Processing cast parts with many track points

Automotive engineering Underbody protection

On a cell for deburring cast parts, a point shift often occurs which leads to a long re-teaching process.

Processing cast parts with many track points

Cell description

In the cell a KUKA KR robot picks up cast parts and drills, deburrs, brushes and grinds them at multiple stationary machine tools. Moving the cast parts along the sequence of tools requires paths with a large number of points. In addition to this, two different types of cast parts are processed in the cell – so the number of robot programs is doubled accordingly.

Task definition

The gripper with which the cast parts are guided along to the machining stations is unique. There is no spare gripper. A point shift often used to occur after only a minor crash or after long periods of production. This regularly resulted in a time-consuming manual re-teach process that dragged on over several shifts.

Moreover, the cell needed to be relocated. A relocation would have made a re-teaching of the programs unavoidable. Because of the large number of programs and points needing to be re-taught, the customer was expecting a major stoppage of production.


Two masters were made and the current status of the two tools measured with LaserLAB and tool:in.  Next, measuring rods were fitted onto the base plate for the machine tools and the position of the base plate was measured with base:in.

Then the cell was relocated and calibrated again with the LaserLAB. The new geometric statuses were transferred to the robot at the touch of a button.

Customer benefit

The cell was able to return to production straight after the relocation. By investing in Wiest precision technology, the customer avoided a production stoppage of at least a week.

The handling process is backed up. So when a point shift occurred again, the tool measurement was repeated and the altered tool data transferred to the controller. It was possible to continue the process without re-teaching.