Motoman robot cuts welding times

Citation

(1998), "Motoman robot cuts welding times", Industrial Robot, Vol. 25 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1998.04925daf.005

Motoman robot cuts welding times

Motoman robot cuts welding times

Keywords Motoman, Robots, Welding

A Motoman dual TIG/MIG welding cell installed by W & G Sissons Ltd, of Chesterfield, has enabled the company to cut significantly, welding times for the fabrication of stainless steel toilet pans and wash basins (see Plate 4).

W & G Sissons is one of the leading manufacturers of stainless steel products in the UK. A significant amount of the company's sales are to export markets where there is increased competition for its large range of standard products. The move into robotics was, therefore, seen as a vital means of improving competitiveness, especially in Germany where a large part of the company's sanitary ware sales are based.

Plate 4 Close-up showing Motoman robot MIG welding the flushing ring to the toilet pan

Prior to the installation of the Motoman cell, the welding of both wash basins and toilet pans was undertaken by largely manual methods. Although it was a repetitive process, it required the services of highly skilled personnel to achieve the necessary quality standards. Owing to an increasing demand in other specialised sections requiring not only equal technical ability but also personal input, such underuse of valuable experience and know-how was considered wasteful. The answer was to automate.

The robot cell provided by Motoman Robotics was, therefore, to take over these duties. A role well within its capabilities. Almost immediately, welding times were dramatically reduced. One component, the toilet pan inlet pipe, which previously took 15 minutes to weld manually could now be completed in just two minutes. And, moreover be achieved accurately and consistently. Similar savings were attained for other components as well.

In this instance the cell, which is of modular construction for optimum economy and reliability, comprises a Motoman K6, six-axis robot equipped for both MIG/TIG welding, twin load/unload stations, indexing fixture, and torch change system. The whole is contained within two meter high safety guarding with interlocked access.

In operation, components are manually loaded onto either of the twin load/unload stations. These can be rotated through 180š to minimise down-time and facilitate continuous welding; presently two shifts daily, five days a week. Typical batches of components vary from as few as 20 up to 4,000 selected from 21 pre-programmed items.

Depending on the product, MIG or TIG welding is utilised. For example, all elements of the toilet pans are MIG welded. They consist of: outlet and inlet pipes, trap, flushing rim, baffel plate and, finally, pan to shroud.

Apart from the toilet pans and wash basins, other products being handled by the Motoman cell and accounting for some 30 per cent of welding time, include catering trolleys, which require the use of both MIG and TIG welding, bakery trolleys and sub-assembly components.

For any additional information, please contact Robert Lewis, Motoman Robotics (UK) Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 1295 272755.