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Automotive

Client Goal: To develop reliable automation for a critical process required to manufacture new diesel particulate filters

Key Technical Developments Required:

  • Develop mechanical techniques and custom equipment for dispensing ceramic paste uniformly into the grid pattern of diesel particulate filters.
  • Develop machine vision software used for robotic control to accommodate significant variations in diesel particulate filter size and geometry.
  • Develop a robotic handling technique for non-uniform diesel particulate filters.

Project Execution:

Since 2001 an alternating series of R&D and equipment build projects have led to successive generations of dispensing equipment, machine vision techniques, and robotic systems.

Results:

A first generation machine is in operation in the U.S. to support the client?s internal development and marketing. Next generation equipment is in operation in Europe as a part of the client?s pilot facility. Production machinery in quantity is currently under construction.

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Electronics

Client Goal: To reduce costs through enhanced automation and larger batch sizes for the manufacturing of capacitors

Key Technical Developments Required:

  • Develop an innovative process layout, including material handling, which accommodates specifications for polymerization and in addition increases production throughput.
  • Provide a precise and repeatable polymer coating to the capacitor substrate in a NEC Class 1, Div 1 environment.

Project Execution:

This project was divided into two phases, executed over a period of 12 months, included concept development and analysis and the design and development of production modules.

Results:

Each module was designed, built, and verified operational. Testing was performed to evaluate key quantitative performance criteria. All modules performed according to the process specification and are installed for customer use in a pilot facility.

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Agriculture

Client Goal: To reduce costs of commercial greenhouse production of floral plants using modified cultural practices and automation

Key Technical Developments Required:

  • Develop a robotic mechanism to grasp delicate plant cuttings (e.g. geraniums and poinsettias) and reliably insert them into a propagation medium at production rates.
  • Design and build a material handling system that sorts cuttings into grades and transfers graded product to various propagation lines.

Project Execution:

This was a twelve month project conducted as a follow-up to proof of concept work previously done by one of Adaptive Equipment?s founders and was partially supported by an SBIR grant.

Results:

Prototypes of all components were designed, built, and refined. A pilot scale machine was designed and built that incorporated all tasks required from moving singulated cuttings through grading lanes to sticking cuttings into propagation media and exiting filled trays. The machine concepts were not put into production at present due to manual production remaining less costly.

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