• [Equipment Detail]

  It is a continuity inspection tool used for a PC extension board manufacturer.

  An air cylinder is used in this application to insert an edge connector on a PC board.

  An operator loads and unloads a PC board to the air cylinder manually.

• [Problems in Using an Air Cylinder]

  
  Since you can’t change speed with air cylinders, you will need to move the entire stroke at the same speed to insert the PC board to the inspection tool. The cycle time is 15 seconds, and the number of work pieces that can be inspected in an 8 hour work day was 1,920 pieces *¹.

  Management decided to increase the production volume of the PC boards to 2,400 pieces per 8 hour shift and to accomplish this, 2 hours *² of over time per day was required.

  
  *¹ (8 * 60 * 60) seconds/ 15 seconds/ piece
  *² (2,400 – 1,920) pieces * 15 seconds/ piece

   

  [Benefits of Replacing with ROBO Cylinder]

  By switching to ROBO Cylinder, this enables them to move at high speed before insertion and then slow down just before the insertion, which lead to a shorter cycle time of 12 seconds. 

  It is now able to finish inspection within the operational hours. Also the reduction of labor cost for overtime work was accomplished.

  The cost spent to replace the cylinder was retrieved in the 1^st year, which resulted in a cost reduction of $9,000 from the 2^nd year.

   

[CT Effects – Reduction in Cycle Time/Choco Tei]