ACTIVITY -> Special machines and special equipment
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF SPECIAL MACHINES AND FIXTURES
Selection of products realised by Mussino
Over the years we have gained a wide experience in several sectors – from the automotive and household appliances sector to machine tools – which has permitted us to develop a significant know-how. We have supplied a wide range of products for industrial automation with customised solutions according to assembly, handling, inspection and special processing requirements. Priority is always given to finding technological solutions that guarantee reliability, long life and little maintenance.
ASSEMBLY LINES
Relay assembly line for automotive applications
Automatic double relay assembly line for automotive industry applications. The feeding of the parts on the rotating table is by means of vibrators.. The parts are fed to the pressing and welding stations by pallets resting on a conveyor belt. Line designed for high production.
Assembly line to fit exhaust gas conveyor into flexible hose
Automatic line with multiple stations for the centring, assembly, clamping and calibration of a conveyor into a flexible hose for car gas exhaust systems. At the end of the process the finished product geometrical dimensions are checked with the identification and separation of any parts that do not conform. The line has a stepped conveyor to pass the part through the different stations and a belt to transfer the finished part to the operator. Line designed for high production.
Assembly line for car gas exhaust parts with wire mesh
Automatic line with multiple stations to fit the wire-mesh on the spiral wound pipe. The double overlaid stations centre and calibrate the part, clamp the wire-mesh on the spiral wound pipe and automatically load and insert the terminal rings. The line has an electro-mechanical transfer trolley with pneumatically controlled grippers to pass the parts through the various stations and then place them on the belt. Designed for high production.
Weaving spindle assembly machine
Automatic machine with linear advance to assemble the springs and insert the buttons on the weaving spindles. The spindles are loaded manually, whereas the springs and buttons are loaded by circular vibrators.
Relays for civilian use assembly machine
Machine to assemble the bracket between the two half-bearings of the relay and subsequent ultrasonic welding. The half-bearings are loaded manually on the conveyor belt and the clips are fed automatically by circular vibrators.
CUTTING LINES AND MACHINES
Laser cutting line for stripwounded flexible hoses
Automatic line with multiple stations that cut the hose, calibrate and assemble it and tack weld it with end sleeves followed by final inspection . The stations are connected to each other by a transfer trolley with pneumatically controlled grippers. The cutting station, fed automatically, uses a CO2 laser system with head that rotates in relation to the part. Designed for high production.
Plasma Machine for pipes Bevel cutting
CNC machine with a 5 axis cutting head that performs the bevel cutting of pipes with diameter from 50 to 300 mm diameter.
Touch screen operator panel for manual programming with possibility of use of parametric figures. Optional connection to CAD/CAM systems.
Possibility to insert automatic loading/unloading of the pipes.
Flying cut machine for tubes
Automatic machine with rotating head to cut stainless steel tubes without leaving burrs. Metal thickness 0,2 mm cut directly in line with the welding. Cutting parameters can be programmed from operator panel, possibility of autonomous feed of pipe to end of coil. Designed for high production.
Manual tube cutting machine
Manually controlled machine to cut thin (0.2-0.3 mm) tubes to measure, without burrs. Various types have been realised for different applications. Designed for medium-low production.
WELDING MACHINES
Disk/wheel rim laser welding machine
Highly innovative machine to execute the welding between disk and wheel rim for automotive applications, using the laser technology instead of the traditional wire welding, with significant advantages for process and product. In fact, the procedure we have developed and patented eliminates the problem of weld splatter and the continual stoppages to clean the torches; it is more easily controlled because the parameters (laser beam emission, welding speed, welding positions, etc) are monitored in real time. Moreover, the welding is more homogeneous (there is no weld material) and there is less heat distortion and mechanical stress. The machine can be fitted with a quality control system, automatic part loading/unloading and can be inserted in already existing lines. Designed for high production.
Solar panel components spot welding machine
Automatic programmable welding machine with two heads, 4 pairs of weld tips to join embossed sheet metal plates of solar panels. The sheet metal handling is by means of a female screw mounted in parallel and driven by brushless motor . Provided with conveyor to evacuate the finished part. Designed for medium-high production.
Roller welding machine for drums
Automatic roller welding machine for 200 litre drums with roller levelling and welding stations. Provided with storage unit and sheet metal loader with “double thickness” control. The welding parameters can be programmed and monitored. Designed for high production (capacity 700 pcs/h with metal thickness 0,8 mm).
