User report: Automated all-around solution minimizes the risk of work piece warping

At Alupress, a leading manufacturer of aluminium and magnesium die-cast parts, the increasing demand for components for electromobility resulted in the need for additional shot blasting capacity. The company met this demand with a continuous feed spinner hanger blast machine including a transport system from Rösler. The customized design of the blasting system ensures gentle and effective de-flashing of the parts.

Continuous overhead conveyor system — Continuous feed spinner hanger shot blast machine for housings

Aluminium as a material enables significant weight savings in the production of components for electric vehicles and thus generates range. The number of components made from this lightweight metal using the die-casting process is growing accordingly. Another focus is on using components with complex structures that are as robust as possible but with thin walls, thus achieving additional weight reductions. This also applies to the housing parts for a wide range of control devices, such as those manufactured by Alupress GmbH in Hildburghausen. Growing demand from the automotive industry required the subsidiary of Alupress AG, which is based in Brixen, Italy and exhibited at last year's EUROGUSS, to invest in a new shot blasting machine adapted to the increased requirements.

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The dust collection and cleaning system is in full compliance with ATEX standards.

Experience in the processing of sensitive parts

The geometry and material thickness of the aluminium and magnesium die-cast parts required a shot blasting process in which the components are deburred gently and, above all, with little distortion and at the same time effectively and quickly in a fully automated process. Following surface treatment, the parts are cleaned and quality control is carried out before they are packed and dispatched.

In addition to the blasting system, the scope of the project therefore included a transport system that conveys transports the components through the de-flashing and cleaning processes without manual intervention. The fact that Alupress chose Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH from Untermerzbach in Franconia, also a EUROGUSS 2024 participant, as a partner in this project was due not only to criteria such as the quality and performance of the systems and service, but also to the fact that Rösler had already demonstrated its expertise in processing sensitive components in an almost identical task. In addition, Alupress has been working with various shot blast systems from Rösler for years.

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Equal application of force prevents warping of the work pieces

In order to ensure effective de-flashing in a continuous flow, the continuous feed spinner hanger shot blast machine has eight special turbines, each with 11 kW and extra-wide throwing blades, which result in a broadly scattered blast pattern. In contrast to the usual one-sided positioning, the blasting units are located on both sides of the blasting chamber. In combination, this duplex design and the broad blast pattern ensure that distortion of the workpieces is reliably minimised, even though a comparatively high blast media throughput is required to process the light metal parts in line with requirements.
Another contributing factor is that the workpiece carrier, which is loaded with 60 to 80 components, rotates and oscillates in three positions during the entire shot blast process. This ensures that flashes and burrs are reliably removed even in hard-to-reach areas such as undercuts.
In order to prevent the abrasive - a very small aluminum cut wire - from being sucked out of the system by the exhaust air flow and to ensure that a high level of abrasive purity is still achieved, the dust collector and the cascade air wash separator have been modified accordingly and the ATEX-compliant design of the wet dust collector has been taken into account. Necessary maintenance work is facilitated and accelerated by connections for cleaning equipment at various points on the system.

Ergonomic working

A Power & Free handling system is integrated for transporting the components. At the loading and unloading station, the height of the workpiece carriers can be easily adjusted to the height of the respective employees so that they can work ergonomically and comfortably. In addition, generous buffer sections ensure that operations do not come to a standstill even during breaks. Instead of the usual sensors and enclosures, safety mats in these areas ensure that staff are protected.

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