Smart Factory for Air Conditioner Compressor Housings

The compressor, hailed as the heart of an air conditioner, accounts for 40% of its cost. The compressor housing, playing the role of the “atrium,” features intricate processing techniques, high precision, and stringent requirements for a contamination- and dust-free production environment. In the era of product homogenization and meager profits, advanced manufacturing processes and complete equipment have become urgent needs.

Core Innovations:

• Addressing the Root of Mold Technology: By optimizing and consolidating processes, we significantly reduce our customers’ investment in punch presses, molds, and valuable floor space. Additionally, we adopt a quick-change insert mold structure, enabling rapid online mold changes. This allows a single production line to flexibly produce multiple product types and models.
• Overcoming Bottlenecks in Multi-Station Tube Expanding, Side Punching, and Welding: We have developed alternative specialized machinery to imported equipment, achieving automatic production. Through the hydraulic system, transfer manipulators, a gantry structure, tube expanding/side punching mechanisms, and weld seam detection and positioning mechanisms, we have developed a series of specialized machines to complete tasks such as feeding, centering, tube expanding, and side punching. This results in batch production, prevents workplace injuries, boasts high automation, and ensures superior tube expanding and precise side punching.
• Robotic Material Loading, Cleaning, and End Facing; Automated Punching: We utilize homemade magnetic material clamping fixtures paired with robots for the loading and cleaning of main housings, reducing customer investment while ensuring stability and efficiency. Additionally, we use various self-developed manipulators for rapid punching of upper and lower housings, achieving a maximum efficiency of 14 punches per minute—surpassing industry peers. This replaces traditional articulated robots, saving customers 60% on automation retrofitting costs.

Competitive Advantages:

1. Process: Our top-level modular and standardized design, combining product structure with mold technology, enhances molding and processing efficiency and flexibility from the outset.
2. Equipment: We provide a comprehensive range of engineering solutions, including self-developed molds, manipulators, robots, and non-standard equipment.
3. Integration: By integrating lean production, intelligent manufacturing, industrial internet, and informatization, we create a smart factory.

Case Application

Leveraging our company’s full industrial ecosystem encompassing sheet metal processing, molds, manipulators, robots, and intelligent manufacturing, we have conducted in-depth research on compressor housing processing steps and mold technology. This has led to the development of a highly intelligent, automated, and flexible production line. This project has been implemented with a supplier for Midea air conditioner compressors and can be replicated for compressors in refrigerators, chillers, and freezers. Furthermore, our mature processes such as stamping, welding, and assembly can be extended to the broader field of home appliance stamping and assembly, demonstrating strong versatility and promotional significance.