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f+h Intralogistics 5/2014

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f+h Intralogistics 5/2014

Material flow Fully

Material flow Fully automated paint and handling equipment safeguards long-lasting surface finish The agricultural machinery manufacturer Agco has recently completed a modernization project in Hesston, Kansas. Over a period of two years, CTI Systems S. A. equipped the facility with surface coating and material flow technology. All parts produced in Hesston, including components for hay handling and harvesting equipment, are painted and finished in the new, 18,500 square meter dip and powder-coat paint facility before being supplied to final assembly for production. In this process, almost 75 % of parts pass through a series of immersion tanks that form part of 15 process stations for pretreatment as well as nano and cataphoretic coating (Image 01). After the cataphoretic coat has cured, components are powder-coated in automated application booths, before they are re-cured to obtain a durable, anticorrosive and weatherproof surface with qualities comparable to those achieved in the automotive industry. Twenty belt furnaces to cure the cataphoretic coat and powder coating layer contribute to making energy savings and adapting the curing temperature as well as treatment duration. Any non-required furnaces can be switched off. Fully automated The entire paint shop is equipped with automated conveyor and overhead handling equipment technology made by CTI 24 f+h Intralogistics 5/2014

Material flow About CTI Systems CTI Systems is an industry leader in the supply and installation of integrated, automated manufacturing solutions for heavy loads. The company’s portfolio features automated material handling solutions, storage systems, surface treatment installations, assembly lines, process software (MES), as well as integrated machines and installations made by other suppliers. With over 50 years of experience, more than 1,000 installations worldwide and a highly-qualified team of over 200 employees, CTI Systems develops complete, tailor-made solutions to boost energy efficiency and productivity. 01 Products pass through the coating system as part of 15 process stations Systems. These systems link the various processes to each other. For this purpose, the facility features elements including tank line transfer bridges, tank line bridges, distribution transfer bridges, elevators as well as loading and unloading stations. The system within the series of immersion tanks is designed for components with a maximum size of 8.5 × 3 × 3 m and a maximum weight of 2,950 kg. The wet painting section of the system can handle parts with a maximum size of 15.9 × 3 × 3 m and a maximum weight of 2,270 kg. The fully automated material flow control software was developed by CTI to ensure process visualization and data collection in conjunction with the system operator’s ERP/MES systems. Components are placed on load bars in the ample loading and unloading center, from where 18 automated guided vehicles transfer the components to the paint shop (Image 02). The automated guided vehicles feature omnidirectional driving characteristics and have been programmed to follow magnets which have been integrated into the floor of the facilities. Thanks to the high degree of automation, personnel is less exposed to the painting process, productivity increases and the material flow through the paint shop and back to the assembly lines runs more smoothly. The e-coat and powder paint processes are structured efficiently and environmentally friendly, as more than 95 % of the powder coating agent is applied to the parts and the rest is completely collected during the painting process. 02 Automated guided vehicles on their way to the paint shop What’s more, the process technology features an energy management system to considerably cut the energy consumption of individual processes. Agco has invested USD40 million in the Hesston facility. The coating system at the core of this project represents a fine example of one of the most modern systems of its kind throughout the North American agricultural machinery industry. This was already the second time that Agco commissioned CTI as the general contractor to design and implement an entire system. The first project was completed last year at the company’s production facilities in Santa Rosa, Brazil. Photos: CTI Systems www.ctisystems.com f+h Intralogistics 5/2014 25

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