An automated, high throughput system that mechanically separates electrode tips from spark plugs to facilitate recovery of platinum group metals in the electrodes. Spark plugs may be fed into the system in bulk and an automated mechanism under computer control executes a sequence of operations to feed plugs in a fixed orientation and at a controlled rate to a robot arm. The robot arm has a gripper that securely holds a set of spark plugs and passes them across a cutting tool to separate tips from the bodies. The gripper has independently actuated finger assemblies that accommodate plugs of varying shapes. A visual inspection system ensures that spark plugs are oriented with the tips facing in the same direction to simplify operation of the robot and the cutting tool. The tips may be processed to extract the contained valuable metals; the remaining bodies may be recycled as iron scrap.

An automated, high throughput system that mechanically separates electrode tips from spark plugs to facilitate recovery of platinum group metals in the electrodes. Spark plugs may be fed into the system in bulk and an automated mechanism under computer control executes a sequence of operations to feed plugs in a fixed orientation and at a controlled rate to a robot arm. The robot arm has a gripper that securely holds a set of spark plugs and passes them across a cutting tool to separate tips from the bodies. The gripper has independently actuated finger assemblies that accommodate plugs of varying shapes. A visual inspection system ensures that spark plugs are oriented with the tips facing in the same direction to simplify operation of the robot and the cutting tool. The tips may be processed to extract the contained valuable metals; the remaining bodies may be recycled as iron scrap.

The present invention discloses a tool holding device for shank type tools, comprising at least one tool holder, a base part and a top part, whereby at least the top part comprises uptake holes for the at least one tool holder characterized in that, the tool holding device can be used for more than one process step among transfer, cleaning, pretreatment, coating, posttreatment, and each of the at least one tool holders can optionally take up a sleeve holding the shank type tool in a distinct, preferably upright position and comprises one or more openings, which allow fluid and/or solid treatment agents to exit the tool holder and/or sleeve and the at least one tool holder and/or sleeve enables three-fold rotation of the shank type tool. Further a method using the inventive tool holding device is disclosed.

The present invention discloses a tool holding device for shank type tools, comprising at least one tool holder, a base part and a top part, whereby at least the top part comprises uptake holes for the at least one tool holder characterized in that, the tool holding device can be used for more than one process step among transfer, cleaning, pretreatment, coating, posttreatment, and each of the at least one tool holders can optionally take up a sleeve holding the shank type tool in a distinct, preferably upright position and comprises one or more openings, which allow fluid and/or solid treatment agents to exit the tool holder and/or sleeve and the at least one tool holder and/or sleeve enables three-fold rotation of the shank type tool. Further a method using the inventive tool holding device is disclosed.

An assembly apparatus (10) is provided. The assembly apparatus (10) includes a first feeding mechanism (12) arranged in use to feed a series of first components (14), a holding mechanism (16) arranged in use to hold consecutive ones of the first components (14) in place, a cutter (18) arranged in use to separate individual ones of the first components (14) while being held in place by the holding mechanism (16), an inserter (20) arranged in use to push a separated first component (14) into a corresponding opening in a second component (22), and a drive mechanism (24) coupled to each of the first feeding mechanism (12), the holding mechanism (16), the cutter (18) and the inserter (20). The drive mechanism (24) is arranged in use to synchronise movement of the first feeding mechanism (12), the holding mechanism (16), the cutter (18) and the inserter (20).

An alternative to additive manufacturing is disclosed, introducing an end-to-end workflow in which discrete building blocks are reversibly joined to produce assemblies called digital materials. Described is the design of the bulk-material building blocks and the devices that are assembled from them. Detailed is the design and implementation of an automated assembler, which takes advantage of the digital material structure to avoid positioning errors within a large tolerance. To generate assembly sequences, a novel CAD/CAM workflow is described for designing, simulating, and assembling digital materials. The structures assembled using this process have been evaluated, showing that the joints perform well under varying conditions and that the assembled structures are functionally precise.

An alternative to additive manufacturing is disclosed, introducing an end-to-end workflow in which discrete building blocks are reversibly joined to produce assemblies called digital materials. Described is the design of the bulk-material building blocks and the devices that are assembled from them. Detailed is the design and implementation of an automated assembler, which takes advantage of the digital material structure to avoid positioning errors within a large tolerance. To generate assembly sequences, a novel CAD/CAM workflow is described for designing, simulating, and assembling digital materials. The structures assembled using this process have been evaluated, showing that the joints perform well under varying conditions and that the assembled structures are functionally precise.

A method for automatically producing LED lamp cap, including: leading a heat sink base out to an outlet of a first feeding device; leading a reflection bowl to an outlet of a lead-out rail of a second feeding device; feeding, by a third feeding device, a LED lamp bead to a clamping block; feeding a bottom cover into a feeding pipe of a fourth feeding device; feeding a lamb tube to a lamp tube feeding pipe; dispensing a glue in a mounting groove of the heat sink base; pushing the LED lamp wick into the mounting groove; feeding the reflection bowl to a mounting surface of the heat sink base; and allowing the bottom cover to abut against an end of the heat sink base and allowing a lead wire to be clamped in a notch of the heat sink base and an opening of the bottom cover.

A method for automatically producing LED lamp cap, including: leading a heat sink base out to an outlet of a first feeding device; leading a reflection bowl to an outlet of a lead-out rail of a second feeding device; feeding, by a third feeding device, a LED lamp bead to a clamping block; feeding a bottom cover into a feeding pipe of a fourth feeding device; feeding a lamb tube to a lamp tube feeding pipe; dispensing a glue in a mounting groove of the heat sink base; pushing the LED lamp wick into the mounting groove; feeding the reflection bowl to a mounting surface of the heat sink base; and allowing the bottom cover to abut against an end of the heat sink base and allowing a lead wire to be clamped in a notch of the heat sink base and an opening of the bottom cover.

The present invention relates to a process of producing a boom part from a sheet metal blank, in particular a process of producing a boom part having a bearing seat, in which the starting material is merely formed by bending. Thus, the production process is simplified. In addition, the present invention relates to a process of producing a boom that is closed at both ends by joining two boom parts produced by means of the process of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention comprises boom parts and booms which are produced by means of one of the processes according to the present invention.