Fast and flexible realisation of customer requests with low investment costs
Many contract manufacturers work with conventional machine tools, i.e. the machines are loaded manually from the front and removed again after the machining process, such as laser welding. Additional work and testing processes are carried out manually at separate workstations, which results in high costs overall.
BBW Lasertechnik has been characterised for years by its in-house design and construction as well as its own equipment construction. This combination has already made it possible to develop automated solutions for specific projects in the past. With the newly developed automation concept, BBW Lasertechnik has now reached the next level: product enquiries can now be addressed and realised even faster, more flexibly and with lower investment costs on the customer side. The first projects have already been successfully realised with the new approach.
Customised linking of laser-based processes and test procedures
The concept includes longitudinally synchronised systems in which various laser-based processing steps and associated inspection processes are carried out on processing stations connected in series. For example, BBW Lasertechnik is able to interlink the processes of laser welding, laser marking and automated visual inspection. Additional stations can be added downstream to increase the output - the systems were designed flexibly from the outset with a corresponding installation space. The spatially separated parts infeed and outfeed can be realised either manually or robot-based. It often makes sense to start manually for a quick start to series production and then gradually switch to robotics. The workpiece carriers used to transport the components between the processing stations are customised to the specific product.
Suitable for products in the automotive and e-mobility industries
The size of the parts to be machined is in the smartphone range and is aimed at e-mobility products such as cell and plug connectors or busbars. In general, the systems are particularly suitable for use in the automotive sector. High volumes can also be produced cost-effectively for limited periods of time. This makes them ideal for a rapid ramp-up of production and projects with an unclear duration.
"We have specifically added robotics and automatic visual inspections to our expertise in design, fixture construction and mechanical engineering. As a result, we are now able to adapt our automated solutions to product-specific requirements in the shortest possible time - without external dependencies," says Andreas Bürger, Managing Director of BBW Lasertechnik.
