Many manufacturing companies invest in robotic workcells to help them create more products at a faster rate. In contrast, companies that make products for the aerospace industry have a completely different focus.
For aerospace manufacturers the quality of the end product takes precedence over the quantity of the products produced. Aerospace components are manufactured in small batches, making workcell cycle times and throughput less relevant. In addition, aerospace parts must be manufactured with extreme attention to detail - weight, appearance, etc.
This RobotWorx customer needed a robotic plasma welding solution to meet precise aerospace standards. RobotWorx provided a complete, customized workcell to plasma weld each part toperfection.
Application Goals:
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Exacting Standards: The main priority for this robotic plasma welding cell was quality performance. Cycle times and throughput were a secondary concern. Special carewas taken to make sure the application would be consistent and meet standards.
- Plasma Welding: Plasma welding was chosen as an application because it offers clean, exact, and repeatable results, ideal for assembling aerospace components.
- Turnkey Workcell: The customer required a complete, fully integrated robotic workcell - robot, safety environment, peripherals, positioner, plasma welding tooling, etc.
- Panasonic Robot: A Panasonic robotic solution was preferable because thecompany already had a pre-engineered Panasonic PerformArc 102 workcell in their facility. Sticking with the same manufacturing brand would simplify the training process.
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Small Work Space: The aerospace components being plasma welded were small, so the work envelope could be as compact as 2' x 2'.
RobotWorx Solution Details:
- Preengineered Workcell: The compact RobotWorx RW1050 workcell met space, safety, and application performance criteria. Its steel enclosure has a common base with forklift pockets for easy moving.
- New Panasonic Robot: The 6-axis medium reach Panasonic TA-1400 robot has a 6kg payload and 1374mm horizontal reach. It comes with a TAWERS controller and teach pendant.
- Positioner: The RW1050 comes with a 180-degree indexer turntable. The two position indexer allows for dual station operation.
- Weld Package & Integration: RobotWorx integrated an Ultima 150 power source, WC-1 weld process controller, wire feeder, interface control circuitry, configuration kit, regulator, pinch block and mounting bracket. An additional mount bracket was added allowing the for wire spool to be placed on top of the robot behind the wire feeder.
- Operator Station: A separate operator station provides accessible commands and safety switches: Start, E-stop, Servo-On, Hold, Re-Start.
- Safety Package: The entire plasma welding workcell is enclosed with hard steel fencing. One set of light curtains and two door electronic interlocks at each slide door control access to keep workers safe. The dual steel mesh doors have arc glare protection. The 180-degree indexer is equipped with an arc-glare divider.
- Training: The aerospace company received training at RobotWorx' Marion, Ohio facility free of charge.
- Warranty: The plasma welding system came with a two-year warranty covering all parts and service.
