ALLIANCE AUTOMATION

GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN

In the world of waterjets, the pump is the heart of the system. It transforms more than a gallon of ordinary tap water into a powerful ultra-high pressure waterjet that can cut virtually anything. High productivity automotive suppliers count on their waterjet pump to run reliably for multiple shifts. If their pump goes down, their profits go down with it; the pump reigns supreme.

Determined automation supplier Alliance Automation, LLC, of Grand Blanc, Michigan has searched the world for the very best manufacturing and automation solutions. With the waterjet pump critical to its customer’s success, they chose to power their latest robotic cells with hydraulic intensifier pumps manufactured by Jet Edge, Inc. of St. Michael, Minnesota.

Their 6-axis robotic waterjet trimming cell is armed with dual wall-mounted Motoman HP20D robots and Jet Edge’s 60KSI (4100 bar) iP60-50 intensifier pumps. It leads the industry in precision and dependability with Motoman’s +0.06 mm repeatability and Jet Edge’s reliable tie-rod intensifier design. The cell’s sturdy, compact frame design allows stability to both the tool and robots to ensure consistent tight part tolerances. The robotic waterjet trimming cell precisely cuts shaped parts with many angles from a wide variety of materials, including carpeting, fiberglass, foam, and plastic.

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Steven Cranston of Alliance Automation notes that the system has numerous automotive interior applications: trimming headliners, dashboards, dash liners, bed liners, wheel liners, door panels, trunk trim, car carpet, and acoustic dampening components. It can also be used for similar applications in the aerospace and marine industries. According to Cranston, Alliance Automations’s robotic waterjet trimming cell featured numerous design innovations that distinguish it from other robotic systems. The system lowers operating costs by eliminating the need for complicated trimming dyes.

“Knowing that Jet Edge is a leader in waterjet technology, we could trust the dependability and consistency of the Jet Edge intensifier,” Cranston said.

Jet Edge’s Jeff Schibley played a key role in helping Alliance Automation integrate Jet Edge pumps into its new robotic cells. He explained the key design features that have distinguished Jet Edge pumps.

“Jet Edge’s pumps are known for their reliable tie-rod design,” Schibley says. “Our design eliminates threads on the high pressure cylinders, end caps, and hydraulic cylinders. This reduces the likelihood of cracking and increases component life. Jet Edge has built some of the longest lasting pumps in the industry. We have customers who have more than 35,000 hours on Jet Edge pumps that are still going strong.”

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We build them for easy maintenance to minimize downtime and have developed patented metal-on-metal seal technology that cuts in half the number of seals needing replacement.”

Jet Edge, similar to Alliance Automation, is committed to helping customers increase productivity and lower operation costs. “We’re in business to help our customers solve problems and increase productivity, and robotics offer a powerful solution to both, “Schibley says.

“According to the Robotic Industries Association, only 10% of U.S. businesses that could benefit from robots have any installed, so there is a tremendous growth opportunity for Alliance and Jet Edge. We’re very proud that they chose Jet Edge to be a part of their exciting future.”