Delta’s Cartesian Casting Robot Solution Significantly Upgrades Foam Rubber Production

Foam rubber, also known as sponge rubber, is used in many different applications to provide comfort and protection because of its elasticity and buffer characteristics. It can be found inside car seats, steering wheels, furniture, rubber toys, shoe soles, and more. To manufacture a variety of foam rubber products, it is necessary to go through several procedures, casting in particular. Take shoe sole manufacturing, for example, the processing starts as the body of the shoe is tightened on the upper mold and the station is heated at the same time. When the lower mold is ready and reaches a specific temperature, the molten foam rubber is cast and poured into the lower mold. As the two molds close, the materials begin foaming and expanding. After cooling and forming, the process of shoe manufacturing is complete.

The structure of the casting system is significant in the forming cycle time and the quality of the product. Conventional casting processes mainly adopt CNC machines for high-precision performance. However, using CNC machines is time-consuming and takes several months to train technicians. On top of that, it is difficult for changeovers in small-volume large-variety production.

To deal with casting process issues in the rubber and plastics industry, Delta has developed the Cartesian Casting Robot Solution with a core product controlling the casting robot, Delta’s Robot Controller with Servo Drive Integrated ASDA-MS Series, which integrates robot controller and servo drive in a single unit. With simple input module parameters of the robot arm, the system automatically generates algorithms that greatly simplify the settings. The ASDA-MS Series also collaborates with the Human Machine Interface DOP-100 Series and Widescreen Handheld HMI DOP-H07 Series. The HMI DOP-100 Series offers real-time status of the system and supports mixed-model production by collecting multi-point paths via HMI lists, and further stores the data into the ASDA-MS Series for mixed-model production needs. In terms of the handheld HMI DOP-H07 Series, the built-in teach pendant function enables robot operating points and path type recording. Through Modbus protocol, the information is sent back to the ASDA-MS Series. After a series of path algorithms, the robot starts casting and performs at high speed, with precise positioning and smooth movement. Last but not least, the ASDA-MS Series connects with the Compact Modular Mid-range PLC AS Series through the Delta Motion Control Network DMCNET to control other equipment such as mold closing and foaming at a far distance.

Delta’s Cartesian Casting Robot Solution brings the following benefits:

• Remarkable stability with fast, precise, and flexible casting