Asthma inhalers are comprised of a medicine canister fitting inside a plastic sleeve. When the patient pushes the canister, the stem, a small metal pin, releases an actuator inside the sleeve allowing the medication to be released and inhaled by the patient. The stem must mate properly with the actuator to ensure the medication is dispersed properly. Any defect could cause the device to fail.
Current Process & Challenges: Slow Production, High Labor and Integration Costs
Asthma inhaler pins are ground one at a time using multiple production lines and automation integrations. This setup requires a large footprint to meet high demand. Labor and numerous automation integration costs are expensive.
Solution
Glebar’s GT-610 Automated CNC Centerless Infeed/Thrufeed Grinding Machine
Glebar’s GT-610 CNC Infeed/Thrufeed Grinder provides a high degree of automation, data gathering, and gauging feedback. The fully automated system is capable of grinding and gauging multiple components per cycle, increasing thruput. The GT-610 CNC can process challenging components such as titanium aerospace fasteners, stainless-steel arthroscopic shavers, and other small powdered hard metal components. It is integrated with a two-axis CNC work-wheel and regulating wheel dressers, allowing for the dressing of complex shapes to achieve optimal diameter and roundness accuracy.
Reduces the need for multiple machines, allowing manufacturers to better maximize space on the production floor as well as reduce labor and integration costs.
This GT-610 CNC Automated Infeed/Thrufeed Grinder was designed to grind eight pins per 19-second cycle equating to over 1,400 inhaler pins per hour, easily meeting the high demand.
In this application, a bowl feeder, staging block, and pick and place gantry maintained a constant infeed of inhaler pins ensuring a continuous operation.
Two independent slides control the regulating wheel and work rest blade position, providing a faster and more accurate setup.
Using the multi-axis controller, the slides can be positioned to a resolution of 0.1 micron (0.000004”).
Glebar works as a one-stop provider delivering not only grinding solutions but also automation integration. Due to the reliability of the automation and grinder performance, typical Glebar installations have one operator running three or more machines further reducing labor costs.
