A specialty metals manufacturer asked CPS to develop a solution to eliminate some significant safety hazards and product quality issues. Before releasing a large metal ingot to manufacturing, a few metal chips are taken for testing. A cleaning process occurs before testing by dipping the metal chips in acid and 3 other solutions. On more than one occasion the operator failed to perform the acid dipping correctly which in turn caused a false inspection test result that led manufacturing to release the product to the manufacturing area. The subsequent product recall was expensive to the company’s bottom line and reputation. The CPS pick and place machine solution eliminated the risks due to cleaning problems and the health risks associated with the cloud of noxious gas and working with toxic acids. A robot based solution would consume too much floor space so a custom system was developed that fit inside the existing fume hood.
- Bar code scanning for inventory traceability
- Cleaning results reporting to site information system
- Custom machine
- Reliable and precise motion and position control
- Hand off operation