Air Power offers the products from Ingersoll Rands line of production tools.

Counterweight Confusion

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This case study was presented by Baltimore Key Account Manager Lorne Rickert.

Challenge

A counterweight was attached to a turntable before the Hydraulic Motor which “keys” the turntable to the frame, located underneath.  The counterweight caused the turntable to rotate until it was so far off balance that the Turntable with Counterweight fell off the Frame, coming to a rest about 2’ from a Team Member!  This posed a significant safety hazard, as well as, assembly frustration to the onsite engineering team.

Air Power Solution

Air Power utilized an Ingersoll Rand QX Power Tool and Sturtevant Richmont Digital Wrench to positively confirm that all of the tightening’s have been completed before the Counterweight can be installed.

Results

Air Power’s Engineering Team, Michael John and Jesse Bryant, designed a “Lifting Sling Lock” device that will not release the lifting sling for the counterweight until the Tightening’s are complete – a Poke Yoke control to insure safety.  This “Lifting Sling Lock” is utilized in conjunction with the I/O output of the Ingersoll Rand QX and the STR Digital Wrench, thus eliminating the safety hazard of a dropped counterweight.  The Lifting Sling Lock will only unlock once all tightening have been positively confirmed, removing a safety hazard and improving overall production quality.

Counterweight Confusion

 

 

Ingersoll Rand – Makes it Easy

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One of the main causes of injury in a manufacturing facility is due to lifting heavy objects. In this case study, Air Power helps a customer eliminate the risk of injury with an Ingersoll Rand custom monorail lifting system.

 

Challenge

 

A local machinery manufacturer has had issues finding a suitable solution to include as part of their OEM machinery builds. They had a history of using electrical hoists and I beam trolleys which have not been well received by their end-users. The previous offerings by others were hard to maneuver and difficult to position the load for final placement.

 

Air Power Solution

 

Air Power proposed an Ingersoll Rand Zimmerman rail system, which are easily adaptable, cost-effective and easy to use. We designed a system for them that included 4 individual monorails with rigid mount hanger kits to increase clearance and ZAW air balancers with pendant controls for load lifting and proper part positioning.  The solution allows each of the 4 sides of their machine to be covered from end to end.

 

Results

 

The proposed solution provided the necessary benefits including:

  1. The ZRA1 monorails utilized minimum push/pull forces, allowing ergonomics on the operator and ease of use.
  2. For future integrations, the individual monorails provide an easily adaptable solution, should the OEM design change over time.
  3. The aluminum profile ZRA1 provided a reduction in solution weight.
  4. The ZAW air balancers allow the end-user to position the load close to its final destination then use the “float” of the balancer for final (and exact) placement of the part; further enhancing the user experience.

Assemble Faster with IR DC Tools

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The assembly process in manufacturing plants typically is the largest drain on human labor resources.  Anything that can be done to speed up that assembly process is critical.  Especially, if it creates a reduction of labor and increased throughput, and increased quality in the final product.

 

Customer

A Global supplier of compression molded plastic parts to tier 1 automotive, Heavy Truck and bus, Heavy equipment, marine, reactional vehicle manufacturers.

 

Challenge

This company has 3 work cells installing multiple fasteners into door panels for Tier 1 automotive.  They were using two tools per station (One DC, One pneumatic) and manually inserting and driving to torque 3 fasteners.  This resulted in 3, 8-hour shifts of assembly 5-6 days a week to meet production demands.  With this process, torque values were not being collected and there was no assurance of quality.  Resulting in inconsistent quality, frequent rework, and often rejected batches of parts.

 

Air Power’s Solution

Air Power, Inc. in Partnership with Design Tool Inc. (DTI) proposed a solution utilizing both Ingersoll Rand DC Tools and DTI screw feeders.  This would reduce Takt time thanks to the DTI screw feeders and assure consistent torque values and alert if there was an issue from bad fasteners,cross-threading, etc.

 

DC Tool System with Screw feeder

Result

Utilizing the DC tools along with the DTI Screw Feeders we were able to dramatically reduce takt time, increase quality, and dramatically reduce the amount of labor needed to meet production demands.

  • Labor was reduced from (3) 8-hour shifts running 5-6 days a week to (1) shift 4 days a week.
  • First Pass quality increased by 80%
  • Rework is almost non-existent because any defects in fasteners or torque are corrected or captured in the work cell instead of at the end-user or in the quality department.

 

 

 

Ergonomics Meets Dispense

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Assembly solutions often require an array of different equipment to get the desired result. In this case study, Air Power was able to design a fully ergonomic dispense solution for this customer.

