October 2019

37 www.drivesncontrols.com October 2019 Wade Ceramics’automated production cells combine modern technology with traditional manufacturing processes to boost output, and improve quality and consistency maximum speed,”Miles explains. “To ensure that the robot stays within the target Takt time, the system tracks the position of the flagons as they enter the foot- wiping cell, allowing the robot to pick up each flagon squarely. “Similarly, once the flagon base has been wiped, the robot places the finished unit in a specific location on the kiln batt on the out-feed conveyor, enabling it to get into position to accept the next flagon as quickly as possible.” A further complication was the capability of the cell to include an extra step required for non-refillable flagons. The robot had to remove a temporary plastic cap shield from the top of the flagon as it left the glazing machine, and before it was placed onto the kiln batt. Thorough testing by Wood, together with the accuracy and speed of the robot, have resulted in both the foot- wiping process and removal of the plastic caps for non-refillable flagons being performed within the target cycle time. A further benefit, as a result of the improvements delivered by the robotic foot-wiping process, is that the flagon reject rate has dropped to just 1.5%. Because Wade’s production continues 24 hours per day and seven days a week, it had to ensure that the new automated cells would not affect its operations. Wood built all four of the cells at its Northampton site and, working with Wade Ceramics’ engineering team, it tested the systems extensively to ensure they would be ready for operation soon after being installed in Stoke. “The complexity of this project, coupled with the need to get the automated system up-and-running as quickly as possible once it was installed, meant carrying out thorough testing to ensure any initial problems were ironed out,”Miles explains. “As a result, we were able to install everything on site within a brief two-week shutdown with production being ramped up as the system became fully operational.” Stuart Shickell, Wade Ceramics’ head of engineering, is happy with the results of the automation project. “The methods that we use, together with the design of our production process and the improved performance achieved through our use of automation, enables us to produce around 3.5 million flagons per year – more than any of our competitors – whilst maintaining the very highest standards of product quality,” he reports. “We now have the best of both worlds, using automation and robots to boost our efficiency whilst maintaining the traditional hand-crafted look and feel of our products that is core to our reputation.” n | TS12-04E | TwinSAFE System-integrated and with logic in all components PC-based Control One control platform for all machine functions Integrated automation and safety on a single platform: TwinSAFE www.beckhoff.co.uk/TwinSAFE As a specialist in PC-based control technology, Beckhoff offers in TwinSAFE the possibility of the complete system integration of an open and highly-flexible safety solution. Integration in the central automation platform gives rise to homogeneous machine concepts with a direct safety connection to PLC, motion control, measurement technology, IoT and Vision. With Beckhoff, machine and plant developers can make use of a comprehensive portfolio that covers all software and hardware safety components. End customers obtain machines with a holistic, highly scalable control solution and benefit at the same time from reduced costs for safety integration.