Production line automation

Abstract

The main aim of this thesis was to analysis the process flow of the Solid State Relay line of the Carlo Gavazzi Electromatic Limited factory at Bulebel, Industrial Estate Zejtun, in order to make the product more competitive on the world market. A further step in this study is the automation or semi-automation of part of the process flow. As the years erode Malta's advantage of lower labour costs investigation such as this are necessary to prepare for, when Malta's manufacturing advantage would be based on its automation capabilities and the required back up service. This study is divided into six sections. In the first section a record of the present method of production is presented together with the times required to carry out each operation. In the next four sections, methods of improving the production are proposed. Electronics components insertion, cutting of the component leads, and, function test and p.c.b. separation are the operations discussed in detail in this thesis. The first operation considered and discussed in Section Two is that of the component insertion. In order to improve this operation various methods of component insertion are discussed. From this study the most suitable system to be adopted, is that of Iight-guidance insertion. This section ends with the calculation of the payback period if the light guided system is installed. It should be noted here that in order to carry out this calculation, use of M.T.M. charts is made of. In Section Three the cutting of component Ieads is discussed. The main aim to introduce an Auto-shear to do the cutting of the component leads, is to eliminate pact of the soldering machine which has a power rating of 21 KW. This study includes a comparison of the present process flow chart with the proposed process flow chart if an Auto-shear is to be used, and also a calculation of the payback period. The Fourth Section deals with the combination of two operations into one operation, namely function test and p.c.b. separation. This study includes the design of the equipment which is needed to carry out these two operations together with the pneumatic system required. Also the tests performed to determine certain factors, such as the force required to cut the p.c.b. from the main frame, are discussed. This section includes a part which deals with the machining carried out to build part of this equipment. In Section Five proposals for improving the remaining operations on the line are put forward together with the calculations of the payback period for the proposed systems. Section Six deals with the general layout of the shopfloor and the layout of the SSR line in particular. Some modification are proposed together with the calculation of saving that can be made if these modification in the layout are implemented.