Metalis Group is a global manufacturer of metal and plastic products, as well as electrical and electronic components for industries such as automotive, medical, defence and aviation. Its factories, logistics centres and R&D units are located on three continents, in five different countries.

The products manufactured at Metalis factories are made using advanced plastic forming techniques, among others. The technologies used include:

  • complex stamping processes,
  • plastic moulding of metal products,
  • deep drawing of cylindrical products,
  • production of flat springs,
  • production of wrapped products,
  • assembly and quality control.

Problem resolved

At the Metalis factory in Poland, one of the types of products manufactured are components produced by riveting two small metal parts. Until now, this process has been performed manually by an operator using a press. The need for automation arose from the need to increase production efficiency, ensure repeatable quality and quality control.

The following assumptions were made for the design of the machine:

  • expected output: 1,800 pieces/hour,
  • handling of 4 different product references,
  • fully automatic operation,
  • necessity to inspect both riveted elements,
  • automatic removal of products after riveting and counting of manufactured pieces.

Solution

Based on the collected data, a machine was designed to meet the accepted assumptions. The most important elements of the design included:

  • the use of vibrating feeders with interchangeable bowls for different component references,
  • the construction of mechanisms for transferring and positioning component parts,
  • the integration of a riveting press,
  • equipping the station with a vision system for quality control,
  • automatic sorting of OK/NOK products.

Before the design stage began, during the Kick-Off meeting, which defined the preliminary assumptions for the project, representatives of TT-CS and Metalis agreed on regular reviews of the work. This method of cooperation was aimed at verifying the solutions used, identifying potential risks and reducing errors at the earliest possible stage. The meetings were held on average every two weeks in a remote format. During these meetings, design proposals were discussed and compared with Metalis’ production experience. Where possible, the validation of individual machine functionalities was carried out in the form of Proof of Concept.

TT-CS_Metalis_HQ (7 of 26)
TT-CS_Metalis_LQ (16 of 26)
TT-CS_Metalis_LQ (6 of 26)
TT-CS_Metalis_LQ (1 of 26)
TT-CS_Metalis_HQ (25 of 26)

Result

The project was implemented during a period of reduced availability of automation components on the market, which made timely completion of the project a significant challenge. TT-CS and Metalis jointly worked out a compromise, consisting of conditional acceptance of the station despite incomplete functionality. Once the necessary components were received, they were implemented and the initial objectives were achieved and, in some cases, even exceeded.

The implementation brought the following benefits:

  • increased productivity to 2,200 units/hour (target 1,800 units/hour),
  • convenient machine changeovers,
  • 100% quality control of manufactured products,
  • improved operator ergonomics,
  • automatic statistics and production data collection.

A video of the implementation can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

”From the very beginning of our cooperation, Transition Technologies-Control Solutions has proven to be a reliable partner. They stood out with their creative approach during the bidding process. We were presented with several solutions, based on which we could choose the final direction. During implementation, they worked with determination, successfully solving problems as they arose. Given that the project was carried out in a difficult market environment, we often had to work together and develop countermeasures, often through compromise. During the operation of the station, they also responded constructively and quickly to any faults that arose. TT-CS has proven itself to be a trusted partner in difficult projects. We look forward to working with them on future machine construction projects. The project was carried out during a period of reduced availability of automation components on the market, which made timely completion a significant challenge. TT-CS and Metalis worked out a compromise, agreeing to conditional acceptance of the station despite its incomplete functionality. After receiving the necessary components, they were implemented and the initial assumptions were achieved and, in some cases, even exceeded. The implementation brought the following benefits: increased productivity to 2,200 units/hour (target 1,800 units/hour), convenient machine changeovers, 100% quality control of manufactured products, improved operator ergonomics, automatic statistics and production data collection. A video of the implementation can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

Adam BombaProcess Manager – BU Metalis Polska