DHS - Sealing plug handling system

The premium production of aluminum wheels requires a leak test with the rare gas helium. As part of the preparation for the helium test, the pre-drilled valve holes must be closed. In order to get a reliable test result, it is crucial to press the sealing plugs into the valve holes with consistent pressure. The MAKRA sealing plug handling system replaces the former manual process and therefore increases the process reliability of the helium leak test. The wheels are conveyed into the machine in random order. The system is equipped with a 3-D camera system that enables the precise detection and measurement of the valve hole position. New wheel types, independent of diameter and rim width, can run through the sealing plug handling system in random order without teach-in. The conveying system of the sealing plugs has a volume of approx. 4000 plugs and is hence sufficient for a production time of approx. 10 hours. The machine separates the sealing plugs, picks them up with a specially designed gripper and closes the valve hole reliably and safely.

Your advantages:

• Short cycle times: average system capacity of 420 wheels per hour (17" wheel)
• Chaotic production: different wheel sizes, types and colors can be processed without pre-setting; wheel data is not required
• High operational safety: minimized error rate in the leak test due to constant press-in pressure
• Cost reduction: cost advantages due to the automation of a former manual process