Industrial Welding Process Automation: Advanced Solutions for Modern Industry (PART 1)
Industrial Welding Process Automation: Advanced Solutions for Modern Industry.
PART 1: AUTOMATABLE WELDING PHASES AND PROCESSES
Industrial welding is one of the most critical operations within the manufacturing sector, especially in industries such as automotive, infrastructure construction, and the production of electronic and aerospace components. Today, many companies are turning to automation of welding processes to improve accuracy, production speed and overall product quality.
Gurpea has more than 20 years of experience in automated industrial resistance and MAG welding processes, during which large-scale projects have been carried out for clients, mainly in the automotive sector. Some of them running installations of more than 50 robots, in a space of 55x50 square meters, which makes clear its ability to handle complex industrial projects.
An example of this is the project of automation of welding processes of crossbeams and stringers, developed for KWD Automotive, to which we will refer throughout this post.
Photo: Part of the automated welding project (crossbeams and stringers) executed for KWD Automotive.
Industrial Welding Automation Context
In the era of Industry 4.0, automation is not just a competitive advantage, but a necessity. Automated welding systems enable companies to achieve greater efficiency and productivity while reducing human error and improving workplace safety. The implementation of industrial welding robots has transformed sectors such as automotive and heavy machinery manufacturing, where repeatability and accuracy are critical factors.
Types of Industrial Welding Processes that Can be Automated
There are multiple types of automatable industrial welding, each adapted to different materials, precision requirements and production speed. Some of the most common are described below:
- MIG/MAG (Metal Inert Gas/Metal Active Gas) welding: This process is widely used due to its ability to join metals quickly and efficiently. Because it is compatible with a wide variety of materials, including steel and aluminum, it is ideal for automation on high-volume production lines, such as those in the automotive sector.
- TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding: Although slower than MIG / MAG welding, TIG welding offers greater control and precision, making it an ideal choice for applications requiring high quality welds on materials such as stainless steel, titanium and other more delicate metals.
- Electrical resistance (spot) welding: This kind of welding is mainly used in automotive manufacturing, where metal sheets are joined by spot welding. The automation of this process allows thousands of spot welds to be made uniformly and with unmatched speed.
Photo: welding automation project realized for KWD Automotive.
- Laser welding: This advanced technique is perfect for high-precision applications, such as in the aerospace and electronics industries. Its ability to weld delicate metals with minimal deformation makes it an ideal candidate for automation.
Phases in the Automation of Industrial Welding Processes
Implementing an automated welding process is not a simple process. It involves meticulous planning, going through several key phases designed to ensure that the automated process meets production, quality and safety objectives.
Once the implementation of the project has begun, it is essential to have a clear management roadmap that goes through each of the established phases in detail, in order to avoid mistakes that take us back to square one:
1. Process analysis and cycle times: The first step is to analyze in detail the process and its objectives: required production, process cycle time, OEE and quality standards to be met.
2. Process layout design and customer validation: For the automated process design of the welding line, we go deeper into the analysis of the process cycle times, dividing it into sub-processes and finally setting the number of systems needed and their physical location. The cycle time will largely determine the complexity, and therefore the final cost of the automated process. As well as the space available in the plant, it will determine the layout of the different elements in the overall process.
Some of the automated systems available in an industrial welding process layout are: Robots with on-board spot welding grippers, Robots with part handling grippers, fixed spot welding grippers, resistance welding presses, intermittent turning units and tooling, automated part feeding systems, automated part transport systems, line safety systems, perimeter enclosures, etc....
The definition of a good automated welding process must guarantee:
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- High line availability, resulting in few production stops.
- High occupancy of automated elements, as a result of the optimization of the work of the different elements.
- Minimize the number of operators in repetitive and dangerous tasks, improving costs and line safety.
- Optimize occupied plant space.
- Overall cost balanced and aligned with the requirements demanded by the process.
Photo 1: detail of the welding process layout. Photo 2: UGIs station and welding and exchange robots (Customer KWD Automotive).
3. Design validation with client: Once the complete process has been defined and designed, validation with the customer is carried out, so that the green light is given to start manufacturing and purchasing of the different elements and materials that make up the process.
In the design validation with the customer, different departments are involved to provide their technical point of view and a global vision for the future implementation of the project: engineering, processes, quality, maintenance, and IT, among others.
4. Manufacturing and purchasing: Once the customer validation is completed, we start the manufacturing and purchasing of all the mechanical and electrical elements that make up the installation. This task involves important negotiations and monitoring by those responsible, and determines the smooth running of the project, minimizing delays and ensuring compliance with the planning.
5. Assembly and adjustment: Once all manufacturing and purchasing materials have been received, assembly and adjustment begins. Like all other project milestones, this phase requires careful planning and coordination to ensure that all progress stays on schedule.
Photos: Assembly, wiring and adjustment of tooling for KWD Automotive's welding process automation project.
6. Start-up: Once all the components of the overall process have been assembled, adjusted and tested, the start-up phase begins. At this point, the systems are activated and the various automated processes are adjusted to achieve optimum coordination to ensure that the objectives are met.
Photo: Commissioning phase for the welding process automation project for KWD Automotive.
During this stage, the mechanical, electrical and programming assembly teams play a crucial role. In addition, we collaborate with the customer in the manufacture of the first prototypes (VFF), making adjustments to the process until the expected level of quality is reached.
7. Final validation of the installation: Finally, having ensured that the process meets its quality and cycle time objectives, the final validation of the production process is carried out. It is at this moment, when the customer becomes the owner of the line and begins to manage it directly, always with the training, supervision and monitoring of our team.
Processes in an automated industrial welding line
In the configuration and generation of welded assemblies, different types of processes can be distinguished to generate the different parts that make up the final product. These processes will allow to have a control, phase by phase, of the automated line, as well as a total traceability of the product.
1. Configuration of subassemblies: There are small subassemblies that must be welded before being incorporated into the final product. These welded subassemblies will be added to the different phases of the process. In order to configure these subassemblies, different automatic systems are available such as: automatic feeding systems, resistance welding presses, robots for handling parts, automatic conveyors.
2. Configuration of product phases: In the same way that the final product is made up of different parts, the process is divided into different phases, in which the different parts that make up the product are welded. Generally, it is the different tools that make up the automated line that mark the separation between the different phases of the process. They are involved in this process:
- Intermittent turning units (IGU's)
- Precision tooling for part positioning.
- Robots with on-board welding gripper.
- Robots for parts handling.
- Cap sharpeners and caps changers.
- Adhesive application equipment (mastic).
3. Inspections: Fundamental to ensure the quality and integrity of welds. Inspections can be divided into different types, each focused on specific aspects of the process and the final product. Among them: Automated vision inspection, automated dimensional control, breakage tests etc.
Continuous monitoring of parameters during the entire welding and control process ensures that stability and quality are maintained, guaranteeing that the required standards are met.
4. Traceability: Automated industrial welding lines have different systems that ensure complete traceability of the product at any stage. We distinguish systems such as:
- Impact marking equipment to identify the area in which the part has been processed
- Scratch marking equipment to identify part numbering once certain processes have been completed
- Vision systems for marking identification
- RFID parts identification systems