Stage 2 of 3 successfully completed – dispensing cell integrated into the line concept
From purchase order to preliminary acceptance readiness, it typically takes 12 months or more to realize a production system.
Depending on the industry, complexity, and degree of automation – as well as the share of integrated third-party components – commissioning in particular, including validation and qualification, can become a major cost and schedule driver.
As part of the strategic partnership between Aumann and ViscoTec, targeted synergies were realized. By standardizing dispensing processes within the A-PRO modular system, Aumann can reduce lead times for production lines with an integrated dispensing cell by up to 50 %.
For more than a decade, Aumann and ViscoTec have worked closely together to fully integrate complex dispensing systems into Aumann production lines and to standardize these processes sustainably. The underlying development project was designed and implemented jointly over several years as a three-stage concept.
With the successful completion of the second development stage, the standardized dispensing module from the A-PRO modular system was presented for the first time at international trade shows. Around ten specialists from both companies were involved in this project phase.
Key focus areas included adapting selected ViscoTec products to the new A-PRO evolution stage as well as developing standardized integration modules for emptying and dispensing control. In its current configuration, the A-PRO dispensing cell can be viewed as a demonstrator. Industrial manufacturers can now purchase production lines with a standardized A-PRO dispensing cell – or individual A-PRO modules – directly from Aumann.
This should be welcome news for the market, as Aumann is known as a leading manufacturer of innovative special-purpose machines and highly automated production lines for the automotive industry, with a focus on electromobility components. These include energy storage and energy conversion systems (battery and fuel cell), the electric traction drive (rotor, stator, electric motor), the associated power electronics (inverter), power-on-demand units, auxiliary motors, and electronic components in the areas of sensors and controls.
In addition to automotive applications, customers in electronics manufacturing also benefit from proven Aumann quality and the added value of the integrated A-PRO dispensing cell. A-PRO production lines stand for maximum flexibility: process modules can be added, swapped, or removed as needed. The modular A-PRO dispensing cell extends this flexibility and enables precise and efficient dispensing processes without additional integration effort.
At the same time, the launch of the A-PRO dispensing cell signals an easy retrofit and expansion option for existing Aumann systems. This enables industrial manufacturers to introduce new processes faster and operate them more reliably. The A-PRO dispensing cell supports scalable 1- or 2-component dispensing processes. Integrated ViscoTec technology ensures maximum precision, reproducible part quality, and high process stability – even for demanding applications.
The range of applications extends from low-viscosity potting compounds to high-viscosity sealing materials or thermal interface pastes. Typical applications include control units in the automotive and electronics industries as well as power electronics for renewable energy. Where ViscoTec stands for excellent dispensing results, Aumann complements this expertise with its proven mechanical engineering and automation know-how.
For the emptying system, the vipro-FEED M plus was integrated. The automated system enables emptying of containers up to 30 liters, meeting the requirements of high-volume production. The volumetric, progressive cavity pump used (endless piston principle) ensures pulsation-free, precise material feed to the dispensing system and safeguards high quality standards.
Functions such as automatic lowering and venting of the container as well as media level detection make the vipro-FEED M plus ideally suited for integration into the A-PRO dispensing cell. The dispensing processes are currently controlled via vipro-CONTROL based on a Siemens control system. In addition to monitoring the feed systems, vipro-CONTROL provides visual fault indications. Parameters such as dispensing quantity, material output, or purge-shot volume can be set directly at the A-PRO cell. In addition, recipe management and curve presets are possible via the cell’s Beckhoff or Siemens controller. vipro-CONTROL also enables visualization of all process-relevant parameters, including material feed level, pre- and dispensing pressure, dispensed volume, number of shots, and dispensing times.
“In stage 3 – the final development phase – we plan to connect the dispensing system directly to the Aumann controller via a compact module,” explains Patrick Jobst, ViscoTec. Even today, integrating the A-PRO dispensing cell into Aumann lines’ modular system concept delivers a measurable reduction in total cost of ownership while increasing process stability and efficiency across the entire production chain.
