CFW Projects can offer a wide range of pick and place systems for different automated applications. Typical functions that can be specified according to customers’ needs include product or part alignment, rotation, inversion or transfer along a line. We custom-design and build the mounting frame and gripper assemblies for the application. Bought-outpick and place axes are used. Our programming team is responsible for the integration into the control system.

CFW can design and test the complete XYZ system as part of a turnkey project. This can save time, money and effort, as the XYZ equipment manufacturer or factory staff are not necessarily technically proficient in line design.

About XYZ Automation

The term “XYZ automation” refers to a type of fixed or hard automation. These systems are built with a particular production purpose in mind, usually for repetitive, high-volumeproduction. Since it is relatively difficult to adapt the XYZ system for changes in the product design, they are best used where change-overs or alterations are seldom required. The equipment layout determines a sequence of operations which is fixed. The individual operations usually involve simple linear motion and / or rotation.

Hard automation has the advantage that high production rates and completely automatic handling can be established, with low unit costs for the product being manufactured. Servo-controlled pick and place systems in particular can speed up cycle times by automating processes, offering businesses that can afford the capital cost and limits in flexibility a great advantage. Production times can also be extended with a well-maintained automation system, since much less labour is required.

The requirements for a pick and place system depend on the necessary precision (or repeatability), accuracy, and resolution. Precision and repeatability are often used synonymously to refer to the ability to group repeated placements fairly close to each other. Accuracy refers to how close the actual placement is to the desired placement. The resolution indicates the smallest distance between placements that can be achieved.

Using the right motor controls is also important to ensure that placement timing is correct.

As with many automated systems, XYZ systems offer much higher accuracy than manual workers can, thus ensuring higher product quality.