Week 7:- Base Unit Design Challenges 1

1. What is the base unit ? What are the typical parts of the base unit ?

• A base unit is a unit on which other units will be placed. Units such as the Pin, clamp, siwel, etc. are placed on the base unit.
• The base unit also consists of the valve box. This box houses the pneumatic valves that are needed to operate the clamps and pin units.
• The base unit also has trunking channel for accomodating the hoses and electrical wire.

Parts of the base unit:

1. Pedestal: This part connects base plate with the ground plate. The pedestal can be of different height and size. Pedestal can be welded plate integrated with the base plate. It is a standard part.
2. Valve Box: The valve box contains the pneumatic valves that are needed to operate the pneumatics of the pin, clamp, etc.
3. Trunking channel: The trunking channel consists of the hoses and the electrical wires that are needed to operate the valve.
4. Floor panel: The floor panel is attached to the floor.

2. What are the points need to account while designing a base unit ?

• All the components must be within the outer periphery of the base plate.
• The base plate must be 25-40mm thick
• The base plate is a standard part
• Base plate should cover all the units within its outer periphery
• A base plate is designed W.R.T. the BCS (Body card System) coordinates
• Base plates should have datum holes
• Number of datum hole is dependent on the size of the base plate
• Datum hole should be drilled with nominal value of the coordinate
• Datum hole should be drilled 100mm away from the other units
• Datum holes should be covered with the cover plates.

3. What is a Dump unit?

The unit is used when the panel has some geometric constrain when assembling. Any geometrical constraint in the part the dump unit is used.

4. What points to remeber to make a dump unit ?

• The dump unit is designed when there is space limitation.
• It is used for the geometrical constraint in the part.
• A dump unit has a dump cylinder.

5. What is a slide unit ?

A slide unit is designed to slide the car parts from one point to another. This is also used for sliding the robots weldguns, etc to the specified location.

6. What is are the points to remember while designing the slide unit ?

• Slide unit can be of three types: 1. Hydraulic 2. Pneumatic or 3. manual slide
• slide unit can have 1. LM way or 2. Hardened Guide way
• Slide unit can be horizontal, verticle or angular.
• It should consists of stopper, linear cylinder, guide way,
• 10mm stroke length is to be considered for both forward and reverse direction.
• Guide way length should be greater than the stroke and it should be standard.
• The slide unit must have shock absorber on both the retract and the extend position.
• The slide unit must have stopper on both the side
• The end limits must be sensed by the proximity sensor for stopping the slide unit.
• The slide unit must be locked while working.