This is a 21 pallet system which permanently stores 45 different holding fixtures. This system services two robot polish cells which are used to polish aircraft skins. These fixtures are up to 35-feet in length, 9-feet in width, 3 1/2 feet tall, and weigh up to 10,000 pounds. This system can hold 21 tool pallets.

The system includes a designated storage bay for each of the pallets, two load/unload stations for incoming and outgoing materials, and two polish stations located inside the robotic polish cells.

Tool pallets are stored in a four high storage rack system, with the first level being below floor level. A 78-inch depth pit was required. A cell controller manages the automatic pallet transfers between storage, load/unload stations, and machine cells.

The cell controller manages pallet traffic, material management, and fixture management. The cell controller also incorporates a graphical diagnostics system to aid in system maintenance.

Our client's previously stored their fixtures away from the work cell and transported them in as required. Overhead cranes were used to load the cells. This method of tool change took from 3 to 6 hours. With the new EMT system, a tool change is completed in less than 15 minutes.