Automated Slicer and Lathe Machine for Telephone Cable Grommets
A supplier of connection devices for telephone companies required a unique automated machining system to slice rubber grommets for accommodating a variety of cable diameters. Creative Automation engineered a special purpose lathe and slicing system to automate cutting operations, thus achieving increased accuracy, repeatability, and capacity.
The Challenge: Automating a Unique, Highly Precise Cutting Operation
The manufacturer needed a system to precisely slice thick rubber grommets for securing the wide variety of custom cable diameters required for their telecommunications equipment. These grommets are typically used in splice boxes that are hung from telephone poles. The technician uses the grommet by removing a sufficient number of rings to match the cable size he is installing. Manually cutting each grommet while maintaining the required depth and spacing is very labor intensive. Enter Creative Automation.
The Solution:
Creative designed and manufactured a special lathe and carbide slicing knife to cut into solid blocks of rubber. An operator places an uncut blank onto the system’s vacuum chuck. When the start button is pressed, the spindle is rotated at a controlled rate of speed and a specially designed carbide slicing knife is plunged into the blank. The depth of cut, spacing and number of cuts is pre-programmed into the system’s computer. The operator simply selects the part number of the part to be processed.
Custom Automated Machine Solutions for the Telecommunications Industry and Beyond
Creative’s custom automated equipment solutions include a wide range of special purpose machines engineered to accommodate our customers’ specific production processes. From machine and tooling design to systems integration, we specialize in the complete development of turnkey machines, fully optimized and ready for operation. Since 1966, our company has served the American and global manufacturing sector with innovation in automation.