OT: What Engineer does for a living (last project DIVX video - 10MB). Edit: Full 25.7 MB video now included

[Engineer]

SPECIAL Thanks to GunDog for hosting the file above...:beer: to you!

You might want to turn the volume down to play too!

My last project on DivX 10MB short version(best to right click and save as and then play).

(You may need this DivX codec to play the above video)

Assuming the above video download works, the video you are seeing is my latest project (still working on it).

The machine/cell is a $600,000 project that involves a 7 cavity, 9 foot long 300 degree oven. It includes 2 servo feeders to uncoil nylon tube to a precision length, cut the piece and then feed it into the 300 degree oven. There is one robot at the end of each feeder section of the oven. The robot takes the 300 degree nylon and places it (while hot) into a bender. This bender bends the nylon into shape and then cools (air blow) until the nylon is cool so it will then retain it's shape. The robot then removes the formed nylon tube and places it into an automatic inserter where it has a quick connector inserted.

The above machine is to run over 1.1 million parts per year.

Sorry, I know it's OT...but it's been/is a big job and I have sorta enjoyed it!

P.S. Not sure of how many times this can be downloaded...so I'll have to monitor it!

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Robots are fun
Now just imagine if you used some REAL Industrial processing power instead of that cheap PLC Direct stuff

Question though - why wasn't the automatic inserter designed into the bending sequence? I know there are two of them but it seem as though it'd save on the wear and tear of the robot.(less movement).

Cool project though.

CkG

Edit - and OSHA just called and said you need a Fence

 

[GunDog]

Nice job!

I can host the file on my webserver if you like

 

[CyGoR]

Nice movie!
Robots are great!!

But what exactly whas your function in this huge project? Designing the robotics or programming or even leading the project?

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: CyGoR
Nice movie!
Robots are great!!

But what exactly whas your function in this huge project? Designing the robotics or programming or even leading the project?

I designed the electrical system of the entire project. I programmed the PLC (programmable logic controller - NOT PLC Direct CAD...it was OMRON ), the operator interface (touchscreen) and the 4 servo drives. The PLC program is around 700 pages and the operator interface has 146 individual screens. The oven control and logic is around 50 pages long and the oven stays to within .7 degrees of 300 all day long !! This project took 3 months to get this far and that included a 33 days out of 34 (22 of them at 12 hours per day) stretch.

CAD, there are 7 benders in this cell and to have 7 inserters would have not have been practical. Each inserter has a "large" connector bowl ($11,500 each) that would have a HUGE cell. The robot integrators mentioned that the light load of the nylon to the robots would give them years of wearfree service. Also, if the part is bad out of the inserter, the robot can then take it to the bad parts area!

LOL on the FENCE. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks to tie the safety fence/mats and/or light curtains into the system!

Edit: This project, while sadly eliminating jobs, will actually keep jobs in this country. That entire cell was scheduled to go to Mexico and it was decided to do this pilot project with robots to keep the business here. The plant may actually stay open now because of htis project (crosses fingers). It's a two edge sword.....some jobs are lost....but many are saved....including the plant itself!

 

[Smoke]

I opened the file without installing the DivX Player. Windows Media Player started playing the sound properly but displayed one of the dazzling visualizations. I thought Engineer had created a psychedelic Rorschach test!

Fantastic job, Engineer! Just fantastic! :wine:

Don't want to get into anything political but your observation about the factory staying in the USA instead of moving "offshore" is a perfect example of how we need to continue our development of smarter ways to do things.

Maaaaaaade in the USAaaaaa! Maaaaaaade in the USAaaaa! /Bruce Springsteen Singing Mode/


One critique: Seems you should have a conveyor belt moving the finished product to the next phase (whatever that might be) instead of just unceremoniously dropping the stuff on the floor? :Q

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Smoke

One critique: Seems you should have a conveyor belt moving the finished product to the next phase (whatever that might be) instead of just unceremoniously dropping the stuff on the floor? :Q

The conveyor is being installed this week. There is an X on the floor on each side to indicate the installation location!

 

[kamper]

Wow, that's some cool stuff Engineer! It must feel pretty good to just sit and watch it do it's thing so smoothly after spending so much time working on it

 

[wischeez]

I'm impressed Engineer....:Q

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Well, OSHA called back and said they wouldn't have a guy ready to go do a "suprise inspection" until about May so it looks like you may be off the hook...for now

RE: saving jobs by elimination. I tell myself that everytime I think about how many jobs my projects "eliminate". "A few for the many" seems appropriate.

