Automated Vibratory Finishing Optimizes Worm Production

Vibratory Finishing Systems Automated Vibratory Finishing Optimizes Worm Production

2025-11-14 From Doris Schulz | Translated by AI 3 min Reading Time

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With two fully automated vibratory finishing systems from Rösler, Engel Austria GmbH in St. Valentin optimizes worm production for injection molding machines. The result: more efficient processes, consistently high quality, and pioneering automation.

The new setup concept further reduces processing time. Previously, the worms had to be clamped on both sides; now, they are simply placed in the workpiece holder.(Image: Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH) — The new setup concept further reduces processing time. Previously, the worms had to be clamped on both sides; now, they are simply placed in the workpiece holder.
(Image: Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH)

In collaboration with the Austrian automation specialist Promot, Rösler has created a technically highly networked system. The workpiece holders, developed specifically for this application, ensure maximum process efficiency and component quality while significantly reducing the system's setup time. Additionally, the capacity for polishing plasticizing screws up to three meters in length and with diameters between 0.6 and 3.1 inches has been increased by expanding the system to include two trough vibrators.

Reduce Handling Effort And Automate the Loading of the Trough Vibrators

The injection molding machine manufacturer Engel, which has relied on Rösler equipment for over 20 years, previously carried out the polishing of its plasticizing screws in a single-step process in a trough vibrator. This required a high staffing effort and time-intensive, manual handling of the parts, especially during machine setup.

Gallery

The workpiece holder is automatically lowered into the trough vibrator and placed into loops on the left and right. This allows it to move freely within the grinding media and be easily and automatically removed again.(Image: Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH)

The two trough vibrators R 800/3200 TSD-15 are particularly powerful and flexible due to the direct drive with special imbalance motors on the end faces.(Image: Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH)

The fully automated polishing cell consists of two trough vibrators, a cleaning system, the loading station, and a fully automatic centrifuge Z 1000. The parts are transported via a portal system.(Image: Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH)

The reduction of handling effort for employees, as well as the automatic loading and unloading of the trough vibrators, were therefore essential requirements in the specifications set by the project managers at Engel. For this purpose, the portal system of the Austrian automation company Promot, which is already used to load the upstream grinding machines, was to be expanded. Furthermore, the new vibratory finishing system had to be designed for the throughput of plasticizing screws defined by Engel. Based on the existing polishing process with a processing time of around 8.5 hours, several trough vibrators would have been necessary for this.

Significantly Reduced Processing Time With A Two-Stage Process

Special focus was therefore placed on reducing processing time while minimizing the required number of systems. Both are achieved through the use of the two-stage Keramo-Finish process, which runs in parallel in two trough vibrators of the type R 800/3200 TSD-15. The systems are equipped with a direct drive concept based on special imbalance motors, making them particularly powerful, flexible, and space-saving.

The pre- and fine grinding using the Keramo-Finish process in the trough vibrators ensures significant surface improvement and reduces roughness to a value below Ra 0.1 micrometers, contributing to the high quality of the plasticizing screws. The adapted process and the powerful system concept have significantly reduced processing time. The improved input quality of the parts also contributes to this, achieved through the use of fine-grinding media in the upstream grinding process, which still deliver a high material removal rate.

Trough Vibrator Loading With A Portal System for Fully Automatic Polishing And Optimized Setup Concept

For the automatic loading and unloading of the trough vibrators and the cleaning system, Rösler, in close collaboration with Promot, developed an automation and control concept for the portal system. It transports the plasticizing screws from the grinding station to the loading and setup station. There, an employee secures the appropriate number of screws in the mounting frame according to their size.

This setup process was previously extremely labor-intensive because all screws had to be individually clamped on both sides. Now, simple placement with floating mounting is sufficient. This has reduced the setup time to around 15 minutes.

Mario Stollnberger, Head of plasticization

The portal system then picks up the fully loaded part holder, transports it over the trough vibrator, and lowers it so that it is placed in loops on the left and right. This solution allows the holder with the parts to move freely within the grinding media but also enables simple and automated removal after the defined processing time. The fixing and removal of the plasticizing screws in the workpiece holders always takes place while parts are being processed in the system. This further increases the efficiency of the polishing process.

In addition to the two vibratory finishing systems, the new polishing cell includes a loading station, a cleaning system specifically designed by Rösler for this application, and a fully automatic centrifuge Z 1000 for cleaning and recycling the process water, which is resource-efficiently reused in a closed loop.

Innovative Automation Concept Opens Up Diverse Possibilities

Trough vibrators offer almost unlimited applications in vibratory finishing. However, until now, it has been nearly impossible to automate the loading and unloading of these versatile finishing systems. With this innovative automation concept, Rösler has created a solution that will also enable more efficient and faster processes in other industries, such as the aerospace industry.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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