La situazione iniziale:
The clamping for manual welding of the 7-metre-long components was rather basic. Precise alignment of the longitudinal beams and other components is, however, fundamental for high-quality lorry trailers. That’s why the clamping was planned in such a way as to ensure that the components remained aligned and in position. The integrated longitudinal axis of rotation also improves accessibility, allowing almost all seams to be welded in the flat position. However, a question was raised during the planning of the clamping device: “Why not automate the welding process too?”
La soluzione:
The automation system had to be planned with consideration of circumstances such as the hall structure, clamping device and space conditions. The gantry system with a welding robot on the gantry consists of two separate working areas. The shared sliding door closes one section at a time and the robot can weld while the open side is being loaded. The welding machine, a Phoenix puls, is situated near the partition. The drive 4X wire feeder is situated directly above the drums with the welding consumable and conveys the wire via the cable drag chain (which also carries electricity and gas) to the robot. forceArc puls is the only welding process used. The arc is powerful and deeply penetrates the material. At the same time, the heat input is reduced by the pulsing.
Il successo:
The plant produces 16 skeletal trailers every week with four welders. The welders are mainly charged with loading and tack welding the individual components and assemblies. The actual welding is done by the robots. This has resulted not only in faster welding but also increased quality. Continuous monitoring of the welding parameters in automated welding ensures high-quality weld seams at all times. As the process also produces very little spatter, the post weld work is reduced by 30 per cent and productivity is increased.