 

Customer

 

Manufacturer of HVAC Equipment

 

Challenge

 

This customer was planning an expansion that included adding 2 additional assembly lines for panel foaming. They wanted to have a more robust Gantry System, contrary to solutions discussed previously with other distributors. Air Power’s ability to integrate the Material Handling portion of this project along with the Dispense/Fluid Management system allowed us to be the sole solution provider the customer was able to find through the initial quoting phase. After digging into the project, the customer realized our potential and requested the Mix, Meter, and Dispense System to supply two separate assembly lines, thus adding more complexity to both portions of the MOVE project. Factors like pressure loss, high-pressure piping, distance, ergonomics were key when bringing this project from theory to paper to real life.

 

Air Power Solution

Our team was able to design a custom solution that utilizes a Unified Dual Cantilever Overhead Rail System, paired with a Hennecke High-Pressure Metering Machine designed to dispense the full range of rigid foams and flexible foams. This dispense system controls 2 mix heads to fill panels with a Polyurethane Foam on 2 assembly lines. This system pumps the foam through high-pressure hoses mounted overhead with an Ingersoll Rand Suspension Balancer and Z-Servo Balance Control.

 

Ergonomics Meet Dispense

Results

This system has the ability to have cross-lateral movement spanning the entire workstation, pump foam throughout the 1000+ feet of piping/hoses, ergonomically sufficient enough to navigate the 100lbs mix heads North, South, East, West with minimal effort, and produce foam with the touch of a button. We were able to deliver all of the key factors with a combination of our vendor support, customer communication/guidance, and our internal resources to deliver a unique one-of-a-kind turnkey solution!

 

Ergonomics

 

Ergonomics_HVAC_ASSEMBLY

Ergonmics Dispense Assembly Solution

 

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Ergonomics Meets Dispense

Ingersoll Rand Ergonomics Reduce Injury Risks

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One of the most common workplace injuries reported is muscle strain due to repetitive motion.  Manufacturers are seeking ergonomic material handling solutions to reduce the risk of injury for operators. In this case study, Air Power proposed a solution that successfully eliminated the risk of injury for these robotic machining cell operators.

Challenge

 

This customer had dealt with various injuries due to the operators handling parts of various sizes/weights while loading and unloading parts onto automated infeed/outfeed conveyors on robot machining cells. Hand and finger injuries were commonly reported, as well as various back injuries. The customer required a solution that was safe and easy for operators to use. The solution needed to be located out of the way of forklift traffic and out of the work area of the cell so as not to impede on the operator’s workspace. They needed a device with the ability to grasp multiple sized parts without hassle. This solution also required a system that was low maintenance, durable, with low compressed air usage.

Air Power Solution

 

Ergonomics

Air Power proposed an Ingersoll Rand column mounted with a 10ft reach and articulating arm. This system mounts out of the work cell yet reaches into the work cell to reach the work area for loading and unloading. It includes an integrated 500lb air balancer for lifting/lowering with the ability to adjust both the lifting and lowering speed to dial in the exact application. This device features low rotational inertia for ease of use and improved ergonomics for the operator, low maintenance, low CFM usage per cycle.

This Custom Air Power/Ingersoll Rand Manipulator is made of heavy steel for durability with pistol grip controls and a dummy handle for ease of use and maneuverability. It includes single-hand controls for lifting/lowering of the device & clamping/unclamping of parts, safety interlock that is load sensing to prevent parts from being dropped once elevated off the work surface, V-shaped movable jaws to allow clamping of various sized parts, padded jaws to prevent damage to machined surfaces, and requires little to no maintenance.

 

 

 

ErgonomicsErgonomics

 

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Gema Meets the Challenge

Ingersoll Rand Improves Ergonomics

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Manufacturing facilities in today’s competitive market strive to reduce the ergonomic impact of their operators. In this case study, we will discuss the importance of recognizing every company’s desire to improve ergonomics and reduce injuries.

Customer

A global manufacturer, producing products for the heavy truck and bus industry.

Challenge

Operators were manually lifting 40-150lb truck hubs and rotors to palletize for their shipment to their end-users. The operators were refusing to use their current lifting method as it was slow and delayed their production during the days shift resulting in reduced throughput per operator per shift.

Air Power’s Solution

We proposed they moved to a single large floor supported structure with multiple bridges, air balancers, and welded end effectors. This allowed multiple operators to use a single structure with each having their own ”bay” containing a bridge, balancer, end effector combo. This gave everyone the room they needed to load pallets as well as the lifting method that allowed the ergonomic impact to be reduced while still allowing the productivity of the manual lifting application. The air balancers’ speed and the pendant control allowed the operators to move at the speed they deemed fit for each application and individual operator preference.

Result

Currently, we have installed 5 large lifts in this facility with more now being planned at their sister facilities, leading to many overall ergonomic improvements.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics - Ingersoll Rand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gema Meets the Challenge

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High Performance. High Quality.

