Feeding
We use both conventional and flexible feeding systems in our solutions, depending on your needs and wishes. We are experienced in the following seven feeding systems.
Bowl Feeder and Step Feeder
The bowl feeder is a proven method to correctly feed product components. The components are simply poured into the vibratory bowl and presented properly as a result of their own center of gravity and/or geometry. This makes the bowl feeder a cost-efficient system for larger series of the same products.
The step feeder is a system for bulk feeding of tubes, shafts and other parts with a simple geometry and a large length-diameter ratio. The stepfeeder transports the parts upwards, whereby an excess of products automatically falls back into the bunker through the sliding steps. Just like the vibrating drum, this is a simple, proven and inexpensive feeding method for large series of the same product shapes.
Feeding with 2D Vision
If you need more flexibility in your supply system, supplying with Vision offers the solution. We can apply 2D Vision as follows:
Any feeder / Flex feeder
An any feeder, also known as a flex feeder, consists of a vibratory tray in which the parts are placed. A 2D Vision camera checks which parts in the bin are in the correct position. These parts are picked up and placed with a robot. An any feeder is a flexible solution as parts with different shapes and sizes can be processed. This makes it a suitable supply method for installations with many product variants.
Conveyor belt with 2D Vision
The products are automatically feeded or placed on the belt by an operator, after which the Vision system transmits the coordinates of the parts that are in the correct position to one or more manipulators. The manipulator then picks up these products in a targeted manner, which minimises the risk of damage during feeding. The conveyor belt is a flexible supply method for parts in different shapes and sizes and can be integrated both linear and in a circulation system.
Tray Feeding
When feeding vulnerable parts, it is important to absolutely minimise the risk of damage. A good way to do so, is choosing a tray feeding system. With a tray system it is possible to supply large numbers of products in ordered positions to the assembly process. This allows an installation to run autonomously for a long time. We can apply this feeding system for both stacked trays and linear positioned trays.
Spring Feeding
Before springs can be feeded, they often have to be untangled and singulated. That's why we integrate special spring feeding systems that transport the springs to the desired position by means of compressed air or a vacuum.
Manual Feeding
If automatic feeding of your components isn't possible or desired, we make sure the products can be safely placed and removed by your operators. We can integrate guard doors, light barriers, floor scanners, process drawers and process turning stations to guarantee safe manual feeding.
