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SAM 8
Semi Automated Machine
SAM8 may look a little crude, but it sure does the job. Before we used to have to glue the inserts into the Arrow Shafts (Elements).
Glue was a real pain. Never knew if you got enough or too much. Made a mess, and was very time consuming.

Under the Hood:
Power Supply, 3 Air Valves, Relay for the Insert Motor,
PC Board contains the PIC Micro Controller a 16F84 that controls the whole machine.

Under The Hood

Sam8 uses 3 Crimp Tools operated by 4 Air Cylinders.

Front View
The two crimp tools on the right are operated by two air cylinders, holds the Element without marking it.
the one on the left is operated by two air cylinders. Puts a slight hexagon crimp into the Arrow Shaft.

Close Up:

Close Up

Above: 3 inch Air Cylinder, DC Motor, & the 3 Crimp Tools.

Operation: (very simplified)

The right shaft of the motor is threaded 8-32,
when an insert is pushed onto the shaft, the motor turns on and screws in the insert.
The element is laid into the crimp tools and the big red button is pushed.
The (clamp) two crimp tools begin to close, 20 milliseconds later the crimp tool begins to close.
It continues to close until a sensor is made, then the PIC turns the air onto the big air cyl. which pushes the motor with the insert toward the element. The crimp tool opens just before the insert is pressed in. Then the air cylinder pulls back the motor, as it does the motor turns on in the reverse direction and unscrews itself from the insert. The two clamps (crimp tools) open and the operation is done.

The whole machine operation takes about 7 seconds. It takes about 8 seconds to load the machine.
So every 15 seconds an insert can be installed into an element.

SAM8 has been online since Thanksgiving weekend of 02.
In one year it has done over 14,000 elements.
(Note the counter beside the PC Board.)

11/14/05 Update: Counter now reads 43,347

6/15/10 Update: Counter now reads 119,535

1/16/13 Update: Counter now reads 175,633

 


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