FAQ

HOW IS THE HALTER LOADASSISTANT SERVICED?

It is important to note that issues are quite rare with the HALTER LoadAssistant for the simple reason that it is a well-considered and standardized system. It is very robust and we only use A-class components which guarantees the reliability of the machine. The possibility of a malfunction is eliminated with safety sensors on the grippers that constantly detect their status. In the event that there is still an issue, 90% of these cases can be solved over the telephone. Should it still be necessary to have an engineer on site, you can count on the availability of well-trained and certified specialists, who have access to all parts deliverable from stock.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL THE HALTER LOADASSISTANT AND HOW DO I KNOW IT HAS BEEN INSTALLED SAFELY?

The installation of the HALTER LoadAssistant takes three to four days, including the training of your operators. The installation is only executed by certified engineers who guarantee that the installation is perfect and meets the highest safety regulations.

WHAT ARE THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS OF THE WORKPIECES THAT I CAN LOAD WITH THE HALTER LOADASSISTANT?

For the Universal model, you can load all round workpieces with a diameter between 10 mm and 230 mm, and a maximum height of 250 mm. Rectangular workpieces may be up to 230 mm x 230 mm, with a maximum height of 250 mm. For the S-2340 model, you can load all workpieces up to a diameter of 230 mm and a maximum height of 175 mm. On the S-180 model, you can load all workpieces up to 180 mm x 180 mm and a maximum height of 175 mm.

WHO DEVELOPED THE HALTER LOADASSISTANT?

The HALTER LoadAssistant was developed in cooperation with the Fastems Group. Fastems is the world leader in the field of manufacturing automation. Fastems has installed already more than 1600 robots in production environment and has extensive and experienced R&D experts. The management of HALTER has decades of experience in the machining world and thereby gained a lot of knowledge about the problems of efficient production of small and medium batches.

DO I NEED SEVERAL GRIPPER UNITS?

No. For your round workpieces (lathe) you just need one set of 3-finger grippers, and for rectangular workpieces (milling machine) you only need one set of 2-finger grippers. These grippers have adjustable jaws and fingers, which makes it possible to use the gripper-set for a complete range of workpieces.

WHERE IS THE HALTER PRODUCED?

HALTER CNC Automation is a Dutch company, but the assembly of the HALTER LoadAssistant has been outsourced to Fastems Systems in Germany.

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE SYSTEM UNMANNED DURING THE NIGHT?

The HALTER LoadAssistant is a loading system that is capable of repeating loading work during normal (day) shifts. In order to continue producing at night or during the weekend, it is essential that your workpieces have a longer cycle time. Additionally, you should take your tool life and chip management into consideration.

WHAT KINDS OF COMPANIES BUY THE HALTER LOADASSISTANT?

This varies from small businesses with fewer than 10 staff members to companies with a workforce of more than 1,000

CAN THE HALTER BE CONNECTED TO ANY CNC MACHINE? HOW CAN THIS BE ACHIEVED?

New machines can be purchased with a robot interface. Your machine is then able to be connected to an automatic loading system. Some machine manufacturers have even developed a special robot interface for the HALTER to make the installation even easier. In the event that your machine is not equipped with a robot interface, we can make the connection through free M-functions or even with a special PLC interface. We also deliver automatic door openers, should your machine not have it yet.

HOW CAN I MOVE THE HALTER FROM ONE MACHINE TO ANOTHER AND HOW LONG DOES THIS TAKE?

To use the HALTER on more than one machine, it is necessary to make an installation on every machine. Once this has been achieved, moving the HALTER is simple. First, disconnect the cables (power, air and interface). Then, remove the front plate so that the pallet truck can be positioned under the HALTER.

Transport the HALTER to the second machine and place it on the self-centering anchors that have been mounted into the floor. Finally, reconnect the cables, start the system and the HALTER will be ready to operate, as it will automatically recognize the machine and remember all of the parameters and safety zones. In the event that you move the HALTER from a lathe to a milling machine, you will also have to change the grippers, which can be accomplished with the fast gripper change system. The total time to be operational will be no longer than 20-30 minutes.

HOW CAN I DECIDE WHICH HALTER IS MOST SUITABLE FOR ME?

There are three different models: Universal, S-180 and S-230. The Universal model is designed for round and rectangular workpieces, making it suitable for your lathe and your milling machine. The S-180 model is suitable for rectangular workpieces that can be stacked, and the S-230 model is designed for round workpieces that can be stacked. The S-series has a very large capacity when the workpieces are not high, but have a larger diameter. The capacities can be found in the technical specifications.

WHAT MAKES THE HALTER SO RELIABLE?

The HALTER is a standardized and complete system.

I COULD JUST BUY A ROBOT ARM AND MAKE MY OWN PROGRAM. WHY IS THE HALTER A BETTER SOLUTION FOR ME?

Programming a robot arm is highly complex and requires very specific robot-programming knowledge. If you are going to set up a workpiece for a period of years, then making your own specific program might be an option. Keep in mind, however, that you will need to hire external specialists to educate your own robot operators. Conversely, if you have many changing series, programming the robot arm is not ideal as it is too time consuming and complex. With the HALTER, everything has already been pre-programmed within the given specifications, which means that you do not need to have specific robotics knowledge and you will be able to set up a new series within minutes.

WHAT MAKES THE HALTER SYSTEMS SUITABLE FOR AUTOMATIC LOADING OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED SERIES?

HALTER offers complete, standard solutions, with a perfect match between software and hardware.

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