MicroTorque Focus 6000 applied in automated assembly

Low torque assembly is being automated at an unprecedented rate. Manufacturers in low torque operations making small electronics ranging from cell phones to car stereos are seeing opportunities to improve production efficiency and quality by automating assembly processes. The MicroTorque Focus 6000 controller and fixtured QMC tools from Atlas Copco provide an ideal fit for these new automated processes.

The trend toward automation in low torque assembly applications in many cases is being driven by the vision of Industry 4.0, which promotes the machine-to-machine communication now made possible by robots and tool systems like the Atlas Copco MTF6000.

This tooling also provides torque data for every screw that is run, and this data can be exported and analyzed to make informed decisions about production to further improve quality and ergonomics. This type of data-driven decision making is another key theme to the Industry 4.0 philosophy.

MTF6000: The details

Within the MTF6000 is a variety of advanced torque and error-proofing strategies that can be used to error-proof an assembly process, ensuring that the correct torque is applied every time. Additionally, these error-proofing strategies can detect failures such as a missing component, the wrong fastener being used, or if all fasteners in a sequence are not tightened. The newest error-proofing feature present in the MTF6000 is the seating control strategy.

This strategy can detect when a screw has seated, eliminating the possibility of floating screws, which can be a problem that is difficult to detect and often expensive to resolve.

Finally, the QMC tool that connects to the MTF6000 controller is compact, can be mounted in a variety of different positions and is robust, lasting for hundreds of thousands of cycles before needing any maintenance. The combination of size and durability of the QMC spindle makes it ideal for high-demand assembly processes.

Atlas Copco can advise on the tooling side of any application that has the potential to be automated, and provide a full demonstration of the MicroTorque Focus 6000 controller, to help determine if it’s the right fit for a potential application.

Want to learn more? Contact Atlas Copco today.

Articles Industry 4.0 and the Smart Factory Assembly Tools