Non-stick spraying robot for molds with an AUBO co-robot and a two-gun spray head

Among the robotic solutions PM-Vina has designed and integrated, the non-stick chemical spraying robot for molds is a typical example: an AUBO collaborative robot (co-robot) carries a spray head with two ANEST-IWATA spraying guns and automatically sprays non-stick chemical onto mold surfaces.

The challenge: non-stick spraying on molds

In mold-based manufacturing, a non-stick chemical is sprayed onto the mold surface so that parts release easily. The task is repeated continuously, and when it is done by hand the coverage depends heavily on the operator. The goal of the project was to automate this step with a robot and a spraying system.

PM-Vina’s solution

PM-Vina integrated a robot and a spraying system to automate non-stick chemical spraying on molds. As with every robotic solution, PM-Vina designed the mechanisms and peripheral system needed to bring the robot into production: the end-of-arm tool, fixtures and control program. The main components:

• AUBO collaborative robot (co-robot) carrying the spray head along a programmed path.
• Spray head with two ANEST-IWATA spraying guns, mounted side by side on one tool.
• Spraying distance 150–250 mm, spray width 112–115 mm.

A two-gun spray head

The spray head is designed to use two spraying guns (Gun 1 and Gun 2). With a spraying distance of 150–250 mm and a spray width of 112–115 mm, the robot moves the head along its program to coat the mold surface in the same way on every pass.

Why a collaborative robot

Collaborative robots are designed to work close to people, are compact and make it easy to reprogram the path. That suits spraying, where the spray path has to follow the shape of each mold. PM-Vina has also deployed AUBO collaborative robots in other production processes.

How the project was delivered

The project followed PM-Vina’s in-house workflow:

1. Engineering — process analysis and solution design, starting from a process concept drawing.
2. Manufacturing — machining of parts in our factory.
3. Assembly — mechanical assembly and completion.
4. Trial — trial runs and adjustment in the workshop.
5. Delivery — installation, fine-tuning, handover and operating support at the customer factory.

Part of PM-Vina’s robotic solutions

The mold spraying robot belongs to PM-Vina’s robotic solutions, alongside a SCARA robot that aligns and picks components with two tools, a 6-axis robot applying tape with hand-eye camera calibration, a robot moving phone screens from a conveyor into trays, a robot checking washing machine labels model by model, and AGVs. Every system is trial-run in our workshop, then installed, fine-tuned and handed over at the customer factory.

See the project page Non-stick Chemical Spraying Robot for Molds. Customer details, full specifications and operating results are available on request.

Have a spraying, picking or inspection process to automate? Send a request for quotation and the PM-Vina team will survey it and propose a suitable solution.