ALFING SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES is the world’s leading manufacturer of connecting rod automation. For more than 20 years, we have been working with our customers in the automotive industry to develop system solutions for the transportation, storage and handling of connecting rods.
Flexible connecting rod automation
Our customers are increasingly demanding flexible connecting rod automation in order to be able to move a wide variety of connecting rod types along a production line. For this reason, AST has developed flexible, pallet-based transport solutions in conjunction with gantry loaders or robots.
Either conveyor belts or pallet belts are used as transport systems. The transport pallets are designed in such a way that a wide variety of connecting rod types can be transported without the need for retooling. These systems also offer a high storage capacity.
Sliding transports for connecting rods
Sliding transports are simple, cost-effective transport systems. A sliding transport system essentially consists of two support rails and a sliding beam.
The pusher beam pushes the connecting rods step by step in the direction of transportation with a horizontal oscillating movement. The main advantages are the large storage capacity, the lining-up effect and the high reliability.
Connecting rod conveyor belts
Conveyor belts are often used for special tasks. This is the case, for example, with passages, fast transport routes with low storage capacity, intermittent systems or as a basis for the implementation of type and position checks, laser or needle embossing markings. In AST conveyor belts, the connecting rods are transported lying flat and guided along the side.
To ensure accessibility to the processing machines, passageways are often required for people or vehicles. We have developed special arched passages for this purpose, the height and passage width of which can be flexibly adapted.
Loading and unloading devices for connecting rods
As a specialist in the handling of connecting rods, we develop special loading and unloading equipment for transfer lines, rotary table machines, grinding machines, honing machines, washing machines and measuring machines. These loading and unloading devices are mainly special solutions that are flexibly constructed from our standard components.