed to complete the layout.
The completed system generates a module every 7.4 seconds and automatically unloads incoming cells (130 cells/box) from the pallet and removes them from the box. Finally, the assembled and tested modules are handed over to the battery pack assembly line.
According to the partners, the final project was very close to the proposed layout, which saved several months during the design phase. The final system was too large to fit as a standalone unit in either of his 150,000 square feet (13,935 square meters) facility at Eagle Technologies. To meet the customer's schedule, the project was divided into his three phases, addressing spillage, installation, and built-in redundancy.
Eagle Technologies met the customer's schedule by installing all three phases of the line. Additionally, by utilizing an effective and efficient design process, the project was set up for success before construction began.
