Turntable Machines: A Rotating Mechanical Device Used for Processing and Installation

The turntable machine is widely used in modern production processes due to its high integration and high efficiency. This article will introduce its working principle, types, advantages, applications, and how to choose it. If you are interested in the turntable machine, please read this article.

What is a Turntable Machine?

The turntable machine is also called a turntable. It is a mechanical device that uses rotation as a processing form and is used for product processing, assembly, and checking. It can integrate multiple processes such as assembly, dispensing, welding, checking, and spraying into one, realizing an efficient and continuous operation process, and is mainly used in industrial automation production lines.

After decades of technology development, modern turntable machines have obvious automation characteristics. Among them, automatic turntable machines are the most widely used, which not only save labor but also effectively improve product consistency and yield. They are widely used in mass production scenarios.

The Components of Turntable Machines

The turntable machine consists of a base, a turntable, multiple actuators, motors, and operating systems. 

Base: The Base is the supporting structure of the turntable machine, divided into a fixed base and a movable base with casters. The fixed base is immobile and offers higher load-bearing capacity, suitable for stable operation. The movable base allows for flexible movement. If you have requirements to frequently reconfigure your production line, you can choose it.

Rotary Plate: The rotary plate is circular and has multiple stations. Common ones are 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, etc. The specific number of stations is determined by the processing flow of the product.

Motor: The motor is the power device used to provide power for the turntable machine, mainly a stepper motor or a servo motor.

Operating system: The Operating system controls the operation of the whole machine and can adjust the rotation angle, running speed, and beat time.

Execution device: The execution device is the functional modules installed on the station, such as fixture, tightener, dispensing head, welder, sprayer, detection module, used to complete specific processes.

How Does a Turntable Machine Work?

A turntable machine’s workflow is roughly divided into the following steps.

Loading: Place the product to be processed on the turntable, or clamp it with a fixture to ensure the accuracy of subsequent processes.

Rotation: According to the set rotation direction, angle, and time interval, the station of the turntable will automatically rotate to the next station to achieve synchronous processing of multiple processes.

Processing: The specific execution devices arranged around the turntable will perform tasks such as assembly, dispensing, welding, checking, and spraying in sequence according to the product processing needs.

Detection: The processed products will be inspected and qualified, and unqualified products will be screened out.

Unloading: Products that pass the inspection will be automatically output by the unloading device or taken out manually.

Types of Turntable Machines

According to the degree of automation, the turntable machine will be divided into four types: manual machine, semi-automatic machine, fully automatic machine, and intelligent automatic machine. You can choose the appropriate turntable machine based on your project’s needs and input costs.

Manual turntable machine: The manual turntable machine rotates the turntable by manpower to realize product assembly and processing. Heavy reliance on manpower determines its low input costs and inefficiency. It is suitable for simple processes and small batch production.

Semi-automatic turntable machine: The semi-automatic turntable machine combines manual operation and automation modules. It has low maintenance costs and takes into account mechanical costs and efficiency. It is used widely and is suitable for medium batch production.

Fully automatic turntable machine: The fully automatic turntable machine uses fully automatic modules to realize station rotation and processing. It achieves high-efficiency processing and product consistency, suitable for mass production.

Intelligent automatic turntable machine: The intelligent automatic turntable machine is equipped with intelligent systems such as machine vision, AI recognition, MES networking, and data acquisition to realize fully automatic processing. It can achieve full process tracking and monitoring with advanced intelligent technology. It is the turntable machine with the highest degree of automation and efficiency.

Applications of Turntable Machines

The applications of the turntable machine are determined by the surrounding execution device. The following are common applications.

Assembly: Turntable machines can be equipped with fixtures, mechanical arms, or pressing devices to automatically assemble product components. 

Application example: Installing caps onto cosmetic and beverage bottles.

Dispensing: Turntable machines with the dispensing head apply glue and other liquids to the specified position of the product to achieve sealing, isolation, and fixation.  

Application example: Bonding plastic shells in electronic appliances. 

Welding: Turntable machines with ultrasonic, thermal, or laser welding modules precisely connect components of products securely and strengthen the structure.

Application example: Welding of plastic pump heads for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Spraying: Turntable machines with sprinkler heads spray colors, words, patterns, or logos on the surface of the product to complete the appearance design.  

Application example: Spraying a brand logo on product boxes or caps.

Checking: Check whether the product has any defects and missing. It can classify qualified and unqualified projects through mechanical devices.  

Application example: Checking whether the label is sprayed, and sorting out the unqualified ones. 

Packaging: Packaging modules can automatically pack the finished product into bags and boxes. 

Application example: plastic bag packaging and outer box packaging.

You can choose a single-function turntable machine according to actual production needs, such as a bottle turntable machine and a packaging turntable machine, or add multiple functional modules to the turntable machine.

Benefits of Turntable Machines

Key Criteria for Selecting a Turntable Machine

To enhance the efficiency of turntable machines, you should know the key criteria of choosing a turntable machine.

Rotatable angles: The rotatable angle is the angle range of the turntable machine rotation. It determines the rotation amplitude of the workstation, such as 45°, 60°, 90°, 135°, 360° degrees, etc. The rotatable angle is divided into 360° rotation and fixed angle rotation. 

360° continuous rotation is suitable for continuous transmission and multi-station continuous processing, such as a turntable conveyor belt. 

The fixed angle is determined by the number of stations; for example, 12 stations determine the fixed angle of the turntable. It requires that each rotation of the machine be positioned accurately to achieve precise processing. It’s suitable for clear multi-process processing, such as automatic assembly turntable machines and automatic assembly packaging machines.

Diameter: The diameter of the turntable machine, based on the size and quantity of the products, determines the size of the turntable machine. The larger the diameter of the turntable, the greater the number and larger the size of products it can carry. A turntable machine with a larger diameter takes up more space.

It is recommended that you choose a turntable machine with a suitable diameter according to the number of products and the space planning.

Maximum load: The maximum load is also one of the key criteria to consider when choosing a turntable machine. It determines the load capacity and service life of the turntable machine. 

A load capacity close to the maximum value or being overloaded can easily to reduce the service life of the turntable machine. It is recommended that you calculate and evaluate the product weight and the impact force generated by dynamic processing, and choose a more relaxed maximum load.

Resolution: The resolution of the turntable machine refers to the minimum angle that the turntable can control in the operating system. The smaller the resolution, the stronger the control ability of the roulette. A resolution of ≤ 0.01° is considered high. The high resolution can achieve a more precise position and operation, and is suitable for processing requiring complex processes, such as welding and spraying. Low to medium resolutions can also used for simpler tasks like basic assembly. You can choose a suitable turntable machine’s resolution according to the specific processing requirements of your product.