Robotic Metal Finishing Solution Automates a Challenging Manual Task
Charter Wire automated wire finishing with a FANUC robot to improve quality, reduce scrap, eliminate a hazardous task, and boost capacity.
Challenges
- Employee safety
- Labor challenges with turnover
- Finish quality
Results
Ability to take on more production work
Quality of weld grind improved
Product rework was eliminated
Scrap rate was reduced
Story
Leading cold rolled and forming manufacturer, Charter Wire is a Tier 1 supplier of engineered shaped wire used in many industrial applications. The family-owned company was looking to automate a manual finishing process where operators removed welds using a handheld five-horsepower air grinder equipped with a coarse stone weighing a total of 30 pounds. This process took about five minutes and was one of the worst ergonomic exposures for Charter Wire employees, many refusing to work on the line and some even quitting because of it.
Charter Wire tapped FANUC ASI Acme Manufacturing to provide an automated robotic metal finishing solution. Acme used a FANUC R-2000iC/270F Robot to integrate a robotic material removal system grinding varying diameters of the steel wire, ranging from 0.90" to 1.75". A flash upset butt weld connects sections together with a large weld burr in the process.
As a result, Charter Wire is achieving a perfect finish every time and has successfully removed a dirty, dull and dangerous task from their manufacturing process. In addition to keeping their employees happy, the automation has helped the company lower scrap rates as well as enabled them to take on more business and meet the demand.
Acme using FANUC robots gave us a high degree of confidence that the robots were going to be able to stand up in our tough environment.
Michael Oyervides Services Manager – Charter WireFANUC Products Used
R-2000iC/270F
The FANUC R‑2000iC/270F is a 6 axis heavy payload material handling robot with 270 kg payload, the strongest robot in the FANUC’s R‑2000 range of robots.
- Max Payload:
- 300 kg
- Reach:
- 2655 mm
Meet Acme Manufacturing, FANUC Authorized System Integrator
Acme has been providing quality tools to the metal finishing industry since 1910. This kind of longevity is unparalleled in the industry and has resulted in an industry-leading wealth of knowledge that makes Acme the preferred supplier across a broad spectrum of industries. Acme has a wide variety of applications within our core solutions that provide our customers with industry-leading technology.
About Charter Wire
Founded in 1936 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Charter Wire has grown into a leading supplier and manufacturer of Engineered Shaped Wire, Cold Finished Bar, and Cold-Headed and Stamped Components to various industries including Automotive, Agriculture, Construction, Consumer, Industrial, and Oil & Gas. With two facilities in Milwaukee, we are well positioned to support our customers with cold rolling and forming manufacturing needs.
