Steinbrink Engineering

The Piston Pin Separator (PPS), developed for a local automotive manufacturer, is a unique solution for optimizing an old manufacturing process to reduce scrap rates and increase efficiency. The manufacturing line, prior to integration of the PPS system, produced random, unevenly spaced, piston pins (wrist pins).

 

The system did not allow for adjustability and frequently caused large batches, of otherwise acceptable parts, to be rejected. The inconsistent spacing of pins caused frequent backups in the testing station, which produced a large number of falsely rejected pins. The PPS solved this problem by eliminating the false-positive rejects. The PPS system utilizes a rotary actuator that is fitted with custom tooling and an integrated control panel to transport each pin to the testing station in a controlled and monitored operation.

 

The timing and speed of the rotary actuator are controlled by two proximity sensors and a programmable logic controller to ensure a minimum space between pins as they enter the testing station. The compact package in which the system was designed, allowed for ease of integration with the current manufacturing line which minimized downtime and calibration of the system.

 

The Value of Steinbrink Engineering

• Manufacturing Process Optimization

• Scrap Reduction

• Cycle Time Optimization

• Problem Identification & Troubleshooting

• Ideation

• Design & Engineering

• Programming

• Controls Integration

• 3D CAD Modeling/Rendering

• Dynamic and Kinematic Analysis