Yellowpatter builds capability in robot welding

Citation

(1999), "Yellowpatter builds capability in robot welding", Industrial Robot, Vol. 26 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1999.04926cab.006

Yellowpatter builds capability in robot welding

Yellowpatter builds capability in robot welding

Keywords Robots, Welding

Sheet metal specialist Yellowpatter continues to develop its manufacturing capability with the installation of a second ABB robotic welding cell at its production facilities in Storrington, West Sussex. Based on ABB's new generation Arcitec system, the new cell is the first of a range of standard functional FlexArc system packages, marketed by ABB Flexible Automation Limited of Milton Keynes (see Plate 1).

Plate 1 ABB's new generation Arcitec robot welding system is improving productivity at Yellowpatter

Yellowpatter purchased its first robot welding cell in 1995, following the award of a major production contract to produce a pump chassis assembly for a leading industrial plant supplier.

"Initially the chassis was produced by manual welding but as demand stepped up we were able to invest in new technology", said Yellowpatter managing director, Stuart Bishop, adding: "As well as providing additional capacity, we estimate that over the three year period this contract has been running, the use of robot welding has enabled us to achieve savings in the order of £1 million by reducing costs and through improved productivity.

"Whilst normally reserved for high volume or long running production orders, robot welding is very adaptable and the cell can be easily set up for a prototype test run. For short production batches, it offers the assurance of consistent quality between batches together with the flexibility to switch between different jobs", he said.

Yellowpatter's first cell has been refurbished and upgraded by ABB Flexible Automation to harmonise operational facilities and introduce ABB's "Bullseye" calibration software. Both cells are now installed within a separate manufacturing unit dedicated to robotic welding. Key operators from Yellowpatter have also been given additional training by ABB to further develop their operational expertise.

In addition to building up its welding capability, Yellowpatter is installing a high speed bending machine, scheduled for commissioning during the Autumn. Together with its investment in robot welding, these improvements, worth in total over £2 million, have significantly increased the company's capacity for high volume production of sheet metal fabrications.

Stuart Bishop believes this has given Yellowpatter an important competitive advantage in the subcontract market: "'Having made the move into robot welding, we have acquired valuable practical experience which has strengthened our capability further. In tendering for new work we can call upon this experience to suggest alternative and less costly manufacturing methods using our facilities. This gives our client additional value, particularly if we are consulted at the initial concept stage. As well as reducing costs, consistent quality is another advantage of robots, important for repeat orders as the process data can be stored and called up again, whenever necessary."

Improving quality control and increased up-time

The introduction of the ABB "Bullseye" calibration software has provided another important quality enhancement by ensuring consistency between the tooling and the robot set-up. Variations in material supplies can lead to a build up of tolerances as sheet metal is formed into component parts to make up a welded assembly. Consequently adjustments must be made to the fixtures in order to ensure the robot weld path remains central to the joint.

Bullseye automatically resets the robot relative to its original centre position set-up datum. This saves time in checking the fixtures at the start of each new batch or whenever adjustments need to be made for variations in material dimensions.

Bullseye can also be used to maintain consistency during a series of long welding cycles. A check is made, after ten cycles or so to avoid any discrepancies being caused by expansion of the welding gun.

For further information contact: Jane Attwood, ABB Flexible Automation Limited, Auriga House, Precedent Drive, Rooksley, Milton Keynes MK13 8PQ, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1908 350300; Fax: +44 (0) 1908 350301.