With the rapid development of the automotive industry, the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system has gained popularity due to its high efficiency, energy conservation, and fast response. As the core component of an EPS system, the assembly line design and manufacturing of EPS motors directly affect the performance and reliability of the product.
The EPS motor, the “heart” of the steering system, is an ingenious device that efficiently converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to provide steering assistance to the driver. Compared to traditional hydraulic power steering systems, the EPS system has the advantages of quick response, low energy consumption, and simple maintenance.
The increasing global automobile production and policy support for new energy vehicles in various countries and regions are helping to drive market demand for EPS motors, and the market size is expected to continue to expand.
Working Principle of EPS Motors
EPS motors receive signals from steering angle sensors and torque sensors, calculate the required auxiliary torque, and the motor controller controls the motor’s speed and torque output according to the computed results, thereby achieving precise control of the steering system.
HONEST Automation EPS Motor Automatic Assembly Line - Rotor Section Process and Equipment
Our production line equipment is arranged in an intuitive linear layout, using a shipboard + conveyor belt method for transmission, which greatly enhances the convenience of manual operation.
Our rotor section process is designed to include, but not limited to, the following key steps: core loading, magnet loading, core glue injection, core glue heating and curing & cooling, core & insulation piece into the shaft followed by cleaning, and bearing loading & pressing into the rotor. Each step reflects our pursuit of product quality.
The details are as follows:
1.Iron Core Loading Machine
In the core loading process, our equipment has transitioned from manual loading to automatic material distribution. The core is loaded onto the turret and then automatically distributed to the inspection station, which is equipped with a displacement sensor to ensure precise measurement of the core height. A vision photography inspection system is also in place to check the orientation of the core and to automatically adjust if necessary, ensuring perfect alignment of each core. After marking, the core is laser-marked, and the quality of the QR code is confirmed by a reader before it is automatically transferred to the next machine, all without manual intervention, demonstrating the efficiency and convenience of automated equipment.
2.Magnetic Insertion Machine
In the magnetic insertion process, our equipment ensures the accurate positioning of the core through a precise jig transmission system. The magnets are automatically arranged and dispensed by a vibration bowl, and a vision inspection system at the outlet strictly checks the size of each magnet, triggering an automatic ejection mechanism, and an alarm and machine stoppage are triggered, ensuring the accuracy of the production process. After insertion, the core flows into the next production process with the jig.
3.Glue Injection Machine
The core flows with the jig to the glue dispensing station, where it is automatically positioned and lifted to an exact height. The core rotates with the jig for precise glue dispensing. Our dual-head glue dispensing station is equipped with a screw valve to precisely control the amount of glue dispensed. After the glue injection is completed, a robotic arm transports the rotor to the heating furnace tray, and the jig automatically returns to its original position.
4.Curing & Cooling Machine
After the glue injection, the rotor core is automatically loaded onto a tray, with each tray capable of holding 60 cores. Once full, it enters the heating furnace for automatic heating and temperature maintenance, achieving controllable heating temperature and time. After cooling down to near room temperature, the robotic arm unloads the cores.
5.Magnet Inspection Machine
After cooling, the core is unloaded by a robotic arm to the inspection station, where a vision photography system checks for any missing glue injection. The ejection force of the magnet is then inspected using an electric cylinder and a displacement sensor to ensure its stability. Our inspection equipment is equipped with dual stations to meet the production rhythm, and only products that pass the inspection will be transferred to the next station.
6.Core Insertion Machine
After loading, the direction of the core shaft is confirmed by a vision inspection system, and any misalignment is automatically adjusted. The robotic arm automatically grabs the core shaft and precisely presses it in. During this process, a pressure and displacement monitoring device is configured to ensure the accuracy of the pressing. Subsequently, the handling module automatically loads the insulation piece into the positioning slot for pressing. After pressing, a displacement sensor checks the pressing size to ensure it meets the requirements before flowing into the next production process.
7.Rotor Magnetization & Flux Measurement Machine
After the material arrives, the rotor surface is cleaned with plasma wind, and then the QR code is read to achieve precise tracking of the rotor. The handling module automatically grabs the rotor to the magnetization station for magnetization and measures the magnetic flux. Products that pass the inspection flow to the next station, while defective products are automatically ejected.
8.Post-Bearing Pressing Machine
Manually load the bearings onto the material column, and the bearings are automatically arranged and dispensed by the automated system. Our vision photography system checks the bearing model, and continuous misalignment will trigger an alarm, prompting manual handing. The robotic arm automatically grabs and precisely presses the upper and lower molds, and the servo press automatically presses the bearings into the rotor, with monitoring of the pressure and pressing size.
HONEST Automation Production Line Advantages
1.The entire process is equipped with corresponding inspection mechanisms to ensure smooth progress in every production line. For example, vision photography inspects the front and back of the core and core shaft, and precisely measures the size of the magnet; displacement sensors are used to inspect the height of the core, the ejection force of the magnet, and the pressing-in size of the core to ensure accuracy; pressure sensors are used to monitor the pressing force to ensure product quality.
2.The high degree of automation saves manpower. Material is automatically loaded and unloaded, misalignment is automatically adjusted during inspection, and the rotor core is automatically heated and maintained.
3.Work information is fully traceable throughout the process. Information traceability mechanisms are configured in every link, such as handheld barcode scanners of fixed readers, to ensure data recording and tracking in every link.
With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and intelligent manufacturing, the production of EPS motors will increasingly tend towards automation. The application of digitalization and intelligent technologies will greatly improve production efficiency and product quality. Since its establishment in 2007, HONEST Automation has relied on outstanding innovation capabilities and R&D strength, has obtained multiple patent certificates, and has more than 600 successful cases of motor production lines. It has cooperation experience with well-known automotive brands and motor manufacturers and has a mature team for designing solutions to meet customers’ customized needs. As a professional manufacturer of intelligent motor assembly production lines, HONEST Automation always focuses on market demand the technological innovation. We continuously introduce advanced production technologies and processes to enhance equipment performance and precision, better serving the development of the motor industry.
HONEST Automation provides EPS motor stator assembly line, including EPS stator assembly, EPS rotor assembly, and multiple successful cases. Consult now!