Wire mesh roll seam welder on stripwounded flexible tube
Welding machine to join the wire-mesh on the ends of the tube with welding parameters programming rollers pressure and positioning of axes from operator panel. The parts loading and unloading from the welding mandrel is by the operator. Designed for high production.
Roll seam welder to join elbow pipes
Fixed position roll seam welder to join pipe segments that may also have considerable overall dimensions during the part rotation. The welding parameters can be programmed and monitored. Designed for low production but for special items.
Manual spot welder
Manual spot welder with four weld tips on central mandrel for consecutive welding of 2+2 overlaid spots to fasten a pre-inserted ring in a pipe section. The central mandrel acts as locator according to the inner diameter of the first component. The welding parameters can be programmed and monitored. Designed for medium-low production.
CAR WHEEL RIMS MANUFACTURING MACHINES
Disk /wheel rim assembly machine
Automatic machine with multiple stations for pre-clamping of disk in the rim. It executes the angular position of the disk, the angular position of the rim and the final insertion of the two parts. All handling is automatic and interfacing with the production line is provided. Line designed for high production.
Disk /wheel rim laser welding machine
Highly innovative machine that executes the welding between disk and wheel rim for automotive applications using the laser technology instead of the traditional wire welding, with significant advantages for process and product. In fact, the procedure we have developed and patented eliminates the problem of weld splatter and the continual stoppages to clean the torches; it is more easily controlled because the parameters (laser beam emission, welding speed, welding positions, etc) are monitored in real time. Moreover, the welding is more homogeneous (there is no weld material) and there is less heat distortion and mechanical stress. The machine can be fitted with a quality control system, automatic part loading/unloading and can be inserted in already existing lines. Designed for high production.
Weld splatter brushing machine
Automatic machine with rotating table that removes, by means of specific brushes, splatter coming from the disk to rim arc welding process. All handling is automatic and interfacing with the production line is provided. Possibility to insert a welding control station.
ELECTRIC MOTORS MANUFACTURING MACHINES
Stator heads lacing machine
Double head lacing machine for simultaneous lacing of both stator heads of medium-small electric motors with diamond tip. It has a rotating table with two stations for part loading/unloading in masked time.
Stator characteristics:
- outer diameter: max 130 mm.
- inner diameter: min. 35 mm.
- pack height 20 to 150 mm.
It can be fitted with a part automatic loading/unloading device. Designed for high production.
The machine can also be provided with a device for the wire cohesion, a system we have patented that melts the end of the lacing wire to become a single, indissoluble mass with the lacing wire below, so that the knotting operation is no longer necessary (of course the lacing wire has to be heat shrinking type).
Stator bottom slot isolator
Medium-small electric motors stator slot isolator.
Stator characteristics:
- outer diameter: max 205 mm
- inner diameter: 15 to 130 mm
- pack height: 15 to 150 mm
It can be fitted with a part automatic loading/unloading device Designed for high production.
PROCESS AUTOMATION LINES AND MACHINES
Feeding and shears cutting management line
Automatic line to pick-up and transfer sheet metal onto the shears. The overhead movement of the sheet metal is by means of magnets, whereas handing on the bench is ensured by clamps with height programmable on the operator panel. The system cuts in automatic mode with the rotation of the last part to recover the parallelism error caused by the inclination of the blade, as well as managing the alignment of the sheet metal on both sides of the shears so as to have even wear of the blade even in the case of narrow parts. Designed for medium-high production.
Machine for the production of stripwounded flexible tubes
Automatic machine to trim and hem round or polygonal tubes. The hemming rolls can be motorized or idle. Automatic lubrication system in trimming zone and in hemming zone. Designed for high production
Gaskets greasing machine
Machine with multiple stations and central mandrel to grease gaskets for automotive applications. Part loading and orientation is by means of a vibrator. Automatic handling of the part permits greasing of inner and outer diameter, and on both faces. The conveyor belt also acts as buffer for grease solidification before the storage and packing station. Designed for high production.
Nut runner for electric contacts of pre-assembled parts
Electro-mechanically controlled machine to tighten the screw in the terminal. The two parts are fed separately and automatically by circular vibrators. Very fast and compact, designed for high production.
