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Automatic Screwdriving

Why Invest in screwdriving automation?

Automating screwdriving processes is an efficient way to improve the profitability of your operations and the availability of your products, for example in electronics manufacturing, medical technology, and construction. Because driving screws is usually a very simple operation, process automation is easy and cost-efficient.

Pneumacon imports high-quality Deprag screwdriving automation applications, valued by professionals. The equipment ranges from handheld screw feeders to fully automated assembly lines.

Download free guide about benefits of screwdriving ›

Download guide about benefits of screwdriving technology

Screwdriving technology offers several different options for facilitating and speeding up the work as well as improving quality.

1. Designing Screwdriving Automation

Designing and implementing screwdriving automation is always dependent on the customer, and the product selections are tailored to fit their particular needs and products, and the demands set by the components. When designing an automation solution, you should consider at least these:

  1. What is the purpose of the screwdriving solution?
  2. What are the measurements of the screws used?
  3. What is the torque needed and wanted to attain?
  4. How is the screwdriving operation performed?

Download guide about benefits of screwdriving technology »

A fully automated screwdriving line is possible to tailor for your operations using Deprag solutions.

A fully automated screwdriving line is possible to tailor for your operations using Deprag solutions.

Download guide about benefits of screwdriving technology

Screwdriving technology offers several different options for facilitating and speeding up the work as well as improving quality.

2. Save Work Time, Make Quality Constant, and Enhance Productivity

The most obvious benefit of screwdriving automation is saving work time. By automating screwdriving you can cut the time reserved for the operation at least in half, and it is possible to save up to 70 percent of work time compared to picking and driving the screw manually. During a working day of a single employer it can easily mean several hours saved.

Deprag screwdriving automation solutions are top of the line.

Deprag screwdriving automation solutions are top of the line. By automating screwdriving you can speed up production processes of several kinds of products and thus grow your production capacity. Automation also enhances both delivery reliability and overall profitability.

When you want to minimise product errors and guarantee production quality, selecting the right kind of screwdriving system is crucial. The end result is always more constant using screwdriving automation than manual screwdriving. Even compared to the most thorough workers, the machine is less prone to errors every time.

When the torque and tolerance wanted are set for the material at hand, the automated screwdriver handles every screw precisely according to the right values. That warrants that every product made is fit for sale, there are less reclamations, and brand reliability is enhanced.

When competition in your business is hard, even a small saving is significant. It may enable you to keep prices lower, and increased production capability will surely affect your bottom line positively.

Screw It – 5 Good Reasons to Go Automatic ›

3. Less Repetitive Work, Better Ergonomy, More Energy

Repetitive tasks and difficult static positions are the most common causes of physical strain at work. There don’t have to be heavy loads to lift or constant hard work to cause strain, if the stress is on the same side of the body all the time.

Pain induced by bad work ergonomy can be alleviated by screwdriving automation technology.

Pain induced by bad work ergonomy can be alleviated by screwdriving automation technology.

Strain usually causes prolonged musculoskeletal disorders, time off from work, and problems in work quality and efficiency. Industrial assembly line work is precisely the kind of repetitive work mentioned, and it is usually performed in difficult positions. Automated screwdriving solutions offer a precious helping hand.

Compared to traditional tools, pneumatic and electrical screwdrivers make work immensely smoother, and full screwdriving automation takes an even bigger step further, all the way to fully automated assembly lines.

Both manual and fully automated screwdriving solutions would be very valuable for example in the electronics industry, industrial carpentry, and door and window manufacturing industries, but lack of knowledge on screwdriving technology often prevents from implementing new solutions.

However, more and more industries have started to see the benefits of automation, and it has become a clear competitive advantage, also for employee well-being and work ergonomics.

Get to know Deprag’s feeding systems for handheld screwdriving tools ›

4. Screwdriving Automation Solutions Always Based on Customer Needs

Tailored screwdriving solutions enable handling tools ergonomically and significantly ease the strain on the workers. The solutions eliminate the rotational motion causing strain and lessen the need to hold up the screwdriver, which causes constant static stress on the upper body.

Another important factor in easing strain is that there is less need to hold the tool up. Holding the screwdriver causes constant static strain on hands and shoulders, especially when the screwdriving operation motion is vertical.

Automating repetitive mechanical operations makes work more meaningful.

Automating repetitive mechanical operations makes work more meaningful.

Screwdriving is also tedious, and an assembly line worker may have to drive even hundreds of screws in succession, which gets tiresome after a while. By utilising automation, the work performed by humans gets more versatile and challenging, while routine manual work makes way for cooperation with machines.

When ergonomy and the meaningfulness of work is enhanced by implementing screwdriving automation, it has a positive impact on work precision and effectiveness, with no exceptions – and also with sick leaves, product quality, and the amount of reclamations.

