Robot systems automate welding processes for improved efficiency and repeatable quality levels

Robot systems automate welding processes for improved efficiency and repeatable quality levels

Keywords: Robots, Welding

When steel fabricator Thos. Storey decided to improve the efficiency of its hydraulic fluid and fuel tank welding operations it turned to automated robotic solutions from Panasonic Industrial (see Plate 4).

Thos. Storey Fabrications Limited has built a reputation as one of the world's leading suppliers of high-quality steel fabrications to a wide range of manufacturers in the construction, earth moving, material handling and specialist vehicle sectors. The company has had a manufacturing facility in Stockport, Cheshire, since the 1930s, and it is here that it produces hydraulic fluid and fuel reservoirs for a leading UK manufacturer of backhoe and wheel loader excavator machines.

 Plate 4 Robot systems automate welding at Thos. Storey

Naturally the steel fabrication business is extremely competitive and, as a result, Thos. Storey continuously analyses its processes with a view to increasing efficiency levels and driving down costs. As Clive Gallagher, the company's works manager, points out: "Reducing time cycles and cost is absolutely vital if we are to maintain our competitive edge in an increasingly crowded market". He also adds that, in light of the fact that the current economic climate is making it much harder to recruit staff with the suitable skill levels, the company is also keen to identify those processes that may be better suited to automation.

When it comes to the manufacture of the hydraulic fluid and fuel tanks, one area that lends itself to high levels of automation is the critical process of welding, "that are going to hold volatile or harmful liquid, high-quality welding is an absolutely critical part of the process", points out Gallagher. "By automating the process we knew that we could improve throughput levels while maintaining accurate welds at repeatable quality levels. We also saw that automation could reduce overall process costs in a number of ways, including reducing material wastage."

In line with this thinking, Thos. Storey recently installed a Panasonic welding robot system that it has dedicated to the fabrication of the hydraulic fluid and fuel tanks used in a backhoe excavator manufactured by one of its customers. The system is based around a compact, high-speed PanaRobo VR006AL robot, twin Panadice manipulator and positioning units, Panasonic's RF350 inverter welding power source and a high-speed Spin Arc sensor system. The robot, which utilises hollow gears and miniature servo motors, is a highly compact unit that is designed for high-accuracy, high-speed operation from the minimum of factory floor space. Proprietary to Panasonic, the Spin Arc sensor plays a critical role in delivering very high quality welds by allowing the robot to track variations in the component fit.

The Thos. Storey welding system was designed and built by Panasonic's engineers and delivered as a fully integrated, fully operational cell with a capability of producing in excess of 17,000 reservoir components per annum,undertaking welding joints of a thickness between 3 to 6mm. Gallagher comments:"By completely replacing the traditional, manually intensive operation, the new Panasonic welding system has allowed us to reduce time cycles and cost while improving the consistency of the weld quality. At the same time, because the system does not have to be operated by fully qualified welders, it has helped us to circumvent any limitations that would have been imposed on us through a lack of suitably skilled labour."

Sales enquiries to: John Hopper, Panasonic Industrial Europe Ltd. Tel: +44(0)1543 446203; Fax: +44(0)1543 444747; E-mail: robotics@piel.co.uk; Web site: http://www.piel.co.uk