Piston pin drilling machine
Automatic machine with chip removal for drilling operations on metal parts. The machine has been designed with a 12-station rotating table to ensure a high throughput. The parts are fed by circular vibrators.
Rings coining press
Automatic machine with rotating table to flare tube sections by pressing . One station is assigned to marking the parts. The parts are fed by circular vibrators. Designed for high production.
Fatigue test bench
Semi-automatic fixture to simulate the response of flexible parts after axial, lateral or combined stress. The frequency can be programmed, whereas the stroke can be adjusted. Several types have been realised according to the needs of the Customer.
DISK/RIM LASER WELDING PROCEDURE DEVELOPED BY MUSSINO
Experience gained in the automotive sector
The twenty years experience of Mussino in the construction of special machines and special equipment for the automotive sector has permitted the acquisition of specific know-how in the manufacturing process of car wheel rims.
Analysis of the current arc welding process has highlighted the presence of significant inconveniences during the welding between disk and rim (for example use and control of several simultaneous torches, weld splatter, technical process stops for maintenance, etc.).
The prior experience gained in laser technology, with the design and realisation of two automatic systems to cut and weld components for car gas exhaust systems convinced the Company to develop the use of this technology also in the wheel welding process.
Laser technology in disk/rim welding
For some years now studies and test have been carried out for the application of the laser technology for the welding between disk and rim, also as a function to the considerable advantages of this technology:
- more homogeneous welding due to the uniformity of the material (there is no weld material);
- continuous welding parameters control in real time;
- no heat distortion;
- no significant weld splatter;
- considerable reduction in down times for cleaning and maintenance;
- greatly reduced emission of fumes and clean working area.
These studies foresee the positioning of the laser beam on the joint to be welded in a radial manner from the exterior (fig. 1). However, there are some problems, one of which is the need to apply one or more high power laser sources to be able to melt a considerable metal thickness, and the possibility of porosity due to the high development of oil vapours between the walls of the two parts.
Fig. 1) Welding with laser beam focussed in radial direction to the joint (lap welding)
Fig. 2) Welding with laser beam focussed in contact zone between disk and rim (fill welding)
The procedure of Mussino
The procedure developed by Mussino focuses the laser beam in the contact zone between disk and rim (see fig. 2), obtaining in this way a filling weld by means of the fusion of the two elements, with practically no porosity. The use of specific patented devices guarantees the perfect coupling of the parts during the welding. Furthermore, only one laser source is used.
In order to validate the procedure, Mussino has designed a machine (see fig. 3), currently in the prototype stage and therefore without the automatisms for the wheel positioning, clamping of the same and centring of the section to be welded. However, it is pointed out that all the handling regarding the welding head, execution of the welding and related setting and control of speed have been realised with an automated system, so that the process is reliable and true.
Fig. 3) Prototype of machine for disk/rim laser welding
Welding has been carried out on wheels of different diameters (from 14" to 16").The micrographic test has highlighted a perfect fusion of the to edges to be welded and without any significant porosity (fig. 4).
Fig. 4) Welded joint micrograph
The tensile test has highlighted a joint resistance equal or over that of the base material, whereas the fatigue tests have met the quality standards required by the procurement specifications.
ADVANTAGES OF DISK/RIM LASER WELDING
The advantages of the laser technology are well-known. Regarding the disk/rim laser process we have developed, the advantages can be divided into two categories:
PRODUCT ADVANTAGES
- The welding is more homogeneous because it is autogenous (there is no weld material)
- Better use of the material in the joint: in our type of laser welding the material is submitted to a pure cut, whereas in arc welding the joint material is submitted to complex cut and deflection stress
- No heat distortion because the heat produced is less than 1/10 in relation to arc welding
- No residual wire sticking
- No space occupied in the brake area.
PROCESS ADVANTAGES
- More controllable welding procedure because the parameters set can be easily checked, in particular laser beam emission is continually checked in real time
- Possibility to check the welding position in real time
- No significant projection of melted splatter, as happens in arc welding, so that the brushing operation is no longer necessary
- No process technical stops. In arc welding stops are necessary to clean the nozzles and replace them, as well as the need to clean the machine, to avoid marring its efficiency. With laser welding maintenance is weekly and does not affect the machine efficiency
- The work zone is clean
- The emission of fumes is negligible in relation to the current system, and the aspiration power can be reduced by 1/10
- Possibility to use tailored blanks.