The Automation Process can be implemented with screw feeding, the screwdriving itself, and all other operations needed. Automated screwdriving line consists of screwdriving units that include modules to be equipped with all necessary tools and pieces.

Screwdriving solutions are tailored for customers according to sizes and necessary features. Even partial automation is a great way to enhance production – for example screw feeding can be automated while the screwdriving operation on the station is handled manually.

Screwdriving Technology Improving Work Ergonomics ›

“Pneumacon provides high-quality screwdriving solutions for our production lines, fully automated screwdrivers with screw feeders. In practice, the solution from Pneumacon is attached to a wood industry production line that we deliver for our own customer.”

Simo Leiviskä

project manager, Kivioja Engineering Oy

5. Deprag Screw Feeding Automation

When the number of screws driven on a single workstation surpasses 100,000 pieces a year, screw feeding automation is a sensible solution. The device helps in handling the screws and speeds up the operation. The same feeder can feed either one or two screwdrivers. Minimum size requirements must be taken to notice on the screws.

Deprag screw feeding unit is a reliable accessory.

Deprag screw feeding unit is a reliable accessory.

  • Applicable for screws, plug taps, pins, and various different parts.
  • Manufactured in vibratory and sword (segment) models in different sizes.
  • Parts move from the feed bowl to the separator, or in pick & place applications through a feedhose to a pick-up point.
  • The length of the feeding tube is usually 2–5 meters, but depending on the screw it can be even 10–15 meters long.

 

Deprag automated feeding units combine manual screwdriving with a feeding system including an integrated control device. You can also attach other accessories according to your needs.

As a general rule for the feedability of a screw is that the shaft of the screw must be 2 millimeters longer than the diameter of the screw head. If screws are shorter, their feedability must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

An automated feeding system can feed screws for several screwdrivers, if takt time allows. In that case, a distributor is installed after the feed bowl to guide the screw to the driver desired. Maximal feed rate of a feed bowl is approximately 45 screws a minute, depending on the type of screw.

Screwdriver Function Modules are designed to be assembled either statically or for example in X/Y axis or to a robot. The unit includes an automated screwdriver (pneumatic or electric), parts needed for feeding, a screwdriver plus necessary cylinders, feedhoses, and sensors.

The units are always tailor-made to the demands set by the product. If needed, they can also be used for upside-down screwdriving.

Vibratory bowl

 

  • Screws travel on a rail to the separator.
  • The bowl is on for a few seconds after the screwdriving.
  • Can be used for two separate screwdrivers, with both having their own separators but sharing a feed bowl.
  • Screws are fed through a feed hose to the screwdriver, either pneumatic, electric.

Sword (Segment) Feeder

 

  • The feeder picks up a handful of screws that flow to the separator.
  • A great application for example for painted screws that would be damaged in a vibratory bowl.

6. Deprag Screwdriver Function Modules

Screwdriver Function Modules are the basis of screwdriving automation. The units are built from modules that can be chosen according to the features necessary and fitted with the screwdriver of choice.

The units include tip pieces needed for screw feeding, cylinders for moving the screwdriver, and linear guide rails and sensors.

Deprag Screwdriver Function Modules are designed to enable speedy operations and maintenance. Due to the modular construction, the unit can be assembled quickly to meet customer needs.

Watch a video on Deprag screwdriver function modules ›

Deprag screwdriver function modules are a strong basis for an automated process.

7. Tailored Screwdriving Automation Solutions

Screwdriving stations are tailored according to size, and product and customer-based needs, and fitted with different accessories. Available as inline models or independent cells, always designed in accordance to tightest safety regulations.

Screwdriving units are manufactured according to measurements and fitted with different accessories either as inline units or independent cells.

Screwdriving automation is a surprisingly cost-efficient way to enhance productivity.

Screwdriving automation is a surprisingly cost-efficient way to enhance productivity.

Automation speeds up production in many industries, such as:

 

  • electronics, IT, and telecommunications
  • automobile manufacturing
  • aviation technology
  • home appliance manufacturing
  • medical technology
  • machine industry
  • food industry.

Download guide about benefits of screwdriving technology

Screwdriving technology offers several different options for facilitating and speeding up the work as well as improving quality.

“Automation increases the precision of operations. We can also utilise statistics, as the equipment saves the operational data under product serial number: for example, how well the screwdriving process has succeeded with each screw.

That is a guarantee of quality for our end customer, and in possible product reclaim cases we are able to verify the manufacturing process from the beginning to the end.”

More efficiency in Nokia’s base station production through automatic screwdriving solutions ›

Ville Rauman

automation line manager, Nokia Rusko factory

We will gladly tell you more on Deprag automated screwdriving solutions.
Contact us by phone at +358 10 778 1400 or by email at info@pneumacon.fi.