Thabo Clifford Ngobeni

Engineering portfolio
Email: tbo.ngobeni@gmail.com
Mobile: 082 306 7941

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 1

 Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Automated reinforce welding machine

Lead mechanical designer, Project manager

>Automated reinforce welder

An operator loaded automated welding machine for Gabriel

shock absorbers. The machine has two welding modes, 360⁰
rotary welding mode around the rod and a 180⁰ linear
welding mode adjacent to the eye ring-dust cap assembly on
the shock absorber sub assembly. The machine has a cycle
time of 5.99 seconds. It is integrated with an HMI panel which
allows one to alter the parameters for different product
recipes.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 2

Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Automated outdent making machine

Lead mechanical designer, project manager

>Automated Outdent making machine

The outdent machine’s function is to create 3 equi-

spaced outdents on a straight pipe that is utilized as
an intermediate tube on a shock absorber assembly.
The machine operates hydraulically with 3 segments
on a taper to make an indent from inside the tube.
The tube slides over a madrel and then the side
cylinder utilizes a calculated cam displacement to
open and close 3 segments that make a circle for
clamping. The machine’s cycle time is 5.78 seconds.
The machine’s HMI panel allows the conventional
settings of inputs, outputs alteration as well as a part
counter.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 3

 Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Pneumatic welding jig for a robotic welding cell

Supporting Mechanical designer

>Pneumatic
< welding jig for a robotic welding
cell

The jig comprises of two tungsten copper

heads machined with a profile inside to house
the product. The application is for a catalytic
convertor subassembly of a Volvo product.
The jig clamps 3 parts together pneumatically
and the robot moves the welding gun to
position whilst the positioner rotates the
product in two axes in an instance where the
robot can’t reach.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 4

 Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Pneumatic welding jig for Land Rover catalytic converter

Lead mechanical designer, project manager

>Pneumatic weld jig for Land Rover Catalytic converter

This pneumatic jig opens and closes all the joints and links according to where the components need to
be loaded and orientated. The whole jig is placed on a robotic positioner which is comprised inside a
robotic welding cell. The robot will then move to all the points that need welding and move in sync
with the positioner feeding the welding wire at the right rate in perfect harmony with both(Robot
&positioner)

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 5

 Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Automated tube deburring machine for Gabriel.

Lead mechanical designer, (Manufactured and project managed by third party.)

>Automated tube deburing machine.

The tubes utilized for the intermediate cylinder of a shock absorber are conveyed from the
tube cutting and fed onto this machine. They roll down the chute to stop up against a sensor
operated cylinder gate with rollers on it. When the tubes get stacked to a certain amount,
the gate releases one tube into the turret, upon getting clamped into the turret, the gate
then comes up to stop the preceding pipes. The turret then indexes 90 degrees to deburring
position. The spinning heads come in through bidirectional ballscrew –nut assemblies at the
bottom. When the deburring is completed the turret indexes another 90 degrees to eject
the deburred tube whilst simultaneously grabbing the next one.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 6

 Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Hole piercing tool for Intermediate pipe on a catalytic convertor assembly

Lead mechanical designer, project manager.

>Hole piercing tool

This is a simple hole piecing tool which fits onto a C –frame press
designed for a light application. It is designed robust enough to carry out
the piercing without wasting material on a bulky presstool. The pipe is
loaded and locked in position through the Go and No -go handle which is
illustrated.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 7

Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Pipe cutting fixtures and Pretacking fixtures

Mechanical designer, project manager

Fits on machine
mounting block.

>Pipe cutting fixtures

These simple fixture are mounted on an upcut saw machine.

The blade rises from the bottom and cuts the pipe as per
required sections. These fixtures are utilized for cutting
braches of pipe for exhaust applications. The C frame machine
design has a mounting block which is controlled by a ballscrew
–servo assembly to clamp and unclamp the pipe.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 8

Projects
____________________________________________________________________

Shock absorber load simulator machine

Support mechanical designer

>Shock absorber load simulator

This machine utilizes Servo motor –

ballscrew actuator assemblies that
simulate the retracting and
contracting of a shock absorber. The
shock absorber is loaded, clamped
and subjected to loads. The
machine load tests and frequency
tests. The machine is fitted with
National instruments calibrated
load cells and LVTD’s. It also has a
HMI for setting the different
parameters.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 9

Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Robotic welding line and leak testing station

Supporting mechanical designer.

>Robotic welding cell

Robotic cell fitted with two welding stations and a laektester

station for catalytic converters. The sub assemblies are welded
together then moved to the final welding station. After the
final assembly the product is tested pneumatically for leaks.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 10

Projects
______________________________________________________________________

Pretacking fixture for Land Rover Catalytic converter sub assy

Lead mechanical designer, project manager

>Pretacking fixture

The part is tack welded before being reinforce welded by the robot.
The fixture is mounted on a rotating station to allow the welding
torch to reach concealed points of the part. The fixture is loaded
manually by an operator to load 3 loose parts of the catalytic
converter. The fixture utilizes toggle clamps to clamp the
components that require pressure.

Thabo Clifford Ngobeni Page 11