Systems achieved project objectives, including cycle time of 8.3 minutes per part, which is significantly faster than requirement. Systems meet customer’s stringent quality requirements. Compact, flexible workcells provided required arc data monitoring.
Project Challenges
- Provide a standard, compact welding cell that minimizes manual welding operations and improves the quality of the welding operation. Parts must meet stringent quality standards.
- Provide holding fixtures for two part numbers. Pre-tacked parts are steel castings and A36 steel bar stock, approximately 762 mm x 990.6 mm (30" x 39") and 6.35-12.7 mm (0.25"-0.5") thick.
- Meet cycle time of 7.61 minutes per part at 100% efficiency, or 8.95 minutes per part at 85% efficiency, based on 72 welds and 220 total weld inches.
Motoman Robotics Solution
- Motoman Robotics provided two highly flexible ArcWorld® 7200 DR2C systems, including fixtures and process monitoring. Each AW7200 DRC includes:
- Two Motoman UP6 robots on risers with air-conditioned XRC 2001 DR2C robot controllers (two robot controllers per system, interfaced as a single controller with one programming pendant). Expanded Memory, Floppy Disk Emulation and Ethernet boards for communication with PC using TCP/IP protocol are included.
- Two Miller DeltaWeld® 652 650-amp CV power sources.
- Two Binzel Robot 650 water-cooled torches for 0.035"-0.045" steel wire.
- Two Binzel TCS-6 LC nozzle cleaning stations with pneumatic wire cutters on deluxe stands.
- Two Motoman 200-V, high speed TS-2 touch sensing packages with ComArc seam-tracking.
- Koike-Aronson five-axis, double-ended, servo-tilt/servo-rotate positioner. Features: AC servo-driven tilt and rotate on each end, pneumatic motor-driven sweep axis; 454-kg (1,000-lb) capacity; center of gravity 6" overhang, 6" off center; 0-10 rpm variable speed rotation at 3,000 lbs-in torque; 135° tilt axis; 18" diameter mounting surface; and manual jog for tilt and rotate axes.
- Custom pneumatic fixturing package.
- Allen-Bradley SLC 5/03 PLC with large-screen PC-driven HMI.
- System analysis hardware package.
- Arc data monitoring package.
- ToolSight® comprehensive torch alignment package.
- Cell guarding package, including wire safety fencing with one access gate and positive break safety switch, arc flash protection curtains, and light curtain at positioner load/unload station.
Fixtures/Tooling Details
Motoman Robotics provided four pneumatic fixtures (one per side of each positioner). Fixtures include part-present and clamp-closed sensors. Sensors detect presence of right-hand or left-hand parts.
Ref: ACS-045