For high-volume jobs, it’s easy to justify the cost of an automated pin inserter. Automation improves consistency of installation and efficiency while cutting costs and scrap. But for lowvolume tasks, or jobs that require different-size pins, it has not always been easy to justify the cost of buying several different machines. To solve that problem, engineers at Spirol International Corp., Danielson, Conn., developed the Model CR Combination Installation Machine.
It can install three completely different size pins in the same or three different assemblies. The modular machine features separate vibratory feeders and orientation heads for the three different pins. And there are three interchangeable fixture nests, one for each pinning application. Each nest has a centrally located dowel pin that aligns the fixture to the pin-exit bushing. Precise dowel holes are machined into the base plate and lined up with each pinorientation head. A single bolt secures the fixture while in use.
Each fixture is number coded, making it easy for operators to ensure the right one is loaded. When a pinning operation is completed, the operator removes the fixture, installs the next, and puts the selector switch in the corresponding position to begin the next pinning operation. The machine can also be retooled with different feeder-orientation heads and fixture combinations.