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Session 3663

Design and Implementation of an Automated Cell for Injection Molding

Winston F. Erevelles Robert Morris College

Abstract

The current paper describes a senior-level course in Robotics taught by the author at Kettering University in the Spring session of 1999. The course was taught in project form and dealt with the design and implementation of an automated manufacturing cell for molding, unloading, and degating injection molded parts. The class had 11 students majoring in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Applied Mathematics. Salient points of this paper include the original concept of laboratory integration for deeper understanding of the subject matter, the funding process, faculty collaboration, student grant proposals to obtain equipment needed for the project, and the design and integration of cell components.

I. Introduction

The manufacturing engineer of today and the coming century needs to be an individual with a variety of technical and interpersonal skills. S/he will serve her/his community in diverse roles as technical specialists, operations integrators, and enterprise strategists. What industry needs from its graduate engineers is the ability to thrive in environments that are characterized by people working in multifunctional interdisciplinary teams1.

At Kettering University this approach began a few years ago with various faculty members working to integrate their laboratories and the curriculum. The primary driver for this initiative was the provision of a seamless curriculum to the student body in contrast to the traditional approach where learning is often experienced in fragmented fashion. Grants from the National Science Foundation were instrumental in obtaining some of the equipment used for this method. Two of the laboratories that welcomed this change were the Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) and Polymer Processing facilities.

The CIM laboratory features material handling systems such as a Litton AS/RS, a Litton AGV, and conveyors from Bosch and Flex-link. The sixteen material handling, assembly, and process robots include manufacturers such as Fanuc, Adept, Unimation, Seiko, IBM, and Mitsubishi. Industrial grade CNC equipment includes a Kryle VMC-500 vertical machining center and a Mazak Quick Turn 8 turning center along with three Denford benchtop machining/turning

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Erevelles, W. F. (2000, June), Design And Implementation Of An Automated Cell For Injection Molding Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8265