How Elscint solved a complex entanglement and orientation challenge — and delivered twice the required output speed.

Industry Precision Assembly Automation

Component Open O-Ring, Ø20 mm × 0.8 mm

Output Achieved – 30 parts/min (2× target)

When a customer approached Elscint needing a reliable feed system for a uniquely tricky component — an ultra-thin O-ring with one open end — our engineering team knew this was not a standard application. What followed was a study in creative problem-solving, precision tooling, and the kind of results that speak for themselves.

The Component

The part in question was a small steel O-ring, 20 mm in diameter and just 0.8 mm thick, with one end open. Despite its modest size, this component presented a formidable automation challenge. Its extreme thinness made it prone to nesting and tangling, while the open geometry demanded consistent, repeatable orientation for downstream robotic pick-up.

The Challenges

01 Entanglement

Parts arrived in bulk and consistently clumped together, making single-file flow through the bowl nearly impossible without intervention.

02 Orientation

Each O-ring had to be presented with its open end facing precisely rearward — a non-trivial requirement for a thin, flexible steel component.

03 Fragility

The soft steel material demanded a gentle handling approach to avoid deformation during feeding, stacking, and presentation.

04 Throughput

The customer required a sustained output of 15 parts per minute — a rate that needed to be met consistently, not just in peak bursts.

Our Solution

Elscint’s engineering team developed a four-stage solution that addressed each challenge in sequence, turning a problematic parts flow into a controlled, high-speed process.

Stage 1 — Disentanglement at Source

Custom wipers were designed and positioned at the base of the vibratory bowl to break up clusters of tangled O-rings before they could travel up the track. This single innovation was the key to achieving consistent single-file flow.

Stage 2 — Controlled Singulation

With entanglement resolved, parts moved up the track in an orderly single-file stream, properly spaced and ready for orientation.

Stage 3 — Precise Orientation

Tooling within the bowl track oriented each O-ring so its open end faced away toward the bowl centre — the correct position for stacking and downstream presentation.

Stage 4 — Stack, Slide & Present

Oriented parts were guided onto a stacking row, maintaining consistent alignment. A pneumatic slide — actuated by a Festo cylinder — advanced the stack one part at a time, presenting a single O-ring, open side rearward, for pick-up by the customer’s robot.

2× Target Output Exceeded – 30 Parts per Minute Achieved – 100% Orientation Consistency

Where the customer needed 15 parts per minute, Elscint delivered 30 — with correct orientation maintained throughout. The result was a robust, reliable system that integrated seamlessly into the customer’s robotic assembly line.

Equipment Specification

Why It Matters

This project is a strong example of what sets Elscint apart. Off-the-shelf bowl feeders are not designed for components like this. Success required a thorough understanding of part behaviour, creative mechanical design — particularly the wiper system — and careful integration of stacking and pneumatic presentation mechanisms.

If your production line includes components that have been deemed “too difficult” for automated feeding, we’d like to hear from you. Difficult parts are where Elscint does its best work.

You can watch the video of the equipment.