How Elscint solved a complex entanglement and orientation challenge \u2014 and delivered twice the required output speed.<\/p>\n
Industry Precision Assembly Automation<\/p>\n
Component Open O-Ring, \u00d820 mm \u00d7 0.8 mm<\/p>\n
Output Achieved – 30 parts\/min (2\u00d7 target)<\/p>\n
When a customer approached Elscint needing a reliable feed system for a uniquely tricky component \u2014 an ultra-thin O-ring with one open end \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
The Component<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The Challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n 01 Entanglement<\/p>\n Parts arrived in bulk and consistently clumped together, making single-file flow through the bowl nearly impossible without intervention.<\/p>\n 02 Orientation<\/p>\n Each O-ring had to be presented with its open end facing precisely rearward \u2014 a non-trivial requirement for a thin, flexible steel component.<\/p>\n 03 Fragility<\/p>\n The soft steel material demanded a gentle handling approach to avoid deformation during feeding, stacking, and presentation.<\/p>\n 04 Throughput<\/p>\n The customer required a sustained output of 15 parts per minute \u2014 a rate that needed to be met consistently, not just in peak bursts.<\/p>\n Our Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Stage 1 \u2014 Disentanglement at Source<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Stage 2 \u2014 Controlled Singulation<\/p>\n With entanglement resolved, parts moved up the track in an orderly single-file stream, properly spaced and ready for orientation.<\/p>\n Stage 3 \u2014 Precise Orientation<\/p>\n Tooling within the bowl track oriented each O-ring so its open end faced away toward the bowl centre \u2014 the correct position for stacking and downstream presentation.<\/p>\n Stage 4 \u2014 Stack, Slide & Present<\/p>\n Oriented parts were guided onto a stacking row, maintaining consistent alignment. A pneumatic slide \u2014 actuated by a Festo cylinder \u2014 advanced the stack one part at a time, presenting a single O-ring, open side rearward, for pick-up by the customer’s robot.<\/p>\n 2\u00d7 Target Output Exceeded – 30 Parts per Minute Achieved – 100% Orientation Consistency<\/p>\n Where the customer needed 15 parts per minute, Elscint delivered 30 \u2014 with correct orientation maintained throughout. The result was a robust, reliable system that integrated seamlessly into the customer’s robotic assembly line.<\/p>\n Equipment Specification<\/strong><\/p>\n Why It Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n 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 \u2014 particularly the wiper system \u2014 and careful integration of stacking and pneumatic presentation mechanisms.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n Component<\/strong><\/td>\n Specification<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Vibrator Model<\/td>\n Elscint Model 250<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bowl Construction<\/td>\n Cast Aluminium with stainless steel tooling<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bowl Coating<\/td>\n Elscinthane PU Coating<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Pneumatics<\/td>\n Festo Make<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Output Rate<\/td>\n 30 parts per minute (target: 15 ppm)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Part Presentation<\/td>\n Single O-ring, open side rearward, for robotic pick-up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n