19-032 TT - Robot Integration System for Warm and Hot Forming

The Waterloo Forming and Crash Lab is part of the Mechanical and Mechatronics department at the University of Waterloo (“UW”). The group’s research facility includes: several hydraulic presses with warm-forming and hot-forming capabilities, a large-scale crash sled system, and various pieces of equipment for low- to high-rate forming and fracture characterization.
To supplement the warm-forming and hot-forming operations, an industrial robot has been purchased to improve the speed and reliability of the processes.  UW is seeking proposals from a vendor (“Vendor”) to integrate this robot with the existing press and furnace systems. The Vendor is to design and build the end-of-arm-tools for the robot, program the robot and press PLC, and design and build the safety guarding and programs for the cell (the “System”). The Vendor chosen for the System will provide a complete and functional system that meets all the specifications.  Additional consideration will be given to suppliers that can provide additional features or capacities that would increase the research potential of the system.