Robotic Automated Welding Station

INDUSTRY
Agriculture

PRODUCT
Chopper blades for hay baler

BENEFITS
Automates the welding operation
Reduces manufacturing process cycle time
Improves product quality
Minimal tooling requirements
Less operator involvement

SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The welding cell consist of one IRB 2400L welding robot and one IRB 4400 material handling robot. In addition there is an IRBP 250A positioner, BullsEye® calibration unit, Wolf Cell Control, SmarTac™ tactile sensing, AWC advanced weld control, Miller Electric Auto Axcess power source, torch cleaner station, blade loading station, blade tacking station, safety light beams and protective fencing and park switch.

The 4400 robot picks blades from the loading station and transfers either to the tacking station or positions them in place over the tube body. The welding robot uses tactile sensing to verify tube location, then tacks the blades held in place by the handling robot, to the tube body. After the handling robot relocates, the positioner tilts and the welding robot finish welds the blade.

A blade tacking station allows for welding two blades together at prescribed intervals as required by the product design criteria.

The handling robot orients each blade at the proper distance and offset to achieve the spiral configuration without expensive, complicated tooling and allows access for welding by the welding robot.

An operator can restock blades at the loading station from outside the welding cell, while the robots are in production.

A Wolf Cell Control monitors and controls the entire operation along with the welding parameters from one centralized location to simplify the production process.

A BullsEye® automatic calibration system continually monitors the robot accuracy and adjust the programs as required to maintain optimum repeatability.

SmarTac™ sensing helps detect joint location, AWC adapts the parameters during welding and the torch cleaning station prolongs the life of the welding consumables.

The cell is protected from accidental entry with solid fencing and light beams to monitor operator interface.
There are two models of chopper blades programmed for the system.