Innovation Inc., of Birmingham, Alabama, has introduced a revolutionary new cell design and family of end-effectors for ultrasonic welding.  Partnering with Kawasaki Robotics (USA), Inc. and Dukane Corp., Innovation Inc. has incorporated industry leading technology with end-of-arm tooling never before seen in an ultrasonic welding application. 

Recognizing that fixed automation has many limitations, e.g., product flexibility, the ability to adjust to customers varying product designs, and cost effective solutions, Innovation Inc. set forth with a mission to overcome these disadvantages. Kawasaki Robotics, with a full line of industry leading articulated robots, was able to support Innovation’s development options with a full range of robot models offering complete design flexibility.  Innovation's engineering team incorporated key features within the end-of-arm tooling that had never been seen before in the ultrasonic market place. 

The first result is a C-frame end-effector, “C-Sonic”, that incorporates closed loop weld process controls to ensure the weld process is completely stable.  Recognizing that initial price is a key consideration, a series of cells were designed to eliminate custom design engineering, which helps provide a reasonable initial purchase price.  These design considerations add up to a product that has an excellent life cycle return on investment and only requires minor programming and retooling when product mix or specifications change.

Included with the cell is a Kawasaki F-Series robot with industry leading reliability, a state of the art Dukane power source and horn, and an Innovation designed end-of-arm tool.  The unique C-Frame design of the tool provides rigidity during the weld process.  The tool features an integrated linear displacement transducer, a force transducer, and weld energy sensing, allowing for adaptive process feedback.  Taking full advantage of this process feedback, software working with proportional pressure regulation provides real-time weld control of force, time, distance or energy parameters as a standard offering. For more information regarding this product, please contact craig.bowen@innovation-inc.com or michael.rhodes@kri-us.com. 

There are three production lines in this customer's New Jersey facility. Two of the lines run corrugated cases, varying in size and width, with weights up to 75 pounds. Line one transports 5 cases per minute and the other is run at 12 cases per minute. The third line runs 20 to 25 liter pails at 3 per minute with a maximum weight of 85 pounds.

The three products are palletized onto three different pallets, each located on a different pallet highway for full pallet handling. The challenge was to automate this palletizing operation to include pallet pick-up, pick-up of either product, because they can run all three lines simultaneously, and provide a full pallet handling system through the stretch wrapper.

The RLS Enterprises, Inc. solution uses a Kawasaki ZD130 4-axes palletizing robot fit with tooling custom designed for this customer's products. This tooling was designed to handle multiple cartons or pails and pick empty pallets without the use of a tool changer. Vacuum pick up was not allowed due to the hazardous nature of the customer’s products.

The pick-up tooling was designed to use retractable fingers underneath the product and a clamp mechanism to hold the top. This ensures that the product is held securely during transport from the product conveyor to placement onto the pallet. The fingers are also used as the pallet pickup tool.

Overall View of the Palletizing Cell

Custom Designed Tooling