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Quality control and consistent finish were big goals for a manufacturer of ceramics. This case study delves into how Air Power put together a multifaceted solution to meet this customers finishing needs.

CUSTOMER

This customer is a manufacturer of ceramic products.

CHALLENGE

The customer was operating on an outdated system with no quality control measures in place. There were no gauges to regulate the air and fluid pressure of the system. There was not a way to manage the quality of the finish during the paint process. The system had one huge hose bundle with no way to identify which fluid was delivered via each hose. The only operator who could manage the system was nearing retirement.

SOLUTION

Air Power installed a paint system with a control panel that allowed for individual control of each automated spray gun. This system included large liquid filled gauges for display of air and fluid pressures to allow the customer to manage the system. Our engineers designed a system with neatly organized, color coded hoses for each gun to simplify production management. This allowed new operators to easily perform maintenance on the paint line.

RESULTS

The system changes made succeeded in simplifying this system. This has made it easier for all the operators to learn how to manage, operate, and maintain the paint line. The control panel gave the customer a simple, safe way to start and stop seperate spray guns during the process. This has allowed the customer to control the paint process and usage of paint. This opened the door for more focus on quality control and saved paint and production time.

 

Ceramic Manufacturer

 

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High Performance. High Quality.

Clamping with QX

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Manufacturing defects are expensive and removing these errors prior to equipment leaving the production floor is an achievable result when utilizing the proper assembly equipment.  In the below case study, implementing proper tooling resulted in a significant reduction in warranty, service work, and recalls.

Customer

A global manufacturer of grain and sugar cane harvesters located within the Southeastern United States.

 

Challenge: Warranty, Service Work, and Recalls

During the manufacturing process; a sub assembly cell was responsible for proper tightening of fluid hose clamps.  The specified torque and angle of these hose clamps was not being achieved by current in plant tooling.  This failure was a direct result of joint conditioning and relaxation associated with the hose clamp tightening process.  In order to confirm clamps were properly tightened a manual QC measure was put into place in order to catch the issue prior to units leaving for in field use.   However, manual processes are reliant on operator execution and improperly tightened units continued to leave the production floor incorrect.  This issue was exaggerated once units reached final destinations for use within the field, as inadequate torqued hose clamps, were continuing to loosen causing costly warranty, recall, and infield technician repairs.

Air Power’s Solution

In partnership with the customer, Air Power implemented an Ingersoll Rand QX Precision fastening System. The hand held, battery operated, transducerized tooling solution provided an accurate final torque, while providing the operators with tightening status feedback, actual torque values, and 1,200 rundowns of tightening data for review.  A proper torque strategy was developed allowing the hose clamp to be properly torqued, relaxed (conditioned), then final torqued; all within a single trigger pull delivered by the operator.  The need for a manual QC measure was removed as the torque data was verified, tracked, and retained by the manufacturing facility for spot check and validation.

 

Ingersoll Rand QX Series Right Angle Wrench

Result

Currently, thirteen (13) right angle tools are being utilized within this facility allowing production to reach new heights of process control.  Proper tightening of the hose clamps, torque data retention, and date/time stamping have reduced warranty, service work, and those costly infield technician repairs.  The Air Power solution ensures that product leaving the production floor is assembled correctly, the first time.

 

 

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Clamping with QX

Ergonomics and Quality Control to New Heights

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Manufacturers of passenger transportation systems make every effort to exceed in safety intelligence within the industry. This case study demonstrates safety improvements, as well as, operator ergonomic advantages, in an effort to decrease facility liability.

Customer

 
Manufacturer of vertical transportation systems.

Challenge

 
Operators manually load and unload valves utilizing an older pneumatic torque tool. The current tool utilized within production was non-shut off and provided no verification of installation. The operator was responsible for assuming the proper socket and torque combination capable for a successful installation. The inability to measure torque accurately resulted in an inconsistent quality of final product with no verification that it was done properly. In addition, this application proved labor intensive and was the cause of concern for operator safety and ergonomics.

Solution

 
Air Power implemented a custom Ingersoll Rand DC Electric Assemble tool, integrated into a GCI torque reaction arm, with a pneumatic clamping fixture omitting operator strain and removal before completion. Custom sockets were provided to insure precise fit.  The custom fixtured Ingersoll Rand DC Electric tool was coupled with a front end Norbar Multiplier producing actual real time torque verification and discreet I/O output, which was coupled with an Air Power provided PLC to monitor torque and track data usage.

 

 

Results

 

The solution realized by Air Power created a torque verified product that allowed for a safer work environment and smoother process for the operator. All build requirements can now be monitored, tracked and viewed through a transparent build as a result of system implementation.

 

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Ergonomics and Quality Control to New Heights