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Robotic-driven Mindset for Future Success at FABTECH 2022

Robotic-driven Mindset for Future Success at FABTECH 2022

Posted: 13/09/2022 01:04:49 p. m. by Sarah Mellish
Topics: Arc Welding, Collaborative, Machine Tending, Spot Welding, Trade Shows

The challenge to produce more with less is a common struggle shared by most manufacturers today. From skilled worker availability to supply chain flow, company leaders are having to think outside the proverbial box, implementing advanced technologies to maintain product throughput and uphold quality standards.

Widely integrated into fabrication environments, the use of more affordable easy-to-use robots is helping to accommodate stringent demands. Combined with efficient programming methods featuring intelligent capability, the production landscape is steadily evolving and being peppered with technology-driven factories that efficiently meet unique customer requirements.

Smart FabShop Solutions at FABTECH 2022

To learn more about the innovative robotic solutions that are positively impacting Tier 1 suppliers, as well as small- to medium-size manufacturers, join our industry experts at FABTECH 2022! America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event, this tradeshow and conference will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta (November 8-10), where the Yaskawa booth (#C11217) will feature:

Arc Welding

NEW! Portable Collaborative Welding Workcell
Joining our proven line of ArcWorld® workcells, the ArcWorld HC is a portable job shop designed for human-collaborative (HC) interaction. Ideal for optimizing small- to medium-sized part production for medium volume runs, this highly flexible solution comes pre-engineered with arc flash protection, fume mitigation and an IP67-rated HC10DTP collaborative robot for use in harsh welding environments. Well-suited for supplementing manual welding or for rolling up to large heavy workpieces, this six-axis cobot offers hand-guided teaching and includes Power and Force Limiting (PFL) technology that enables operation with or in close proximity to human workers. The presence of PFL enables safe operation at collaborative speed or the shift to full speed in industrial mode as production demands evolve. An integrated weld package with a Fronius power supply is shown, but it is compatible with all major brands. This demonstration also highlights Yaskawa’s intuitive Universal Weldcom Interface (UWI) pendant application that helps users gain easy control of any weld process or parameter.

NEW! Our Most Compact Welding Workcell
Ideal for supplementing or replacing the manual welding of small parts, such as pre-assembly before welding in larger robotic workcells, the very compact and flexible ArcWorld HS is a space-saving solution for tight production floor layouts. Requiring only 1.4 square meters (15 sq ft) of floorspace, this model uses the six-axis AR900 arc welding robot and has a hinged station (HS) door, allowing easy access for loading and unloading of parts. Featuring a fixed table with a 100 kg payload capacity, the ArcWorld HS can process parts up to 550 x 500 x 1050 mm in size. At the show, this workcell will feature an integrated weld package with a Lincoln Electric Power Wave® R450 power source (a Miller® Auto-Continuum™ 350 is also compatible). Power supply processes are accessed by the UWI digital interface. The ArcWorld HS offers overhead LED lighting and is enclosed with sheet metal and light-reducing polycarbonate for arc and spatter protection. A Functional Safety Unit (FSU), a built-in extraction hood and a four-button operator panel with E-stop are also included.

Pre-engineered High-volume Welding Workcell
Built with high robot utilization in mind, the ArcWorld 6200 (AW6200) is well-suited for medium- to large-sized parts or high quantity production runs. Two streamlined six-axis AR1440 welding robots with expanded wrist range for improved application flexibility are featured. The high-performance robot controllers and integrated power sources are mounted on a common base for easy setup. Multiple robot control with coordinated motion between devices will be demonstrated from a single teach pendant. The AC servo-driven RM2-1275 Ferris-wheel positioner utilizes the MotoMount™ fixture mounting system, allowing the positioner to be lagged directly to the floor and eliminating the need for precision alignment or machined bases for simplified tool changeover. At the show, the AW6200 will feature the UWI pendant application, advanced aluminum welding equipment by Miller® (Lincoln Electric® power supply is also compatible) and safety fencing by WireCrafters.

Robust Dual-station Welding Workcell
Ideal for scaling up production for small- to medium-sized parts, the ArcWorld 52S (AW52S) is a space-saving arc welding workcell for busy fab shop settings. Featuring a dual-station configuration with automated roll-up doors, the AW52S is well-suited for loading and unloading a part on one side while the robot welds on the other for increased part throughput. A slim-arm AR1440 arc welding robot with YRC1000 controller optimizes torch access to reduce cycle time. The controller and the robot power supply (Miller® option shown) come on a sub-base that can be pulled out for servicing access, when needed. At the show, the first workstation features a 755 mm (wide) x 685 mm (deep) stationary tabletop, while the second workstation utilizes a servo-driven MHT-185 positioner to turn parts while welding. An integrated FSU ensures robot operation occurs in areas clear of operator presence. The AW52S also features the UWI pendant application, as well as a Wandelbots TracePen. Compatible with Yaskawa AR-series robots, this intuitive, no-code teaching technology makes robot programming easy, especially for arc welding and glue dispensing applications.

