The customer is a top connector manufacturer in the world that required the professional expertise of MIJOINT to help realize the flexible production capacity of equipment. Please refer to the following case study to learn how our engineers identified the optimal solution for the customer.
These processes include: UV laser + bending module, foil remove, CO2 laser, dielectric remove, pre-forming & final-trimming, soldering, and dispensing.
The customer expected the equipment to support two operation modes: standalone mode for orders featuring multi-variety and small batch, and integrated line mode for mass production. It should allow to be flexibly configured according to order demands to achieve true flexible production.
On one hand, the lack of a flexible production mode leads to severe loss of customer resources. On the other hand, the wide variety of dedicated equipment necessitate constant purchase of new equipment, which would bring about idle equipment and increased production costs.
We analyzed the customer’s current product range, manufacturing processes, and existing equipment. Based on the their needs, we formulated a solution suitable for their factory. Below are the steps for our project solution:
1. Solution evaluation & process verification → finalized the design proposal → completed 3D design with review to finalize the design → BOM release & material procurement → entered the manufacturing phase.
2. During the manufacturing phase, engineers conducted standardized defining and design for the key modules, unifying their external frame, positioning benchmark, and electronic control programs, enabling the standardized platform to accommodate the core process modules of the wire preparing section.
3. We configured an independent program system for each station that can be called with one click, enabling switching the corresponding program with one click while changing modules.
4. Each individual machine was rapidly interconnected via aviation plugs.
5. Finally, we completed equipment assembly and debugging and delivered the goods after passing the qualification.
Finally, we’ve developed a standardized production line platform supporting quick changeover and flexible production. Equipment cycle time was reduced from 30s to 20s, with an improvement of 33.33%; Changeover time was shortened from 2 days to 8 hours, with a reduction of 66.67%; Labor requirement was reduced from 40 HC to 30 HC per shift, saving 10 HC.
|
Performance Indicator |
Before Improvement |
After Improvement |
Improvement Range/Effect |
|
Cycle Time (CT) |
30s/pcs |
20s/pcs |
Productivity increased by 33.33% |
|
Changeover Time |
2 days |
8 h |
Changeover time reduced by 66.67% |
|
Labor Configuration |
40 HC/shift |
30 HC/shift |
10 HC saved per shift, reducing labor cost by 25% |
To address the pin-points of low efficiency and inconsistent quality associated with traditional manual terminal insertion, this semi-automatic equipment features left-side terminal insertion, as well as Detect terminal cutting and insertion functions. The material pick-up module handles feeding, with the terminal retrieval module extracting both left-side terminals and Detect terminals. Subsequently, the terminal insertion module picks up the terminals from the jaws and inserts them into the HSG.
To address the challenges of low yield, high scrap rates, substantial rework costs, and difficult changeovers associated with traditional equipment, this line liberates enterprises from their "reliance on highly skilled labor" and the "management nightmare of multi-variety production".
This line encompasses three complete processes: latch assembly, final assembly, and inspection & packaging. In the latch assembly stage, a 6-axis robot performs flexible assembly by mimicking human hand movements, significantly reducing the risk of latch deformation. During final assembly, the line can flexibly adapt to over 80 products with different part numbers across three types (NO, NC, and SPDT), and utilize the first set of CCD system to automatically identify material type and orientation. In the final inspection & packaging stage, employ the second set of CCD system to reverify assembly correctness before conducting comprehensive testing including travel test, operating/releasing force test, puncture test, insulation test, and contact resistance test. Then all qualified products undergo laser marking and can be packaged either in trays or in bulk as required.
This equipment's mold can form and cut products. Its LLCR station measures the on-resistance of the four terminals on the product. It also features an iron shell assembly station and a CCD vision inspection station using a CCD industrial camera to photograph and inspect terminal alignment.
To address the problems of complex processes, quality fluctuations, and reliance on highly skilled labor, this line automates the assembly of the center iron plate with IM1 & 2 (workflow: automatic loading of the center iron plate → unloading of the small iron piece → automatic assembly of IM2 → automatic assembly of small iron piece → automatic assembly of IM1 → feeding the material strip of finished products into the EMI welding machine) as well as automatic assembly of EMI and spot welding (workflow: receiving the finished products from three-in-one automatic assembly machine → upper EMI cutting & positioning & assembly → upper EMI spot welding → lower EMI cutting & positioning & assembly → lower EMI spot welding → AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) → defective products discharge → reeling the material strip of finished products in).
This series of products represents traditional high-speed connectors, featuring complex manufacturing processes and stringent precision requirements. This line meets the customer’s demands for efficient, high-quality, and multi-part-number production. The equipment can realize F/N assembly, and the cutting, pin insertion, and bending for 15-pin, 6-pin, 2+3-pin, 7-pin, and 35-pin terminals. Besides, it employs CCD vision inspection system to verify product dimensions, and automatically sorts out the NG (No Good) products. After assembling good products with CAP, it performs tape & reel packaging. It achieves fully automatic assembly and flexible production with one-click changeover.
Addressing the inefficiencies, high defect rates, and management challenges associated with traditional equipment reliant on manual operations, this equipment resolves these issues through full automation, vision-guided operation, and high-precision control. The equipment's process sequence is as follows: The equipment receives trays of contact pins for insertion, performing part retrieval and secondary positioning. One contact pin module performs two insertion operations on the product, simultaneously meeting a CT requirement of 3.5 seconds per piece. Contact pins utilize CCD visual imaging to detect insertion positions, with the visual system guiding the servo module to perform terminal pin insertion; post-insertion products undergo tape folding, secondary pressing, and inspection.
