Feature Fastening & joining
Welding cells raise the bar in efficiency
Towbar manufacturer Witter Towbars has continued its investment in robotic technology by installing 10 new ABB welding cells for arc welding at its North Wales plant
T
he company currently manufac- tures a complete range of towbars and towing related accessories including cycle carriers, roof racks and towing and non-towing steps. Following on from its last investment in 2005, Witter Towbars approached ABB with the requirement for new welding cells to help improve plant efficiency and control, and pro- vide full traceability of weld parame- ters by enabling monitoring of the resulting weld data. Working closely with Witter
Towbars, ABB examined the key stages and requirements of the production line to determine what the robots would need to achieve and how. The answer was to provide Witter Towbars with 10 welding cells, each featuring an ABB IRB1600 ID robot. The robot, which has an extremely slim arm, can combine multiple-axis movements and 360 degree rotations, ideal for per- forming the complex welds on round tubing needed in towbar manufacture. Since being installed, the IRB1600 ID robots have helped the plant achieve a 20 per cent improvement in
efficiency. The robots’ ability to com- plete 360 degree welds has also reduced cycle times and has improved both path accuracy and the overall quality of the weld.
The installation is also helping
Witter Towbars to meet its own strin- gent requirements. The cells have been planned to accommodate the com- pany’s production line requirements, which limited the amount of floor space available for ABB’s equipment. Using ABB’s RobotStudio offline pro- gramming software, each cell has been virtually tested before being installed, enabling the company to anticipate and resolve any potential problems in advance. There was also a requirement for improved fume extraction to improve workplace health and safety. Speaking about the robot cells, Gary Nuttall, senior manufacturing Engineer at Witter Towbars explains, “Our history of investment in automa- tion has helped to reduce the number of manual welds carried out over the past five years. We still have a manual weld facility, but it is now only a frac- tion of what it was and is only used on
The new welding cells at Witter Towbars have reduced cycle times and improved path accuracy and the overall weld quality
The welding cells each feature an ABB IRB1600 ID robot
specific, very old products that cannot be carried out using a robot.” Nuttall continues: “Our employees now form a multi-skilled workforce and have a much nicer plant to work in. The new cells contribute to an improved appearance at the plant as it is cleaner and quieter, producing a pleasant working environment for our employees. The new lines are an important development for the plant and the company as a whole as they will be used for two of our new prod- uct lines; commercial roof racks and a new four-bike cycle carrier, ZX400.”
Diode lasers are key to manufacturing process P
lastic welding using diode lasers has been a mainstream manufacturing process for many years for Marquardt GmbH, manufacturer of electronic drive autorisation systems for vehicles. It is used in the production of a wide range of parts, one such example is the
car key, which today has become more than just an object to start the car engine. The car key has evolved into a design object which at the same time provides the security functions for the vehicle. In the course of assembling the key’s plastic components, it is essential that the joining process does not affect the component surface, as aesthetics and finish must be
maintained and there must be no risk of damage to the sensitive internal electronic components. The company therefore follows a series of strict production guidelines to ensure consistent joining techniques are guaranteed. The welding process must ensure high weld seam strength as well as a hermetically sealed joint to keep out moisture. High operational flexibility is also crucial in order to allow maximum freedom for component design. A further important aspect is the high dimensional accuracy required on the components after assembly. The welding process should also be controllable whilst keeping the process time as short as possible. Welding using a high-power diode laser from Rofin-Baasel fulfils all of these requirements. Additional benefits from the laser welding process include the ability to process three-dimensional contours and, due to the small heat-affected zone, very fine welding seams can be achieved. Laser welding of plastics using high-power diode lasers has become well-established, with more and more well-known companies within the automotive industry, medical device manufacturing industry and others using this as the preferred joining method. The clear advantages in terms of cost, process stability, high precision and weld seam quality mean that laser welding for plastics continues to grow in popularity as more manufacturers discover the technology. Rofin-Baasel T: 01327 701100
www.rofin.co.uk 26 Enter 330
The welding cells form part of a larger investment which Witter Towbars has made in its new modern manufacturing facility in North Wales, which also houses newly installed laser cutting machines as well as ABB’s welding technology. Older models of ABB robots are being replaced and further developments for new automated production lines are currently under consideration. The IRB 1600ID is suitable for arc welding applications as its dress pack is integrated inside the robot’s upper arm. Containing all of the equipment necessary for arc welding, including power, welding wire, shielding gas and pressurised air, the integrated dress pack is a key feature of the robot automation system in place at the plant. An integrated welding cable follows the arm’s movements, which ensures it doesn’t get caught in any surrounding fixtures or workpieces. Nuttall credits the process arm’s manoeuvrability as a major selling point. “The older robots we have been using have a form of manipulator using eight index posi- tions. With the new full manipulator, tubing that used to require a number of separate welds can be completed in a single 360 degree movement, helping to reduce our cycle times, improve accuracy and enhance the quality.”
(Image courtesy of Marquardt)
ABB T: 01908 350300
www.abb.co.uk/robotics Enter 329
JANUARY 2012 Factory Equipment
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48