Element Six produce cutting picks for road cold planning machines. Element Six is specialized in production of synthetic diamond materials. Element Six uses synthetic diamond as tips for picks. A special manufacturing process is needed for the production of these picks.
The aim of the project is the development of a suitable automation solution for the specific assembly and manufacturing process as well deriving an approach to realising the developed concept.
Element Six GmbH
Element Six is the global leader in the design, development and production of synthetic diamond supermaterials. Part of the De Beers Group, Element Six is an independently managed global company with primary manufacturing facilities in Ireland, China, Germany, South Africa, US and the UK. Element Six synthetic diamond supermaterials are used in industrial applications such as cutting, grinding, drilling, shearing and polishing, while the extreme properties of synthetic diamond beyond hardness are opening up new applications in a wide array of industries such as optics, power transmission, water treatment, semi-conductors and sensors.
Contribution from RTOs
Fraunhofer IPA
Risk assessment around a special sand blasting device
Concept and implementation strategy for the automatedsand blasting process
MTC
Risk assessment around the handling and manufacturing process for the tip
Concept and implementation strategy for the automated handling and manufacturing process
Impact (expected)
The voucher work is expected to enable Element Six to realize an economically reasonable automation solution for the production of cutting picks with synthetic diamond tips. The current production contains expensive handcraft-based manufacturing and assembly steps which will be automated. The most obvious advantage of the usage of synthetic diamond for picks is a dramatic increase of the picks lifetime. The outcome of this is a relief for all tax payers and an increase in economy for the road construction companies.
