The custom hydraulic test bench controls the flow rate and pressure of the landing gear actuator.Measurements are taken by simulating real operating conditions.

Requirement / Hydraulic component checks.

At the end of the assembly stage, hydraulic component flow rate / pressure checks to measure endurance and reliability.

Solution / Hydraulic flow rate / pressure test bench.

Design of a specialised hydraulic test bench to check several aspects of the landing gear actuator :

• Closed loop flow rate – Pressure regulation (accuracy <1% of full scale)
• Speed – Position measurements for determining displacement
• Specialised aviation fluid.

Electric servo-driven press-fit machine used in an industrial vehicle component production process.The assembly machine benefits from the latest innovations offered by Lormac and includes the patented digital feedback platform.

Requirement / Press fitting of car components.

Press fitting of various components for the vehicle industry including fragile parts such as bearings. One of the constraints of this application was to provide a programmable solution capable of fast production run change-outs.

Solution / Electric servo-driven machine.

Lormac’s solution was to provide an electric press-fit machine equipped with a digital feedback platform (real-time dimension transfer).

The machine’s performance levels /

• Positioning accuracy of 0.01 mm
• 50 kN pressure (as standard)
• Press-fitting pressure control (value and position)
• Capability of handling deformable and fragile parts using reference surface transfer
• Run of 200 mm
• Satellite spindle drives for greater longevity
• Automatic lubrication of the spindle.

Specialised assembly machine designed to crimp connectors at the ends of tubes.

Requirement / To strengthen the ends of tubes.

The customer wished to attach strengthening sleeves to the ends of tubes by expansion to reinforce them.

Solution / A custom crimping machine.

The assembly machine developed by Lormac allowed the parts to loaded manually or using a robot. The strengthening sleeves were press-fitted and expanded using hydraulic power. A side-punching process was applied at the end to provide extra solidity and a good finish.

The crimping machine’s performance levels /

• 6 second cycle time

Automated assembly line for the industrial manufacture of a water pump. The production line comprised 4 digitally-controlled press-fit machines, component distribution and loading robots and end-of-process checking systems.

Requirement / To assemble components and check products.

Assembly, press fitting and testing of a new water pump.

Solution / Automated press fitting machine.

Lormac designed an automated assembly line to assemble new products. Lormac staff used their ingenuity to create an entire automated manufacturing system including :

• Automated distribution and loading of components
• Design of 4 specialised electric press fitting machines and tools
• Integration of 2 transfer robots for feeding and unloading of off-line stations
• Addition of 2 off-line automated bolting stations
• Insertion of 2 seal testing stations
• Implementation of a pallet transfer conveyor

The press fitting machine uses a “gooseneck” assembly process with deformation correction and strength control.

The machine’s performance levels /

• Capacity of each press-fit machine: 50 KN
• Feedback platform designed and patented by Lormac
• 9 second cycle time
• Accuracy +/- 0.03

Further information.

Automated filling station designed to fill motor gear boxes with oil.Automated dispensation through a nozzle ensures safe and accurate filling.

Requirement / To automate the filling process.

Automated filling of motors produced on an existing production line with oil.

Solution / Complete filling station.

Complete automated filling station handling the storage, treatment and dispensing of oil with several stages :

• 1 underground station to de-contaminate the oil and maintain it at the correct temperature in a double-sided insulated stainless steel tank
• 1 automated filling station with a buffer tank handling filtration and raising the temperature of the oil
• 1 x 6 axis robot manipulating a special anti-drip filling nozzle designed specifically for this application

Filling station performance levels /

• Average cycle time of 20 seconds with an accuracy of ± 10 g (mass meter), per 6 kg of oil dispensed for each motor
• Automated processing for the various types of motor controlling the robot trajectory and information sent to the mass meter.

Manual hydraulic filling station for fast and accurate filling of motor gear boxes with oil.

Requirement / Accurate dosing equipment.

Fast and accurate filling of motor gear boxes with oil at the end of the production run.

