Industrial Automation Systems (Manufacturing)

Automated PTFE bellow cleaning and assembly on a live manufacturing line to boost quality and throughput.

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Overview

Contributed to an automated PTFE bellow cleaning and assembly system for a live production line. Focused on improving cleaning quality, reducing defects, and increasing efficiency using mechanical automation and PLC-controlled processes.

Problem

Manual cleaning/handling of PTFE bellows caused inconsistent quality, high defect rates, and low throughput. The line needed a repeatable, automated solution that integrated with existing infrastructure.

Solution

Built an automated assembly and cleaning line combining mechanically guided automation with PLC control to deliver consistent cleaning performance and repeatable operation on the production floor.

My Role

• Mechanical design of automation components
• Contributed to PLC programming and control logic
• Supported integration with existing equipment and on-site commissioning

System Architecture

• Application: PTFE bellow cleaning and assembly line
• Automation scope: Assembly automation and precision-guided cleaning
• Controls: Allen-Bradley PLC, Siemens PLC; HMI for operator interaction/monitoring

Key Engineering Challenges

• Achieving high cleaning quality without damaging PTFE components
• Reducing defects via controlled, repeatable automation at production speed
• Integrating automation into a live manufacturing line

Validation and Performance

• Installed and operated on a live production line
• 40% increase in production efficiency
• 82% reduction in defect rate; stable operation post-deployment

Outcome

Successfully automated a critical manufacturing process, improved quality and consistency, reduced labor/rework, and delivered automation-ready documentation for ongoing use.

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