Cases and articles
 

Last time updatet: 09/07/2021 12:53:27

ODU has developed special connector systems helping electronics manaufacturers speed up end-of-line testing. Configurable multi connectors ensure safe, robust and flexible connections between the test equipment and the devices or units under test. 

Read here (sorry, it's available in Danish only). 

Last time updatet: 04/08/2021 08:26:41

Demand

In their own words, Danfoss Drives live and breathe the development, manufacture and supply of frequency converters.

5,000 employees around the world work on their frequency converters and in order to keep focusing 100 percent on their core business and use their own expertise to the full, Danfoss Drives have chosen to outsource their cables-production and other ancillary equipment for their frequency converters.

This outsourcing includes 70 product numbers, all production equipment as well as documentation.

The Solution

The complete Danfoss Drives cables’ assembly manufacturing setup, including machinery, materials and tools, has now been moved to the Mekoprint Cables factory in Poland where Mekoprint Cables also provides consultancy on material choices and continuously focuses on process optimisation through the application of LEAN.

As a specialized cable harness manufacturer Mekoprint Cables also handles all documentation in compliance with UL and ISO 9001.

The development phase took place based on close dialogue between the parties with conference calls every other week and now in running production a dedicated production team comprising 6-7 specialists is dedicated to serving Danfoss Drives.

The Customer Says

With this outsourcing, we save time, space and resources to enable us to concentrate fully on our core expertise: our frequency converters. The size of our own supply chain has been reduced, we have gained more production space and have become more flexible.

Before, during and after the outsourcing process, Mekoprint Cables have shown themselves to be extremely accommodating and flexible in terms of our requirements, but we also continuously receive good advice and suggestions for improvements.

That is why it was a natural step for us at Danfoss to make Mekoprint Cables a Preferred Partner.

Mr. Alexandre Allaire Head of Category, Senior Director,
Danfoss Procurement

Last time updatet: 04/08/2021 08:26:41

The Demand

With an annual production of approx 16 million pumps Danish Grundfos is one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers.

Among its products is the circulator pump, New Alpha2. The display for the previous model was produced in the Far East, but Mekoprint won the order for displays for the new model as our roll-to-roll production line is competitive with Asian suppliers.

The display is produced on roll from start to end and integrated directly in Grundfos’ production line.

The Solution

Absolut no manual processes are involved in the production of the graphic displays.

The graphic displays are produced on roll directly from rolls of plastic foil in Mekoprint’s automated production system. Graphic displays are silk screen printed on both sides after which the keys are punched into the display and a pre-cut adhesive are being added. Hereafter, the graphic displays are die-cut under camera control and excess material removed by kiss-cutting.

Finally, the rolls of finished displays are slit in three so that rolls of individual displays can be delivered directly to Grundfos’ circulator pump factory.

The Customer Says

It was an ultimate demand for us to have unique displays of a high, uniform quality without “paying more” when we at Grundfos switched to Mekoprint as our supplier. We compete in a global market and always have to focus on the decimals of our production costs.

With roll-to roll-production, Grundfos got the combined benefit of a globally competitive price, optimum design for manufacturing and very high quality products delivered on rolls for automatic assembly in our factory producing the New Alpha2 pump.

Mr. Sittikorn Yuwawat
Purchase Manager, Grundfos Thailand

Last time updatet: 23/08/2021 13:40:12

Don’t let the unassuming title fool you – this exciting project a part of the latest trends, as the setup will test charging busbars for electric vehicles!  

The sensitive part of the tested component is in fact the adapter box between busbars and the cars battery, which must be waterproof and electrically safe. The tester performs a HiPot test to check the isolation between the cable-cores. The tester operates at 4.3kV DC with an allowable leakage current of 4μA and performs a ground continuity test at 3A between connector housing and the cable shielding.  

The battery connector must be mechanically tested for water resistance using air with a leakage test at 1.5psi. The entire test is performed in one 30 second cycle, which yields high capacity. Further production automation is already in scope and the tester is adaptable into a roundtable solution.  

From a user perspective, the tester is simple and intuitive to use, providing clear results and statistics via a touchscreen and a dedicated LabVIEW software application, and 4 operating modes are available. The machine is built with a focus on user safety, and surfaces are adapted for easy maintenance including lubrication and cleaning that are a part of a quality-assured production.

Last time updatet: 23/08/2021 13:47:48

This project brings us to the frontier of automation as we design a PCB tester which can be operated by a robot. The test station houses an exchangeable fixture, which increases the flexibility and eases the maintenance of the setup. The solution is an update of older hardware.

The test capabilities are severalfold. Firstly, the PCB is identified based on a unique barcode. The programming pins connect to the board and program the unit. Meanwhile, quality inspection takes place as a buzzer is tested to operate correctly using a microphone. Test needles check that the rest of the electronics are connected and operating according to specification. Other testing features include checking output connections to the rest of the product, including voltages on motors and Hall signals.

Collaboration with the customer ensures that the tester will operate as expected and integrate with the existing cell elements.