Automated Compressor Tube Inspection
At a Glance
• Customer: An industry-leading compressor manufacturer (subject to an NDA).
• Problem: During compressor manufacturing, the copper tubes connected to the compressor must be inspected before the next stage of production can proceed.
• Solution: Flexiv automated this inspection process using the Rizon 4 adaptive robot paired with a customized end-of-arm tool. This enables the robot to ‘feel’ tube damage through controlled physical interaction.
• Key Features: Human-like force control ensures precise and safe tube handling, while a versatile inspection fixture enables smooth insertion and tolerance to positional deviations.
Solution Components
Advantages
• Inspections can be quickly modified to support line changeovers.
• Each inspection cycle takes less than 3 seconds.
• An accuracy of 0.025 mm guarantees inspection validity.
• Provides actionable quality assurance data.
Customer Profile
An industry-leading compressor manufacturer sought to automate the inspection of the copper tubes that enter and exit its compressors. The existing inspection process was entirely manual and subject to inconsistency and human error. Because the solution needed to be integrated into an existing production line, the inspection station also had to accommodate unavoidable workpiece positional variance.
The internal bore for tube insertion is typically designed to achieve a fit precision of approximately 0.025 mm. However, incoming copper compressor tubes often exhibit significant angular deviation of up to ±5 degrees, while cumulative positional errors are introduced during the upstream bending and welding processes. These combined factors made automation impractical for conventional industrial robots, even when equipped with ultra-high-precision 3D vision systems.
Project Advantages
Innovative Inspection Fixture
Flexiv’s solution integrates an adaptive robot with a tapered guide sleeve and a high-precision straightening mandrel. While protecting the mandrel during insertion, the robot’s industrial-grade force control guides the sleeve into parallel alignment with the compressor tube, enabling smooth, controlled, and repeatable insertion even in the face of workpiece misalignment.
High Error Tolerance
Leveraging human-like force control, the Rizon 4 adaptive robot automatically overcomes workpiece positional offsets, spatial angular deviation, and bending damage in the compressor input and output pipes. The system achieves a mating precision of up to 0.025 mm, ensuring complete and accurate pipe inspection while preventing mandrel damage or breakage.
Force Feedback for Intelligent Management
With an end-of-arm force feedback sensitivity of 0.1 N, the solution delivers ultra precise inspection results. Force feedback curves can be displayed in real-time to support operator assessment, process optimization, and intelligent production line management.
High Efficiency and Versatility
During production, each inspection is completed in under three seconds, with a total workstation cycle time of less than 5.5 seconds. By eliminating the need for vision systems and specialized auxiliary equipment, the setup delivers a highly reliable cost-effective automation solution with a 99.9% success rate.
Built around the unique capabilities of an adaptive robot, the system supports multiple pipe diameters and excels in small-batch, high-mix manufacturing.
