Automated robot system welds sub-assemblies faster

Automated robot system welds sub-assemblies faster

Keywords: Welding, Mining

Quality sub-assemblies for one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction and mining machinery, are now being welded faster, with higher,repeatable weld quality.

Three Panasonic twin workstation welding cells have been installed at Tamworth (UK)-based sub-contract manufacturer, Darwell Fabrications, and have completely automated the welding of the sub-assemblies for a range of compact wheel loaders. These are the latest of eleven Panasonic robot systems used by Darwell to significantly reduce manufacturing time and costs.

The Panasonic modular, CE-marked robot welding systems for manufacturers in the construction and agricultural equipment industries can accommodate components up to 3 m in length and over 1000 kg in weight and can be supplied with the Panasonic Spin Arc sensor for accurate, high-speed welding of larger component piece parts.

Darwell’s latest robot systems were constructed off-site and delivered as single units. These cells are configured around two workstations and a single Panasonic Pana Robo welding robot. Components are assembled in the cell by welding and pre- tacking brackets at the first workstation before transferring the kit of parts to the second workstation where they are welded to the larger,main plate components.

The new welding cell has been supplied complete with guarding and electric controls and is mounted onto a single, steel-fabricated plinth measuring 2.5× 4.5 m. A Pana Robo VR-008A welding robot is centrally mounted between the twin workstations, each of which incorporates a 1000 kg Panasonic Panadice manipulator and tail-stock providing 2.5 m between faceplates.

The welding robot is interfaced to a Panasonic HM350 Dip pulse inverter power source and is fitted with the Panasonic Spin Arc Sensor welding torch which provides the high-speed tracking necessary for a wide variety of joint configurations and weld sizes including lap joints stitch welding and multi-pass welds. The Spin Arc Sensor guarantees consistent, repeatable welding quality by ensuring the correct weld line positioning for both the tacking and welding of the sub- assembly components and the high-speed higher deposition welding of the final assembly.