A manufacturer of ear plugs needed a special purpose machine to automate the fabrication process of a unique product assembly. Requiring numerous materials and an extremely precise wrapping operation, automating this complex assembly process demanded an innovative machine solution.
The product assembly process consists of multiple stages. It begins with a rubber cord and wraps a fiberglass-reinforced tape around the rubber. The wrapped cord is then cut to the exact required length. While seemingly relatively simple, each step demanded absolute accuracy for producing these highly sensitive consumer medical products.
Creative Automation designed and fabricated a special purpose machine that received rubber cord supplied from a 5,000 ft reel and used fiberglass tape supplied from a jumbo 3,000 ft roll. The special system automatically enrobes the tape around the rubber cord using five progressive wrapping stations. The wrapped cord is then cut into the required lengths using a rotary die. This special system produced center cores at a rate of 6,000 /minute.
Creative Automation specializes in the engineering and manufacturing of practical assembly machines and special process systems that meet our clients’ unique production challenges. Whether it’s higher quality, speed, throughput, or a combination of all three, we can provide a turnkey automation solution that is up to the task at hand.
