Reel assembly machine

A reel assembly machine for assembling a bottom flange and a top flange to a reel core of a reel, the reel assembly machine comprising:

• a base having a rotary table including a plurality of reel assembly locations, the rotary table rotating the reel assembly locations between a plurality of assembly stations;
• a part manipulator provided adjacent to at least one of the plurality of assembly stations, the part manipulator configured to move at least one of the bottom flange, the top flange, or the reel core to the corresponding assembly station of the plurality of assembly stations for assembly;
• a reel assembly device including a lower assembly device and an upper assembly device, the lower assembly device coupled to the rotary table of the base and being rotated between the plurality of assembly stations, the lower assembly device including a support plate for supporting the bottom flange of the reel, the lower assembly device including a locating jig for positioning the bottom flange on the support plate, the lower assembly device including a lower staple gun configured to staple the bottom flange to the reel core, the upper assembly device coupled to the base at the corresponding assembly station of the plurality of assembly stations, the upper assembly device including a pressure plate configured to press against the top flange and hold the reel core between the bottom flange and the top flange, the upper assembly device including an upper staple gun configured to staple the top flange to the reel core.

A method of assembling a reel comprising:

• loading a bottom flange of the reel onto a support plate of a lower assembly device;
• loading a reel core onto the bottom flange;
• loading a top flange onto the reel core;
• locating the bottom flange, the reel core and the top flange on the support plate using locating pins of a locating jig;
• pressing the top flange downward toward the reel core and the bottom flange using a pressure plate of an upper assembly device;
• stapling the bottom flange to the reel core using a lower staple gun;
• and
• stapling the top flange to the reel core using an upper staple gun.