Motoman Robots Arc Welding Construction Equipment

Three six-axis HP50-20 robots overhead mounted from MotoSweep™ transport beams and two more mounted on a linear track weld large frames at two stations.

Summary

Flexible system easily accommodates required part sizes and lengths. System achieves cycle time of 71 minutes per part – 29% faster than the required 100-minute cycle time. Robotic process provides improved weld quality and consistency.

Project Challenges

Provide flexible automated welding system capable of processing several large frame weldments that vary in length from 4,242 mm to 5,410 mm (167" to 213").
Improve weld quality and consistency over manual welding.
Reduce cycle time over manual welding operations.

Motoman Robotics Solution

Motoman Robotics provided duplicate custom HP50-20 welding solutions. Each system includes:

(5) Motoman HP50-20 robots with NX100 robot controller.
(3) MotoSweep™ “O” HD robot servo beams – heavy-duty overhead radial transport on C-frame base – servo-driven with 3.9 rpm travel speed, 1-second settling time, and ±0.15 mm (0.006") repeatability.
Servo track, featuring 13-m (42.5') stroke and two 2.4-m (8' L) carriages with anti-collision mechanism.
(5) Miller Auto Axcess 450 weld packages.
(5) 550-Amp water-cooled FCAW torches
(5) Weld dress-out packages, multi-layer weld software, weld gas flow sensors, shielding gas flow meters, and water circulators.
(5) Torch reamers with automatic wire cutters – (2) floor-mounted on accessory stands and (3) mounted on MotoSweep booms.
(5) ComArc Seam-Tracking and Touch-Sensing Packages.
(5) ToolSight® Comprehensive Torch Alignment Packages.
(2) Extra heavy-duty headstock/tailstock positioners with 7,256.2-kg (16,000-lb) rated load at 150 mm (5.9") off-center CG.
(2) Mobile tailstock sub-bases – electrically powered manual adjustment for frame length variations with 1,524-mm (60") stroke.
Operator Station with manual jog.
Cell guarding package with 3.05-m (10') woven wire perimeter safety fence, with two access gates and positive break safety switches; amber arc flash protection curtains; tri-fold barrier doors at positioner load/unload stations; MotoSweep zone ring; and two three-color beacon lights with audible alarms.
(2) Common equipment bases for NX100 robot controllers, water circulators and welding power supplies.

Fixtures/Tooling Details

Customer provided large manual, bolt-on fixtures. Operators use an air ratchet to tighten metal clamps that hold the individual pre-tacked frames in the fixtures.