Robots used to be thought of strictly as stationary machines. They were bolted to a floor, table, ceiling or wall and that’s where they stayed. But, that’s beginning to change.

Designing and building a multistation automated assembly system takes time. A simple project might take 12 to 14 weeks. A complex one could take three or four times that long.

Multistation automated assembly systems are a wonder to behold. A well-designed system can mass-produce hundreds of assemblies per minute with minimal human intervention.

Today’s automobiles contain dozens of electric motors. They adjust the mirrors, position the seats, aim the headlights, provide heating and cooling, and raise and lower the windows. In fact, a luxury car might have as many as 120 electric motors of various sizes.

Weiss has been in the assembly automation/material handling business for over 45 years and is the leader in various component technologies for machine automation.WEISS supplies the world with rotary indexing tables, pallet transfer systems, high speed handling devices, direct drive and servo drive rotaries, as well as machine bases and tool plates.

With the cost of automated assembly systems running six or even seven figures, choosing the right integrator and establishing a good relationship are critical.

At the heart of some of the most complex automated assembly systems is one of the simplest motion control mechanisms: the cam.

At Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA LLC (HMAC), suspensions, exhaust manifolds and other components are assembled every day for all of the world’s leading automakers.

Mechanical probe and vision systems ensure quality assemblies.

EVANSVILLE, IN—Systems integrator Evana Automation recently delivered a lean, 21-step assembly and test system to American Axle & Manufacturing Inc.