To reliably automate the assembly of E-Clips for a customer, the Spectrum Automation team tooled this Mini-Feeder to get them to a robot.
Parts are stored in a half-cubic-foot bin and step-metered to a linear vibratory orientor. A static mandrel gets oriented parts into a vertical stack where a coinchanger escapement moves one at a time to a robotic pick point.
Under the right conditions, E-Clips can be assembled without a robot.
As pictured, the feeder operated at 62 Db(A) sound pressure at 15 pc/min. Rate. A lexan enclosure was also provided.
