DESIGN AND MODIFICATION OF A MULTI-STATION JIG FOR IMPROVING PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN A PAD PRINTING MACHINE

Abstract

Pad printing is an essential manufacturing process widely deployed across the electronics industry to transfer logos, serial numbers, and identification marks onto product surfaces with high precision. The performance of this process heavily relies on the architectural design of its work-holding jig system, which ensures accurate part alignment and structural stability during high-pressure ink transfer. At PT RPS Precision Engineering, the pad printing machine uses a multi-station jig system. However, the existing jig suffers from constrained dimensions, leading to restricted workpiece placement, slow manual loading/unloading operations, and degraded throughput. This study re-architects and modifies the dimensions of the multi-station jig to maximize production capacity while maintaining total compatibility with the existing printing infrastructure. The applied engineering design framework integrates field observation, CAD-based design optimization, electro-pneumatic integration via Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) synchronization, and a comparative performance evaluation. The re-engineered multi-station jig expands the available workpiece loading area, optimizes operator handling motions, and significantly elevates part positioning accuracy. Empirically, the system achieved a cycle time reduction from 28.45 seconds to 18.00 seconds per unit in initial trials, boosting production output to 1,600 pieces per shift. Machine idle time is minimized, enabling a highly efficient, automated throughput workflow without requiring fundamental modifications to the core pad printing machine. These findings demonstrate that dimensionally optimizing multi-station work-holding systems is an exceptionally practical and cost-effective approach to improving industrial manufacturing productivity.