KUKA ROBOT – METAL

APPLICATION : Grinding and polishing of implants

Starting point / Task definition

Aesculap’s benchmark factory in Tuttlingen manufactures high-quality implants. In the past, work in this field was
primarily carried out manually. Then Aesculap wanted to optimize the entire process. The motivation to do this was
strong pressure to reduce costs and the resultant desire for higher cost-effectiveness. It was therefore important,
above all, to shorten production times and reduce expenses. The company decided to use six-axis jointed-arm
robots for the grinding and polishing of hip prosthesis shafts. What Aesculap demanded most of all from these
robots was high repeatability, in order to guarantee a reproducible process and thus consistently high quality. The
company also required a high degree of flexibility.

Implementation / Solution

The company opted for two KUKA KR 30 HA robots, which have a carrying capacity of 30 kilograms and a
maximum reach of over two meters. Each of them accomplishes various job steps in the complex process, without
setting the implant down in the meantime.

Installed in the dual robotic cell are grinding and polishing stations with integrated measuring devices; the two
robots machine different areas of the hip prosthesis shafts at these stations in a step-by-step process. To do this,
the KR 30 HAs hold each particular shaft in a constant, defined position. To enable the second robot to maintain this
position after an exchange, it receives each shaft together with the associated gripper. The KUKA robots grind and
polish the implants in batches of up to 200 pieces, in three-shift operation. Grinding and polishing are followed by
an additional surface treatment outside of the robotic cell.

One essential precondition for the success of the project was the pneumatic grippers specially developed for this
application. These end-effectors have to hold the hip prosthesis shafts firmly, but must not damage them under any
circumstances. The grippers are designed for an exact fit, taking into account the small tolerances present in the
shafts, which are hot-pressed parts.