Pick and Place Options

Process-level Options

The Pick and Place process provides the following options:

  • Time to Unload the Assembly Fixture: time to unload the finished assembly at the end of the assembly process. By default this is looked up by component weight (sum of the weights of the assembly’s components) in the lookup table componentLoadTime. You can override the default and specify the time explicitly. This value contributes to cycle time (see Process Cycle Time Calculation). Select one of the following options:

    • Use weight based computed value: this is the default.

    • User override value for this part: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.

  • Time to Load all Subcomponents: by default, the cost model calculates the total load time for all Subcomnents as the sum of the cycle times from the child Load operations--see Load Operation Cycle Time and Labor Time Calculation. Users can override this default with the setup option Time to Load All Subcomponents.

  • Time to Clamp and Unclamp All Welded Subcompnents: this is the time required to apply and later remove a single clamp. By default, it is the sum of the child Clamping operation cycle times--see Clamping Operation Cycle Time Calculation. Users can override the default time on a per-ContactGroup basis with the setup option Clamping Time.

  • Clamping Startegy for Welded Subcomponents: determines whether the Clamping operation is performed once or twice on each welded ContactGroup. By default in starting point Digital Factories, it is performed once. Administrators can customize the default by setting to true the cost model variable clampForTackAndWeld (it is false in starting point Digital Factories).

    Users can override the default with this setup option. Select one of the following options

    • Clamp once - for both tacking and welding: clamping is performed only once on each welded ContactGroup.

    • Clamp twice - once for tacking and once for welding: clamping is performed twice on each welded ContactGroup, once for tacking and once for welding. (Note that the operation is performed twice regardless of whether the subsequent welding operation uses tacking. Do not set to true unless you want to clamp twice for each ContactGroup.)

Operation-level Options

You can specify per-Subcomponent or per ContactGroup values with the options listed below.

The Clamping operation (performed on each ContactGroup with a welded ContactRegion) provides the following options:

  • Time to Clamp and Unclamp: time required to apply and later remove a single clamp for this ContactGroup. By default, it is looked up by Type of Clamp Utilized (see below) in the lookup table clamps.

    Users can override the default time on a per-ContactGroup basis with this setup option.

    Select one of the following options:

    • Default: This is the default.

    • User Override: enter a numeric value.

    See also Clamping Operation Cycle Time Calculation.

  • Type of Clamp Utilized: By default in starting point Digital Factories, automated clamping is used for assemblies with robotic welds and manual clamping is used for assemblies with no robotic welds. With automated clamping, clamps are applied by hydraulic actuators.

    In general, the default clamp type is one of the following:

    • Assemblies with at least one robotic weld: the Clamp Type in the lookup table clamps with the lowest Clamping Time that has true for Use For Robotic Processes.

    • Assemblies with no robotic welds: the Clamp Type in the lookup table clamps with the lowest Clamping Time that has true for Use For Manual Processes.

    Users can override the default on a per-ContactGroup basis with the setup option Type of Clamp Utilized. See also Clamping Operation Cycle Time Calculation.

The Load operation provides the following options:

  • Base Load Time: contributes to Load Operation Cycle Time and Labor Time Calculation. By default this is looked up by assembly weight (see Assembly Weight) in the lookup table componentLoadTime. You can override the default and specify the time explicitly. Select one of the following options:

    • Computed base load time: this is the default.

    • User override base load time for this part: enter a numeric value.

  • Load time multiplier for handling difficulties: factor to account for additional time for handling difficulties such as nesting, stickiness, fragility, and so forth. It contributes to Load Operation Cycle Time and Labor Time Calculation. By default this factor is 1. You can override the default with this PSO. Select one of the following:

    • No additional time for handling difficulties: this is the default.

    • Standard handling difficulties multiplier: use the value of the cost model variable handlingMultiplier (1.15 in aPriori starting point Digital Factories).

    • User override multiplier for this part: enter a numeric value.

  • Load time multiplier for insertion difficulties: factor to account for additional time for difficulties with alignment and positioning, due to obstructed access or vision, or lack of alignment features such as chamfers and lead-ins. It contributes to Load Operation Cycle Time and Labor Time Calculation. By default this factor is 1. You can override the default with this PSO. Select one of the following:

    • No additional time for insertion difficulties: this is the default.

    • Standard insertion difficulties multiplier: use the value of the cost model variable insertionMultiplier (1.2 in aPriori starting point Digital Factories).

    • User override multiplier for this part: enter a numeric value.