Average cycle time is approximately 70 seconds for total cycle, 65 seconds for welding portion. Motoman's automated system produces over 300 parts per 8-hour shift. This is more than a 200% improvement over 150 parts per shift produced using the existing robotic welder, and more than five times faster than the 60 parts per shift welded manually.
Project Challenges
- Greatly improve production rate of 150 parts per shift using robotic welding and 60 parts per shift per manual welder.
- Fully automatic system - no operators required, except for initial program selection and to deliver parts at 30-minute intervals via forklift.
- Flexible system required to handle a variety of parts 2,057 mm - 2,209 mm (81" - 87") long, weighing 72.5 kg - 104.3 kg (160-230 lbs) each, with walls of .020 mm - .025 mm (.5" - .625") thick mild steel.
- System must be able to handle full pallets and some configurations
Motoman Robotics Solution
A flexible, fully automated material handling and welding system with custom pneumatic fixturing, including:
- S604 robot with ERC controller
- NY170 robot with MRC controller
- ArcWorld™ 6200 solution, including: - Dual SK6 robots controlled by single MRC - MRM2-250 ferris wheel-type headstock/tailstock positioner - Two Miller Deltaweld 652 power sources, and Robotic II microprocessor-controlled welding interfaces - Two Motoman 450-amp, water-cooled ToughGun™ welding packages, including: torch, safety clutch, wire feeder, side-mount process package, and start-up kit - Two Binzel™ torch reamers - Tregaskiss anti-spatter sprayer- 200-V Touch Sense Package
- Steeplechase PC-based software package running on Visual Logic Controller (VLC). VLC uses Allen- Bradley Touch Screen for Man/Machine Interface (MMI).
- Steel base to elevate all controls 457 mm (18") off floor n Powered infeed/outfeed conveyor for axles/dunnage
- Powered infeed/gravity outfeed conveyor for bracket dunnage
- Bracket nesting station with pneumatically actuated bracket rotation and flip-up components
- Part orientation station
- Pneumatic stand for part dunnage
- Separate custom-designed dunnage for parts
- Integrated safety package, including: fencing, arc screen curtains, photo eyes, and double interlocked gates
Ref: ACS-006