Where screw and screwdriver meet
An efficient screwing system mostly depends on the precision and timing of its material supply. When it comes to fully or partially automated processes, IFSYS Feeders ensure the workflow in industrial manufacturing operations by moving screws to the screwing units in the needed orientation and quantity.
Lots of years of experience in developing of feeding systems for springs, sleeves, castings and other parts are passing into our new solution for screw driving jobs. These systems operate with compressed air or fans and can be individually integrated into the customer´s production environment. The best choice for hard to reach or sunken screw locations is vacuum technology.
There´s more than one way to the screwdriver
IFSYS feeders are appropriate for a wide range of screws – in type and size. It enables you, to get even the smallest special screws on the right track. For example coated screws, sealing plugs with a large collar, countersunk screws or versions with studs. An automated check of parts with regard to surface, geometry or other parameters can be integrated.
When it comes to screw size, you have almost unlimited possibilities. Other solutions, we will find together with our customers.
IFSYS feeders can also be used for the gentle handling of aluminum screws. Our portfolio also includes individual catching and transfer units for threaded plugs, cup plugs and nuts.
Low noise about material: our storage containers are extremely large and at the same time designed to keep noise emissions low.
With compressed air-strong and precise; with fan- gentle airflow
A screw must be placed at the assembly position, where a robot or a human receives it and initiates the next process step. Many assembly positions are in many cases difficult to access or far away – then screws, nuts, pins and other assembly parts are blow-fed. We offer two methods of doing it: blow-feeding with compressed air or with a fan.
Blow-feedomg with compressed air: Oriented screws are blown through a hose to the screwing position with compressed air. Compressed air either comes directly from the pipe network in the assembly hall or from local compressed air storage. When the blow-feeding hoses are rather short (up to 10 meters) and have a maximum diameter of 15 millimeters, this method is used particularly often. Even for short time intervals, blow-feeding with compressed air is often the preferred method. Multiple feeding with up to four feeding tracks are still useful.
Blow-feeding with fan: The feeding part gets transferred to the screwing position by an even flow of air by using this method. A side channel fan generates it in the hose. The screw is gently to the screw driving system by the flow. This method often showes its worth, when using hoses with large cross-sections, great lengths and special shaped hoses.
Compressed air or fan: To select the right blow feed technology, numerous factors are important. The solution with fan generally consumes less energy. However, it can also be different in individual cases. Also, the rule of thumb “fan for the long hose and compressed air for the short one” is not always a winner. Therefore, we ask you to discuss the specific key data with our representatives. They will be happy to prepare an economic analysis for you, and answer all question: Fan or compressed air?
Customer quote: “Quick tool change and easy maintenance, please”.
Screw driving units from IFSYS are suitable for all screw driving positions in stationary and robot-guided applications. Our screw units are also used on automatic and manually guided handling systems as well as on rope balancers.
Our Portfolio includes versions with magnetic sockets. For recessed screw locations, vacuum technology is recommended. The screw is sitting securely in the socket or on the bit with a vacuum sleeve using vacuum suction, even outside the mouthpiece. IFSYS has developed specialized screw units with galvanic isolation and insulated socket/nut or bit holders for battery assembly.
We are guided by customer´s specifications, when selecting the drive technology. IFSYS and leading brands are working together. If you ask system assemblers what’s important, always two keywords come up: easy maintenance and quick tool changes. We take that to heart. Same comes on at the swiveling feeding channel and the hose connection with quick-release coupling.
Finally, the screw has to be at the workpiece
A robot-guided unit or a stationary assembly unit takes over the screw or nut at the end of the feeding system. According to the customer´s requirements and specifications, IFSYS designs and manufactures the required capture and deployment systems individually.
When the feeding system directly blows the screws to the screwing unit at the robot, those systems achieve a particularly high level of efficiency. It should be noted that the robot´s freedom of movement is restricted with that kind of system design. When the robot arm picks up the screws from a stationary receiver unit, it gains more clearance. Another possibility: the catching unit itself is equipped with the screwdriver and the robotic arm brings the workpiece there.
IFSYS also develops and builds innovative systems for other press-in or setting processes. This includes: press-in units for cup plugs, Screw driving systems for studs, screw driving systems for plugs, press-in units for pins, rivets and blind rivets, clip placing units.
Long service life and high quality through clean feed parts
Two ways to achieve technical cleanliness: Best is to avoid contamination in the first place. If that´s not feasible, a second method comes into play: remove the dirt. In both cases, the goal is to keep the residual dirt at minimum throughout the entire system environment, including workpiece, the feed parts, screwdrivers and sensors.
Avoid contamination: The feeding process can be impaired or even seriously disrupted by abrasion particles. Therefore we designed our Vibroliner® Step Feeder to be gentle on screws and other small parts. This prevents abrasion with the consequence that the surface coating remains where it belongs, on the parts you want to feed.
Eliminate contamination: Despite all care and attention when designing the system, it is usually impossible to avoid abrasive particles. Preferably remove them at defined points in the feeding system. Otherwise, they could contaminate the mouthpieces or disrupt the process in the screwdriver units. To prevent it, there are two options: ejection or suction. Installation of dirt removal systems are recommended, if the screws are blow-fed. It prevents the particles from being widely distributed within the system.
Your screw driving system is exactly doing, what you expect it to do
Design your machine so it “fits”. Equip your system with features for reliable operation. Replace wearing parts at the best time.– IFSYS keeps a wide range of spare parts and accessories available at short notice. Example below:
small, efficient, cost effective, standardized
IFSYS is specialized in building complete and complex customized systems. In some cases a standard solution compared to a customized solution will be more cost-effective.
Look at KEKS-System!
KEKS is a standardized screw feeding system, which separates screws and blows them with compressed air via a round hose. KEKS can be used for screws up to size M6 x 35 mm.
That screw feeder is installed pneumatically and electrically on a ProfiNet-Interface. Despite our standard version, additional options are available. On request, KEKS can be equipped with its own control system. Expand the storage volume by additional hopper belts, and with a hose switch, two to four blow-feeding hoses are also possible.
Why investing too much effort, when it can be done efficiently with our standardized KEKS? With IFSYS equipment the choice is yours
Would you like to know more? For further information on our feeding systems or feeding modules, we kindly refer to the specific product descriptions.
If you are interested, please get in touch with us.