Flexible Feeding Systems | FlexiTrack (fast mode to feed more parts) vs Traditional System
Channel: Ars Automation
Date: 2021-03-25

Why should you choose a fast flexible parts feeder?
A flexible feeding system aids in increasing the production line speed and efficiency, avoiding - unlike traditional bowl feeders - some typology of parts will be jammed.

The flexible part feeding system FlexiBowl®, developed by Ars Automation, has incorporated several innovative features, offering higher performance with less cost than traditional part feeding solutions:

00:00 | The standard mode reaches 40 PPM (Parts per minute: the measurement used today by many industries to measure quality performance).
00:20 | The FlexiTrak mode reaches 70 PPM (Parts per minute).

*How does the traditional operating mode work?*

The flex feeder routine includes 3 different activities :
• Dropping refers to the action of the bulk feeder
• Separating refers to the action of the flexible feeder
• Picking refers to the action of the robot

In the FlexiBowl, the disc is split into three functional sectors:
• Dropping;
• Separating;
• Picking.

By splitting and confining every single phase of the process in a dedicated sector, the dropping, the separating, and the picking phases take place at the same time.
This process usually lasts 0.5 seconds, which is a benchmark in the flexible feeding market.


*How does the FlexiTrack operating mode work?*

FlexiTrack enables the circular conveyor tracking of the FlexiBowl. Using the FlexiTrack operating mode, the vision system operates in a separate sector located right before the robot picking area. The robot and vision processing are simultaneous so the time waste in processing data is reduced. In this system, a second camera is positioned before the bulk feeder to balance the parts dropping.

There are several advantages:

• A steady flow of parts reduces massively the time spent on parts handling;
• Vision system processing time has a very low impact on the feed rate;
• The parts stabilization time is eliminated;
• Multiple lighting solutions can be applied without limiting the robot's movement;
• The same productivity as in traditional mode can be obtained with a FlexiBowl size down;
• One FlexiTrack replaces two Traditional Mode feeders saving costs and layout;
• The instant cycle time of the pick&place is quite steady and it makes FlexiTrack suitable for synchronous applications (e.g dial tables)

*Ars Automation*
Via G. Vico, 7, 52100 Arezzo (AR) - Italy
Ph: +39.0575.398611
info@flexibowl.com
 
Visit our website: https://www.flexibowl.com
Ask for a proof of concept: https://www.flexibowl.com/free-test
Follow us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/ars-automation-srl

#assembly #robotics #partsfeeding #industrialautomation