Preh IMA Automation Evansville Inc. Supplying Automated Assembly Line for Automotive Electronics Manufacturer

The Semi-Automated Line will Assemble, Populate & Test Automobile Fuse Boxes

Evansville, IN: Preh IMA Automation (PIA) Evansville, Inc., a manufacturer and integrator of assembly automation systems, is pleased to announce that it is supplying a semi-automated assembly line to a manufacturer of automotive electronics. The assembly line, which will be delivered in Q1 2017, assembles, populates, and tests fuse boxes for automobiles.

The assembly line was designed to help the fuse box manufacturer scale to a surge in demand without increasing labor costs or equipment footprint in their factory.

Randy Wire, President of PIA Evansville, said this is a common theme in the automotive industry.

“When our customer landed new business, they knew how important it was to find an automation partner that could help them grow in a hurry,” said Wire. “This factory assembly line is going to help them expand production capacity without increasing operating costs and without compromising on product quality.”

The line consists of two assembly and testing dials that assemble the fuse box cases and test the circuits within them, a separate screwdriver cell, and two automated fuse insertion cells. Like all PIA Evansville automation equipment, it has complete traceability throughout the process and stores all data to a plant database.

The process starts with an operator loading the case and a PCB into a screwdriver cell where they are secured together. The operator then places the required case components into the first assembly dial; the stations on the dial will snap the components together, laser-etch the product information, and process various circuit checks.

The assembly is then transferred to one of two automated fuse and circuit breaker insertion cells to populate the box as required for the model being processed. After that, the populated box is handed off to the second dial where further testing is conducted for alignment, function and other circuit checks. At the unload station, a bracket is placed into the cell and pressed. And finally, the operator removes the completed part and places it into a packout station.

PIA Evansville is a subsidiary of Preh IMA Automation. Founded as Evana Automation in 1963, PIA Evansville was acquired by Preh IMA Automation in May 2016. Evana’s long history of customer satisfaction and retention were two key selling points behind the acquisition, and these strengths are evident in this engagement which comes from a return customer.

About Us

Preh IMA Automation (PIA) Evansville provides custom automation systems that are made to improve manufacturing efficiency, production capacity, product quality and profitability. Whether with a simple workstation or fully-automated assembly system, PIA Evansville's technology reflects the utmost precision in robotics design, construction, and integration. We are committed to building the most efficient solutions for complex assembly problems.