DESIGN OF A STAMPING SECTION USING INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS.

The technological process for stamping parts consists of forming the cover blank from metal strips on a K18. 097 drawing press, trimming on a KD2126 press, and punching of 30 holes using a two-station press tool on a KD2322 press. The operations are simple and require repetitive movements which enable automation using comparatively simple industrial robots. The drawing operation requires feeding of an annealed and greased metal strip into the working zone of the press tool. The waste metal after the drawing, trimming, and punching operations also has to be removed. When all these operations are integrated into an automatic production line with a single technological cycle it is also necessary to arrange for automatic movement of the blank from each press to the next. Moreover, the presence of a two-station press tool for the punching operation necessitates the storage of two blanks on an intermediate table followed by simultaneous transportation of both blanks into the punching zone. A description is presented of the robot-based production line whose design involves the minimum number of movements of the robot mechanisms and facilitates easy observation of the working of the line by the operator.