Flexible automated assembly line helps Diehl Metering double throughput in a compact footprint

 
Diehl Metering partnered with JOT Automation to automate the assembly and testing of its new water metering product. The result: a flexible, fully integrated assembly line that doubles throughput.

The challenge – automate a multi-component metering assembly with high flexibility

Diehl Metering needed to automate the assembly and testing of a new water metering product. The process combines several delicate steps: feeding batteries and antennas, verifying their quality, preparing the components, and placing them accurately onto the PCB.

The key challenges were:

• Multi-component assembly requiring precise testing, handling, and placement of batteries, antennas, and other components
• Product variants with different components and requirements, handled on the same line seamlessly
• Compact footprint requiring efficient use of factory floor space and smart automation
• Consistent quality through battery testing, machine vision checks, and reliable separation of failed parts
• Seamless flow into the next process step, soldering, after component placement

Handling all these manually presented challenges to scalability, and the complexity of the assembly and testing process was cumbersome. Diehl Metering needed a turnkey solution that could handle the full process while staying flexible for different product variants.

The solution – a flexible, turnkey assembly line

JOT Automation delivered a complete turnkey assembly line that combines tray handling, SCARA robot cells, machine vision, shuttle transfers, and an odd-shape component placement cell. The line supports up to 2 product variants and is capable of running production for all variants without any disruptions.

Core system components:

• Tray handlers for infeeding
• 2 SCARA robots for battery and antenna handling
• Machine vision systems for orientation, pin, and dimensional checks of components
• Battery voltage test
• Bending/lead forming unit
• Flip station and camera check for antennas
• Shuttles for transferring parts between stations
• Failed product buffer
• Odd-shape placement cell with gripper magazine and automatic gripper change based on product variant

The complete manufacturing process:

• Incoming material – Batteries for each product variant arrive on trays, and dedicated tray handlers feed them to the robot cells
• Battery testing – Mirrored SCARA robot cells pick the batteries and run a voltage check, an orientation check, and a dimensional check with machine vision
• Lead forming – Battery leads are bent when required
• Sorting – OK batteries are placed on the shuttle. Failed ones go to the fail buffer
• Antenna handling – A SCARA robot picks the antenna from the tray, flips it 90°, verifies it with a camera check, and clamps it on the shuttle
• Component placement – Shuttles bring batteries and antennas into the odd-shape cell, which places them onto the PCB
• Product change – A gripper magazine and automatic gripper change let the cell work with different product variants seamlessly
• Outfeed – Finished PCBs move on to the soldering station

The modular design also allows for future product variations and expansion.

The result – higher throughput and reliable quality in a compact line

The new line has transformed Diehl Metering’s metering assembly, automating component feeding, testing, quality verification, and PCB placement in a single flexible line, doubling Diehl’s production volume.

Key achievements include:

• • Complete automation from incoming batteries and antennas to PCB placement
  • Flexible production across 2 product variants
  • Reliable quality through battery testing and multiple machine vision checks
  • Controlled handling of failures, with NG parts categorized by fail type
  • Compact design with mirrored robot cells and shuttle-based transfers

“We chose JOT Automation for our new water metering product assembly due to their impressive track record in providing turnkey automation solutions. We were really impressed with JOT’s ability to handle complex automation tasks with precision and efficiency. Most importantly, JOT’s service and support, which we are fully satisfied with, are second to none. Together with JOT, we designed a platform that allows us to achieve all of this in a compact space. Overall, we doubled our throughput with this automated solution.” 

About the customer

Diehl Metering is a global industrial manufacturer and family-owned division of the Diehl Group specializing in smart water, thermal energy (heating and cooling), gas, and electricity measurement solutions.

If you’re looking to automate complex assembly and testing operations in a flexible, compact solution, we can help. Get in touch with us to discuss your automation needs.