Innovative pressing technology - Sama

Press release 29.11.2001
INNOVATIVE PRESSING TECHNOLOGY WITH ARTICLE
RIM FETTLING PERFECTED BY ROBOT
from
SAMA Maschinenbau GmbH
(SACMI WHITEWARE)
In 1998 SAMA had already introduced to the porcelain tableware industry the freely programmable robot technology for
article rim fettling and sponging.
Medard de Noblat in Limoges was a forerunner of this technology. As a result of the high quality demands of the so-called
culinary porcelain at Medard de Noblat, the high pressure casting method was not used. Despite marked quality
improvements, which the pressure casting process offered, specific deformation of the article after firing could not be ruled
out. Isostatically pressed articles are superior to high-pressure cast ones in this respect. Hermes de Paris is Medard de
Noblat’s biggest customer for whiteware. In order to fulfil the high quality demands of this customer, it was decided to opt for
the SAMA iso-pressing technology.
The fettling of non-round, multi-sided, rectangular and irregular shaped articles is problematical. SAMA, for the first time, has
gone along a completely new route, using a robot technique with 6 axes. In order to be able to utilize the robot technology for

this purpose, new software had to be developed to make the programming for fettling irregular shaped articles easier. This
technique has become part and parcel of the production technology at Medard de Noblat. A second Universal Fettling Robot
UPR 1 has recently been commissioned.
At Medard de Noblat this technique is still “off-line”, i.e. the pressed articles are placed manually into the centring device and
fed to the universal fettling robot. In the patented large flatware isostatic line LPP 1-45/UPR 3 with 3 universal fettling robots,
which was installed at Rosenthal’s Rothbühl factory, this process is fully automatic.
The horizontal pressing plant LPP 1-45/UPR 3 produces the demanding Rosenthal range up the square, rectangular and
irregular shaped articles with dimensions up to 500mm measured horizontally and a height of 150mm (in the green state). The
pressed items drop from the press onto a discharge belt and transported to a pre-centring device. Then, by means of a vacuum
sucker, they are transferred to the subsequent “flash breaking” and “position recognition” stations. At this latter station there is
a digital camera, installed with the relevant software and interface, which transfers the determined coordinates to the
appropriate fettling robot. In total there are three robots in operation in order to achieve the nominal output of ca. 350-400
articles per hour. Each robot carries out its tasks quasi “autonomously”, i.e. each robot controls one dry and two wet
processing stations. At the end of the cycle each robot places the finished article back onto the round table. Finally, the
articles are transferred to a foot polishing station and then stacked.
As a result of the high flexibility and exactness (+/- 0.1mm) of the robot fettling technology, further orders from Portugal, Italy
and the States have been placed.

MANUFACTURING SEQUENCE
ISOSTATIC DUST PRESS
FLASH BREAKING
COORDINATE MEASURING TABLE
TURNING TABLE
ROBOT
TURNING TABLE
PILING TABLE OR BELT

6 axes ensure the
necessary amount of
free play in the
movement in order to
guarantee the optimal
edge finishing
depending on the
shape of the article.
For example no dust
and no „slip“ gets onto
the article during the
vertical working stage.

Patented System
•Each robot carries out the complete job, without handing over to the next one
•Therefore high performance and precision (+/- 0,1mm)
One Robot can be used „offline“ in order to:
•Install a new finishing program
•While programming the plant can produce in automatic run with two robots
•Produce at the same time a different article in „offline“ mode with manual feeding

SIMPLE PROGRAMMING:
Teaching by point to point at the „Offline“-Robot
•
Optionally: By loading a CAD-file from an isostatic-pressing tool

EDGE FINISHING SYSTEM:
Dry grinding with
grinding belt or
disc
6 Axes
Industrial
Robot
Sponging unit with
contra rotating
sponge reels
Sponging unit with
sponge belt or reel

Horizontal press for large tableware type LPP 1-45

Horizontal press for
large tableware type
LPP 1-45
Side view with tool
for square platter

6-Axes Industrial Robots with Turntable and Edge Trimming Units

Dry grinding with disc or belt Wet sponging and polishing

Layout from large tableware press type LPP 1-45/UPR 3