Robot in a housing next to it is a screen with graphics

Electric Drives & Controls

Robot and servo press: Pressing fries, but fast!

Web Editorial Team Editor

08.10.2024 8 min

For the automated assembly of chips for the chemical industry, the Swiss special machine manufacturer Cerasus GmbH has implemented a flexible robot cell. The servo press from Bosch Rexroth integrated into the cell increases productivity, process quality and flexibility in frying assembly.

There is nothing off the shelf in special machine construction. And yet standardized solution packages are a great help to save valuable time in engineering and implementation. Cerasus in Schweizer Steinen simplifies complex assembly tasks with a mechatronic subsystem from Bosch Rexroth for pressing and joining applications. It is supplied ready for installation and can also map measurement functions with the integrated force sensor.
The complete mechatronic package from Bosch Rexroth is used in a cell for the assembly of frits developed on behalf of Cerasus. These are small, cylindrical throttle elements made of metal that are pressed into a sleeve to produce flow limiters for medical and chemical technology.

Flexible robot cell with a six-axis robot and the Smart Function Kit Pressing

The CERAFLEX assembly cell consists of a six-axis robot from Fruitcore Robotics and the Smart Function Kit Pressing, a ready-to-install servo press from Bosch Rexroth, with which different joining processes can be quickly and easily and implement measurement functions. The special feature of the Rexroth solution: The mechatronic subsystem is composed of optimally coordinated, preconfigured individual components and is supplied with pre-installed operating software.

In addition, users have the choice of configuring the Smart Function Kit for pressing and joining applications online using intelligent eTools, design and order or - like Cerasus - design it for specific applications in dialogue with Bosch Rexroth. Both options reduce engineering times. CAD data and documentation can then be downloaded via the online configurator. „For our customer-specific solutions, we value the dedicated and competent engineering support of Bosch Rexroth“, says Gabriel Bösch, Managing Director of Cerasus. „This is not a matter of course in the industry and makes the difference for us.“

On the right side is "Horst", a cobot from Fuitcore, on the left side is the ctrlX Core control from Rexroth in an aluminum frame

Precision work: The servo press based on the Smart Function Kit from Bosch Rexroth (left) presses millimetre-small throttle elements, so-called fries, in metal sleeves (Image: Cerasus GmbH)

The compact CERAFLEX assembly cell with a modular servo press from Bosch Rexroth works autonomously for up to 10 hours (Image source: Cerasus GmbH)

Smart Function Kit: Time-saving and flexible

With the help of the CERAFLEX assembly cell commissioned, Cerasus has automated the previously manual, monotonous frying assembly for its customers. As a result, larger quantities can be produced in less time. In addition to inserting, pressing and measuring, the categorization of the manufactured chokes is now fully automatic. After measuring the flow resistance, an axis robot places the products in different tanks to separate rejects from OK parts and temporarily store chokes with certain measured values for other applications.

Precise, reproducible processes with the modular servo press

Compared to manual frying assembly, the modular servo press from Bosch Rexroth works with significantly higher accuracy and process stability. „The pressing process therefore requires exact values for movement and force“, explains Bösch. Thanks to the integrated function for quality monitoring with force-displacement measurement, Cerasus can analyze the process and continuously improve it. Excessively large tolerances can already be recognized by the starting force to be applied. Faulty parts are thus detected at an early stage and tool damage is avoided.

Annual production in three months Automation

The CERAFLEX cell can work autonomously for up to ten hours and in two-shift operation around the clock. With a cycle time of about one minute, the robot and servo press can now handle the previous annual production in a very short time. In view of this time saving, the manufacturer added a second task to the CERAFLEX cell. For these, Cerasus uses another Smart Function Kit with 12 kN nominal force and correspondingly larger electromechanical cylinder. The rest of the equipment remains unchanged, so that the cell can be converted in half a day. The second press application has an integrated length control. The necessary distance measurement is carried out by means of the force-displacement recording, including the press height.

right in the foreground is "Horst", a cobot from Fuitcore, left behind is the ctrlX Core control from Rexroth in an aluminum frame

In use: millimetre-small throttle elements, so-called frits, are pressed into metal sleeves by the servo press based on the Smart Function Kit from Bosch Rexroth (left) (Image: Cerasus GmbH)

High flexibility due to open control platform ctrlX CORE

The robot cell owes its high degree of automation and productivity on the one hand to the control software developed by Cerasus and on the other to the combination of a flexible servo press and the open control platform ctrlX CORE from Bosch Rexroth. „The Smart Function Kit Pressing was not only the result of its high cost efficiency, but also the simple and quick adjustment of the pressing process,” explains Bösch. „The control platform ctrlX CORE impressed us with an extremely short delivery time and its large range of open interfaces and flexible expansion options through apps, which provides us with a sustainable basis for various projects.”

left Smart Function Kit press the ctrlx control center and right two arms hold a display. The display shows a graphic

Efficient pressing, forming and testing: The Smart Function Kit Pressing is a complete mechatronic package for nominal forces up to 70 kN (maximum force up to 72kN). The pre-installed operating software allows quick and easy commissioning, setup and process monitoring (Image source: Bosch Rexroth AG)

Easy setup of web HMIs

Cerasus programmed modular software for the robot cell, including an HMI interface. „The two-in-one solution is well received by our customer, as it saves space for a separate machine and makes production more flexible,“ reports Bösch. In both cases, the complete system is controlled via the ctrlX CORE control platform and matching ctrlX I/O modules. The CERAFLEX software programmed in CODESYS takes over the interaction of the individual components. The WebIQ HMI also integrates the platform-independent operating software of the Smart Function Kit into the machine overview. With the help of WebIQ, web HMIs for ctrlX AUTOMATION can be created even without extensive programming knowledge - for simple process controls with few displays. The WebIQ app of the ctrlX World Partner Smart HMI runs directly on the ctrlX CORE. The partner network ctrlX World extends the automation toolkit ctrlX AUTOMATION with hardware and new apps and thus offers maximum flexibility.

Author: Markus Geiger

Position: Channel Development Manager Factory Automation in Switzerland

Phone: +41(55)4646-310
Cell: +41(79)4534639
Markus Geiger

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Markus Geiger
Bosch Rexroth AG