Franklin Bronze added an automated wax press to improve productivity to ensure fast delivery of quality investment cast parts. The new auto press generates more patterns per hour resulting in increased throughput.
The new high volume wax press incorporates a robotic mold spray system that is flexible and precise, integrating controls for spray amount and location dependent on part and tool design. The robotic system within the auto press can be pre-programmed and run on demand, the first of its kind.
With two auto wax presses in-house, operators can continuously run parts engineered for auto tooling, doubling capacity while utilizing one employee. As an example of the increased efficiency, production previously manufactured 200 pieces of a specific part in two shifts and now produces 300 of that same part in one shift. “Make the presses do the work, not the operators,” explains Anthony Haag, Wax Room Supervisor.
In the near future, core pull technology will be introduced which will allow for automation of part retrieval. The machine will automatically pull the tooling apart, remove the part and reassemble the tooling without operator intervention. This will allow complex tooled parts with multiple components to be manufactured in a considerably shorter time frame than before. The quick removal of each part is not as hard on the tooling and results in little to no tooling maintenance vs. a manual wax operation.
According to Operations Manager, Chris Barber, “We do whatever it takes to start the process with a quality part to ensure product flows through our processes and exceeds the customer’s expectations”.
Franklin Bronze Precision Components continues to expand its automation techniques and adapt further to industry 4.0 through capital improvement projects that allow for future growth and continued efficiencies.
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