HMIs: Wonderware? Intellution? What interfaces well with PLC Dir....I mean Omron?

Anyway - the project looks pretty intense - I know I wouldn't come close to touching a servo project yet - I need a few more training hours before I'd feel comfortable even reading that code. We have a robot guy in our office and he says it's pretty easy, but then again that's pretty much all he did for 7 years before coming to work for us.

CkG

 

[amdxborg]

WOW...that's some interesting stuff!!! GREAT job Engineer!

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY
Well, OSHA called back and said they wouldn't have a guy ready to go do a "suprise inspection" until about May so it looks like you may be off the hook...for now

RE: saving jobs by elimination. I tell myself that everytime I think about how many jobs my projects "eliminate". "A few for the many" seems appropriate.

HMIs: Wonderware? Intellution? What interfaces well with PLC Dir....I mean Omron?

Anyway - the project looks pretty intense - I know I wouldn't come close to touching a servo project yet - I need a few more training hours before I'd feel comfortable even reading that code. We have a robot guy in our office and he says it's pretty easy, but then again that's pretty much all he did for 7 years before coming to work for us.

CkG

I actually didn't program the robots, but looking at the code the last few days, it seems very easy. It's a BASIC like programming language...very easy to follow and program (if I knew how to get it into the robot with the Teach pendants! ).

As for servos, I programmed the two servo drives in the rear of the machine that feed the nylon and also the two servo cylinders that shift the feeders from cavity to cavity. Servo drives are all digital now, so no more screwdriver adjustments for PID servo loops!

CAD, don't sell yourself short...you can do it...you're just a little "CONSERVITIVE" right now! (See News and Politics Forum for those who don't know! )!!!

And, as much as I hate to see jobs go CAD, I also have to consider that mine is gone too if I didn't do this kind of work.

 

[Shuxclams]

Very neat, Much more advanced than anything I ever worked on, much.. I guess thats why your an engineer and I am a shuxclams...













SHUX

 

[ViRGE]

Good stuff there Engy, altough what exactly are you making?

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
Good stuff there Engy, altough what exactly are you making?

This particular project makes gas vapor tubes for automobiles. It's for a GM car, but not sure which one.

Our company is the largest automotive tubing company in the world (that I know of $1.1 Billion in sales last year). We make brake lines, fuel lines, gas tanks, push rods (100 million last year), etc. My plant makes machinery to make the tubing, etc.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
Good stuff there Engy, altough what exactly are you making?

Thingies with dodads on the end

CkG

 

[Wiz]

Cool Engineer, that's gotta feel good seeing it in action!

Robots are very very dumb, they have to be given simple commands and there has to be good logic to follow for when they "get confused". (ideally never)
Once a guy asked me to help him with the programming of his 3D CNC machine he installed in his woodshop for cutting pretty little boxes out of exotic hardwoods. I've been around routers & vacuum systems and computers so he thought I would understand his problems and might be able to help him.
So I got into the program and there it was, a lot of simple commands that seemed a lot like a "basic" program.
We got it running and I got a few heart shaped boxes with lids made out of curly & birdseye maple (plus a few bucks ).
My one & only foray into those kinds of control systems.
I think all those years installing and troubleshooting building egress & control computers really helped.
Nowadays I just do Databases & ColdFusion & play with my tractor out in the yard...

 

[LANMAN]

Thats way cool!

24/7 production to meet those kind of expectations

Robotics are awesome! When is your next project? Robot wars??

Thanks for the Divx!!

--LANMAN

 

[Zim Hosein]

I'm going to blame you for the creation of SkyNet Engineer!

 

[DanC]

Uber-cool!

Q. How do you know if you're talking to an extroverted engineer?

A. He stares at the top of YOUR shoes when you're talking to him. :Q

Nice job!

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
I'm going to blame you for the creation of SkyNet Engineer!

I actually thought of that...especially seeing the full video (not able to host full size because it's 26 Megs) and seeing both in action. Reminded me so much of the Terminator in action! :Q

 

[DanC]

Engineer's real name is Miles Dyson. :Q

 

[kamper]

Don't feel bad about eliminating jobs Engineer, (or anyone else who is involved in such a project). The whole idea behind automation of repetitive tasks is that it increases the total amount of stuff that a society can produce so in the long run we are better off. The only problem, of course, is the change in distribution of wealth. So all of you: get your frickin' educations!

 

[RustyNale]

WOW!! There went 5 jobs alone! j/k Nice work there!

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: RustyNale
WOW!! There went 5 jobs alone! j/k Nice work there!

Actually, it was 8!