Overview | Challenges | Solution | Insights
Challenges faced in production
Despite a wide-reaching trend toward automation in large-scale assembly operations, manufacturing remains manual to a large extent. With increasing product mixes, constant demand for shorter cycle times and high quality and safety requirements, the need for flexibility in production is high. At the same time operators must ensure that the right bolts are assembled on the right products, with the right torques and in the right sequences.
To safeguard quality in production, this calls for a bolt-level positioning system that allows for sequence tightening, visual operator guidance and multiple tightening programs. It calls for a system that improves quality and reduces defects and rework costs.
Increased flexibility in production with Industrial Location SpotPoint 2.0
Industrial Location SpotPoint 2.0 is a unique and wireless bolt-level positioning system designed to help you reduce tightening errors in your line. The error-proofing systems ensures that the right torque is applied – right down to individual bolt level.
- How do you make sure that your tools operate on the right bolt with the right torque?
- How do you help the operator in knowing what to tighten next?
- How do you prevent the operator from making an error?
Through vision technology, ILS 2.0 answers to these challenges. It captures the full value of battery and low reaction tools, exceeding the current industry need for flexibility, efficiency, and freedom in production processes.
How does Industrial Location 2.0 work?
The ILS 2.0 cameras track the position of the tool in use.
Typical applications for ILS 2.0 are battery assembly for electric vehicles, as well as for powertrain, offroad engine, and seats assembly. The system can be used on multiple station process types, for example stop stations, repair stations and even continuous moving lines. The error-proofing solution can be used with handheld or fixtured tools and is compatible with most Atlas Copco controllers. In addition, it easily adapts to different configurations, for example sockets, and it no longer requires a smart arm for bolt-level error-proofing.
How operator guidance works
Here we see an example of how ILS 2.0 works together with basic operator guidance. When the tool is not in the right position, it remains locked. The exact position of the tool can be seen as the crosshair on the screen. The operator sees the blue-marked bolt, which is where the operator needs to do the next tightening. ILS 2.0 can distinguish and read bolt positions up to 10 mm apart.
When the operator moves to the right position in the tightening sequence, the crosshair turns blue meaning the tool is enabled, and the operator can perform the tightening and know that it’s being done in the right position and with the right parameters.
