The system is suitable for the new generation of electric, hybrid and traditional lightweight vehicles, as it is designed to allow automakers to join dissimilar materials using a cold process that grants complete control throughout operation.
Smart Hemmer is said to address the dual market requirements of increased efficiency and accuracy. Two flexible rollers are featured in which the linear roller can automatically disengage when encountering obstacles or a curved path, thus avoiding the costly and inflexible fixed anvil that is apparent in all traditional roller hemming processes. As a result, Smart Hemmer can perform curved path hemming and manage complex angles as part of a single, continuous process. Smart Hemmer is also able to maintain a constant hemming thickness even when encountering multiple layers of dissimilar materials.
“Comau’s newest hemming solution features a revolutionary design that renders it extremely fast and efficient for lightweight and e-vehicle manufacturing,” explains Giovanni Di Stefano, head of process technologies. “The Industry 4.0 compliant solution lets automakers join components with full in-process monitoring.”
Field-tested and validated by major European automakers, Smart Hemmer is a standard product that can be applied to all vehicle architectures. The system complements the array of similar technologies developed by Comau in the cold-joining environment.