Solution / Manual hydraulic filling station.

A hydraulic station providing storage, treatment (oil filtering and temperature) and dosing using a dispensing nozzle.

Filling station performance levels /

• Accurate oil dosing (mass meter),
• Compromise between filling time and air evacuation time
• Ergonomic station

Custom assembly machine designed for the assembly of the components of a public lighting system by bonding.

Requirement / Automation of production.

Automation of the lamppost head assembly process (bonding of transparent parts to the aluminium body and bolting on of cable glands).

Solution / Automated bonding machine.

The assembly machine designed and manufactured by Lormac performs all stages of assembly in under 90 seconds:

• Manual loading of components
• Application of a continuous bead of adhesive using digital interpolation
• Assembly of components by bonding and UV polymerisation
• Automated bolting of the cable gland
• Manual unloading of the part

The machine’s performance levels /

• A complete cycle time of only 75 seconds,
• 600 x 600 mm bonding runs
• 1000 mm main digital axis run

Further information.

Automated UV bonding machine, specially designed to bond ferrites to a rotor axle.This specialised bonding machine combines Lormac’s expertise in manufacturing process automation and the skills of Syneo, a company specialising in industrial bonding.

Requirement / Industrialisation of a new manufacturing process.

Industrialisation of the bonding of 4 or 8 ferrites to the rotors of a motor. Annual production in the order of 100,000 parts. The parts were previously assembled using mechanical techniques and the customer asked us to develop a bonding solution which would improve this process. Lormac and Syneo’s combined expertise allowed us not only to propose an innovative assembly process using adhesives, but also to automate production through the use of an automated bonding machine.

Solution / Automated UV bonding machine.

Lormac used their technical expertise to design an automated assembly machine with manual loading and unloading. Once the components to be assembled have been loaded, the rotor is handled by a 6 axis robot at the heart of the automated enclosure. The ferrites are positioned and bonded in place simultaneously when the jaws of the installation close. Operations involving the application of adhesive, bonding, UV curing and concentricity checks result in high productivity levels.

The assembly machine’s performance levels /

• A complete cycle time of only 11 seconds,
• Gravity-fed dosing system,
• Automation of the assembly process using a Syneo bonding solution comprising a high-precision volumetric doser and two UV curing lamps.

Further information.

Welding jig for the assembly of a stainless steel ring in the aeronautics sector. The creation of this assembly / part pick-up support ensures that the parts are accurately positioned while welding.

Requirement / Welding assembly of large parts.

The welding jig needed to conform to two constraints : the large size of the ring and shrinkage caused by welding. The welding template was designed especially for the assembly of a large part (Ø greater than 1500).

Solution / Extendible welding jig.

The welding jig developed by Lormac integrates an extension system designed to pre-stress the ring (larger expansion Ø). This system guarantees that the correct dimensions are obtained.

Another characteristic of this specialised tool is the adaptation of a hydraulic and electrical rotating joint especially designed for this part pick-up application.

Standard SMED rapid tool change-out interface integrated in to an aircraft part machining cell. The integration of a false platform designed by Lormac creates a unique and standardised interface for all manufacturing machines, minimising machine down-time.

Requirement / Speed up manufacturing rotation.

During machining operations, manufacturing changeovers are an indirect cause of down-time. There are three advantages to using a specialised rapid SMED change-out interface for part pick-up and assembly :

• speeding up change-outs,
• improving repeatability when repositioning tools,
• meeting needs in terms of multiple interface / tool “pairs”.

Solution / A single rapid change-out interface.

Development and integration of a false platform creating a standard rapid change-out interface common to all machines. The supplied tool was standardised through the use of zero point mandrels. Positive CAD locking components, these elements are released using hydraulic mechanisms. Lormac designed and installed a comprehensive rapid tool change-out solution for the customer’s application including the supply of a hydraulic release unit, positioning control and a blower.

Characteristics /

• Ø 1600 mm capacity
• 9 false platforms or identical interfaces,
• 8 dedicated tools.

Further information.