Automated Assembly Cell to Meet Medical Device Demand

Increased demand projections from their US customer outgrows the current capability of MiniFabs manufacturing processes in Rowville. Projections required MiniFab to improve throughput to a maximum 2.5s Cycle Time to meet demand without introducing the burden of an additional shift, but existing processes severely compromised this opportunity due to a labour intensive product assembly process. 

• Consolidating an existing  manual 6-step process, including: sonic welding, laser identification, component assembly and vision inspection, conducted by up to 6 people in under 2.5s cycle 
• Complex component geometry, handling and orientation control from bulk fed hopper supply, through vibratory bowls at cycle rate
• Product scratching and damage through faster processing and machine handling of a sensitive medical diagnostic product
• Sourcing a respected vendor who can deliver the challenge at the right cost and on time
• Batch record control and traceability, to 21CFR and GMP requirements

The manufacturing engineer was project lead of a turnkey automation cell to replace several manual processing steps. This included the 

• Development of a detailed User Requirements Specification
• Manufacturing Planning and Design of the 6 step process
• Close Vendor Engagement and continued liaison throughout, including trials, testing, approvals through to FAT
• Project Planning and Management across milestones, dealing with issues, mitigations and variations
• Delivery to strict timeline and budget

MiniFab introduced a cutting-edge automation cell consolidating the previous 6-step labour intensive activity into a single process. Operated by a single person and requiring a smaller manufacturing footprint, the cell including vibratory bowl part feed, paired encoded turntables and 6-axis robots, sonic welding, laser ID encoding, and visual quality inspection in under 2.5s, using an advanced HMI providing continuous process control and operator engagement.  

MiniFab introduced a cutting-edge automation cell consolidating the previous 6-step labour intensive activity into a single process. Operated by a single person and requiring a smaller manufacturing footprint, the cell including vibratory bowl part feed, paired encoded turntables and 6-axis robots, sonic welding, laser IDencoding, and visual quality inspection in under 2.5s, using an advanced HMI providing continuous process control and operator engagement.  

If you have an operation with similar demand and need expert guidance though a similar project activity, contact the manufacturing engineer to arrange an intial conversation and start the ball rolling.