Long Reach, Thru-arm Welding Robot
Also on display, the extra-long reach, six-axis AR3120 robot offers precise high-speed performance to boost productivity. Ideal for large parts, such as automotive frames and agricultural machinery, this robot has an increased payload and axis speeds for optimal throughout and quality.

Spot Welding

Automotive Spot Welding Demonstration
Equipped with a compact servo-controlled spot gun and a Nadex® DC spot timer, the low-profile SP80 spot welding robot will be featured alongside a high payload hollow-arm SP225H robot with a CenterLine FlexGun™ spot gun. Each robot in this automotive part demonstration uses a YRC1000 controller, and features exceptionally fast axis speeds and acceleration capabilities for reduced air-cut time. Adding greater programming flexibility, the SP225H robot features an integrated spot harness in the hollow arm, reducing interference, harness wear, and further facilitating high-density robot layouts. A multi-axis, tilt-rotate, low-profile MotoPos 500 positioner expertly presents the part for welding. Overall, this demonstration highlights multiple robot control with coordinated motion between different devices and processes through a single YRC1000 teach pendant for the fabrication of a single part.

Material Handling

Collaborative Machine Tending Demonstration
Utilizing PFL technology to protect users from potentially harmful contact situations, the six-axis HC10DTP collaborative robot with 10-kg payload capacity reduces the need for hard safety and expertly facilitates machine tending in high-volume production environments. Highlighting the use of Speed and Separation Monitoring, this demonstration utilizes Balluff SmartLight LED stack lights and SICK area scanners for optimal worker safety and product throughput. Hand-guided teaching allows for easy programming for fast changeover. Featuring a Schunk gripper, a plug and play ISO tool flange quickly connects a wide variety of end-of-arm tooling, as needed, to simplify deployment and redeployment on demand.

Motion Control

Interactive Kiosk
Offering a full suite of products including industrial servo components, machine controllers, HMIs and more, our sister division – Yaskawa America Inc., Drives & Motion – will display cutting-edge products, such as Yaskawa Compass™. This diverse software package can quickly deliver an easy-to-use graphical machine interface, allowing manufacturers to brand and easily customize screens with little programming knowledge – as this tool provides an extensive library of prebuilt C# plugins or enables the importing of custom plugins. Be sure and visit with our Drives & Motion experts to learn how these offerings can help achieve a pathway to greater versatility for applications that entail 3D printing, shape cutting, machining, robotic automation and more.

3D Printer Demo Optimized for Speed
A strong, rigid framework and Yaskawa servo control combine to deliver 3D printing at 350 millimeters per second, setting a dramatically higher standard for additive manufacturing speed with constant precision. A Yaskawa MP3300iec machine controller achieves this productivity with standard G-code, utilization of pre-canned tools such as extruder advance pressure control, and bed leveling surface compensation coupled with a Yaskawa Compass GUI for easy customizing of user controls.

Special Events

Evolution of Robot Programming Possibilities
Wednesday, November 9 at 12:00pm – 1:30pm in room B309
Join Yaskawa’s Product Manager of Welding, Josh Leath, as he addresses the evolution of robot programming as it relates to welding. From complex line programming to “no code” methods, and everything in between, this presentation will help attendees learn more about the options available and what programming methods may work best for a particular application. Featured methods include pendant programming with machine code, PLC programming, offline programming software, human-manipulated intuitive controls, icon-driven interfaces, and artificial intelligence with machine learning.

Steps and Lessons Learned in the Automating Journey
Thursday, November 10 at 8:00am – 9:30am in room B313
Once again, join Yaskawa’s Product Manager of Welding, Josh Leath, as he reveals the key steps a manufacturer should take for automation success. From understanding the basics of robotic automation to maximizing the full potential of high-performance robots, much will be discussed. Plus, hear success stories about robotic implementation from Kathy Etheridge and Doug Johnson of Salvagnini.

Register Today

FABTECH provides a convenient ‘one-stop shop’ venue where attendees can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and find the tools to improve productivity. Be sure to register and join our experts in Atlanta to learn more about robotic technologies and methods for metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing.
 


Sarah Mellish is a Marketing Content Specialist


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