Recent Robotic addition example to a local Manuf process.

Thread Starter

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
This machine is an addition to a local RR wheel shop where railway car wheels are built and re-conditioned.
Before retirement I had upgraded the machine processing line via CNC and PLC systems that is carried out prior to this final step where the wheel bearings are pressed on to the axle.
These machines were for re-boring and re-profiling worn wheels and then pressing wheels onto the axles after measurement of the journals.
The bearing press process shown was the last manual process to be converted.
Max.
 

TeeKay6

Joined Apr 20, 2019
573
This machine is an addition to a local RR wheel shop where railway car wheels are built and re-conditioned.
Before retirement I had upgraded the machine processing line via CNC and PLC systems that is carried out prior to this final step where the wheel bearings are pressed on to the axle.
These machines were for re-boring and re-profiling worn wheels and then pressing wheels onto the axles after measurement of the journals.
The bearing press process shown was the last manual process to be converted.
Max.
Impressive, Max! An excellent video. Thanks.
 

Thread Starter

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
One interesting part of the project was integrating a tomb stone rotary table for a Fanuc CNC milling machine, the rotary table, the Tomb stone and the part to be machined would be around 300lbs at least, the rotary table was suspended and rotated on an Air Bearing!
Air Bearing:
Basically a cushion of air.
Max.
 

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,764
This machine is an addition to a local RR wheel shop where railway car wheels are built and re-conditioned.
Before retirement I had upgraded the machine processing line via CNC and PLC systems that is carried out prior to this final step where the wheel bearings are pressed on to the axle.
These machines were for re-boring and re-profiling worn wheels and then pressing wheels onto the axles after measurement of the journals.
The bearing press process shown was the last manual process to be converted.
Max.
Hola @MaxHeadRoom

Two questions:

1) Journals, they are actually what? Bearings? Any moment in the video where they are shown?

2) You did the programming of all the steps? If so, could you elaborate briefly?
 

Thread Starter

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
The Journals generally refer to the bearing/shaft combo, the robots are seen picking up the bearings and mounting to the shafts.
As I mentioned in the OP, this installation was done after I had retired, the rest of the process that comes before where the wheels are bored (CNC mills) and axles measured and the result sent to the boring mills and then the wheels press fitted to the axles was the section that I had retro fitted via CNC and PLC control, converting the old relay logic panels etc.
Interestingly, the old boring mills were originally one of the first CNC systems introduced and was based around the old PDP8 12 bit computer and designed by a Prof. in the Univ of Minn I believe.
I replaced these with a AB systems.
There were quite a few ancillary systems also.
All work had to be done during the annual four week plant shut down!:eek:
My son, who incidentally works at the plant, sent me the video for my interest.
Incidentally I later switched to Mitsubishi CNC for retro-fitting, their technical support is A-one.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
I may have mentioned this before, but one of the machines in the shops was an in floor double ended CNC lathe that comes up out of the floor in order to re-profile the Locomotive wheels, which obviously are harder to remove and replace.
The lathe is on a gimbal in the centre, the locomotive is driven over the lathe pit, and the lathe rises and pins at the axle centers and has a rotating mechanism for the wheels after the wheel is measured by sensor, then both sides are machined with profile tooling.
Max.
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,218
I may have mentioned this before, but one of the machines in the shops was an in floor double ended CNC lathe that comes up out of the floor in order to re-profile the Locomotive wheels, which obviously are harder to remove and replace.
The lathe is on a gimbal in the centre, the locomotive is driven over the lathe pit, and the lathe rises and pins at the axle centers and has a rotating mechanism for the wheels after the wheel is measured by sensor, then both sides are machined with profile tooling.
Max.
What I wouldn't give to be involved in a job like that...
 

Thread Starter

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
No, this was back in the 90's and I forget the system, but it was run under DOS, so did not suffer the pains of Windows.
The one's I used to put together using Galil Motion cards, used a PC slot and ran under DOS.
Basically the PC is used for the HMI only, all motion control is in the card.
Any CAD/CAM/Graphics or other fancy programs can be done on a separate PC and downloaded via a port.
Here is a simple press CNC back gauge I did using a Galil and PC.
Max.
 

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cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,218
No, this was back in the 90's and I forget the system, but it was run under DOS, so did not suffer the pains of Windows.
The one's I used to put together using Galil Motion cards, used a PC slot and ran under DOS.
Basically the PC is used for the HMI only, all motion control is in the card.
Any CAD/CAM/Graphics or other fancy programs can be done on a separate PC and downloaded via a port.
Here is a simple press CNC back gauge I did using a Galil and PC.
Max.
That's what I call a "Totally 80's User Interface" :D
 
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