Not much can feel more distressing than a mistake made on your assembly line; they’re costly and drain precious time being productive as you work to correct the error and ensure it does not repeat itself.
As part of Atlas Copco’s Quality Integrated Fastening (QIF) concept, complete error-proofing stations can be built on your assembly line by using a combination of the advanced fastening tools offered by Atlas Copco alongside a variety of hardware and software components. Stations are completely customizable, but they have two main things in common: raising productivity and ensuring products being produced on your assembly line are quality and error-free every time.
The unmatched power of the Power Focus 8
On your journey to creating the Smart Factory, Atlas Copco is there to assist you every step of the way. As a part of our Smart Integrated Assembly solutions, our advanced controllers, among other solutions, provide users with intuitive monitoring and Station Control of tightening operations using our assembly tools. With these advanced control options, managing assembly and ensuring quality becomes straightforward. The system’s operator guidance feature will guide your operators through the assembly process, helping to avoid or eliminate errors that could lead to costly quality issues later on.
The Power Focus 8 (PF8), like its predecessor, the Power Focus 6000, serves as the centerpiece of the PF Ecosystem and has the ability to connect any cable or battery tool from our wide range, giving you one controller platform for all your assembly needs. The PF8 supports multiple tools via virtual stations, enabling operation from a single controller with various tightening settings. It offers advanced tightening strategies for enhanced ergonomics and error-proofing, and it includes software that further optimizes the production process.
Added programming software: ToolsTalk 2
The updated and improved ToolsTalk 2 programming software makes error-proofing with the Power Focus 8 even easier to manage on your assembly line. Engineers can organize all Power Focus 8 controllers logically to resemble the physical layout of their plant using the Plant Structure feature on ToolsTalk 2. This overview of the plant floor means quickly finding controllers that need an update and ensuring that everything on the floor is running just how it should be.
In addition, Tools Talk 2 uses user authentication, meaning that operators have full traceability of any changes made to their controllers or programs. Rest assured, you will know that approved users are the only ones who can make changes to your programs. Should the need arise, engineers can see a log of every change made, who made it, and even be able to roll back to a previous state.
Enhance assembly error-proofing with ToolsNet 8
ToolsNet 8, used alongside the Power Focus 8, is another component that simplifies error-proofing the assembly process. This reliable and intuitive data collection software is programmed for full traceability, statistical analysis, root cause analysis, and proactive response to defect scenarios within your production environment. Using ToolsNet 8 with the Power Focus 8 controller ensures engineers that their plant produces quality products by evaluating torque traces to determine the quality of a finished product. This way, ToolsNet 8 allows you to gather data and conduct proactive data analysis to continually improve your processes, leading to reduced rework, increased quality, and optimal uptime.
Future-ready with Avantguard’s advanced features
Avantguard is also a part of our portfolio of Station Controlled products and solutions, the second of five steps in our Smart Integrated Assembly concept. It is Atlas Copco’s error-proofing platform, developed to create, control, and visualize assembly processes while streamlining operations by connecting to shop-floor devices, including Atlas Copco's tightening tools, handheld battery tools, wrenches, and multi-spindle controllers, ensuring that tools activate only when necessary and with the correct parameters.
With Avantguard’s ability to connect to many devices, it offers enhanced operational efficiency and real-time insights. It detects errors and professionally guides operators through critical tasks such as repair processes to transform your assembly process. With this ultimate web-based software solution, you will achieve a measurable positive impact on operational uptime and efficiency by reducing defects, resulting in fewer non-conforming products and minimizing costs associated with rework, scrap, or warranty claims. In this way, Avantguard helps to provide process control, flexibility, mobility, and connectivity in your assembly.
Error-proofing made easy
Mistakes made on the assembly line can be a massive blow to your production and to your plant. That’s why we at Atlas Copco believe that supplying controllers, programming tools, and software that rid our customers’ plants of errors is paramount. Our Power Focus 8 was built to, among other things, bring operators the peace of mind that they deserve when it comes to their plant. When used in collaboration with ToolsTalk 2, ToolsNet 8, and Avantguard, error-proofing is brought to an entirely new level, delivering enhanced error-proofing and process control capabilities to ensure your production runs smoothly.
For more information about error-proofing your assembly process, contact us and schedule a demo today.