Increased efficiency and productivity with Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S
Promatrix is a manufacturer of aluminium injection moulds and also produces precision mechanical parts. The company from the Utrecht Zegveld has been a customer of Cellro for many years. For example, 80% of the machines for mould making is automated thanks to Cellro. They make use of pallet, product, tools and clamping change. Watch the video below to hear about their experience so far with Cellro’s automation solutions. Recently, one of their GROB G530 CNC machines has been connected to the brand new Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S. It is now possible to turn a raw part into a finished product ready for shipment in one work cycle. Erik Schalkwijk (department manager machining): “Our first findings? Awesome!”
Complete machining with Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S
As with most companies, the challenge at Promatrix has always been to get as many hours as possible out of a CNC machine. Automation makes it possible to also run production at night and at weekends. This significantly increases productivity. Promatrix already had an Xcelerate. Schalkwijk: “We were very happy with that, but it is limited to five-sided machining. So the last stroke was always missed.” Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S enables automatic six-sided machining of a product. Splitting of process steps is therefore a thing of the past. An enormous improvement in efficiency!
The Cellro robot never sleeps
In automation, the robot takes over the repetitive tasks. This has several advantages. Firstly, more challenging work remains for the robot operator. Secondly, there is increased efficiency. And thirdly, it improves process stability. The robot will always perform the correct operation, if set correctly. This reduces the error probability in the process. Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S reinforces this even further. The fact that no manual action is required between fixture one and two and switching to a new job, benefits the lead time and quality of the production process. Moreover, the production continues to run smoothly. Schalkwijk: “A person quickly becomes disturbed because of a telephone call or break. The robot just goes on and on, as a human being you can’t keep that up. With Xcelerate, the work continues even when the lights are out”.
Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S: ideal for high-mix, low-volume applications
For which type of products is Xclerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S ultimately the most suitable? Promatrix indicates to base the choice on geometry and batch size. Schalkwijk: “However, the choice soon turns to full, six-sided machining if the product falls within the dimensions for the centric vise. With this system it simply runs from A to Z. That is certainly advantageous with a long run time. This means that you can also continue working at night”. Compared to pallethandling, for example, Xcelerate X20 | R-C2 | 6S requires less clamping equipment. R-C2 is universal and can be used for different types of products (and therefore smaller series). It is high-mix/low-volume par excellence!
Collaboration with Cellro
The collaboration between Promatrix and Cellro has been close from the outset. “Cellro is the right partner for companies that aren’t yet overly familiar with automation. The companies receive very good support to help make automation a success.”