5 Steps to Creating Operational Excellence in Robotic Joining Automation
Part quality issues & missed production quotas can sink profitability in a competitive marketplace. The same problems re-appear but due to stress, lack of training or hard delivery deadlines we struggle to find the time to solve the root cause of the problem & a sustainable answer. In this presentation, we will discuss how to systematically achieve operational excellence using best practices and vendor-neutral real-world case studies. Strategies and technologies for improving up-time & eliminating nuisance stops from failed automation applications will be addressed. Drawing on a decade plus of personal experiences and weld-cell photographs, successful philosophies will be offered to overcome each challenging situation in robotic welding automation. When operational excellence in robotic welding is achieved, manufacturers find they have improved their competitive position, they are more in-touch with their business, they have reduced costs & waste, and they are boosting productivity through dramatic reductions in unplanned downtime.
Will Healy III - Balluff Worldwide
Robotic Joining Fixtures – Tips, Considerations and Best Practices
When a manufacturer is faced with how to properly design and build fixtures for the robotic welding process, key elements should come into practice. When welding is performed manually, the welder can hold parts while he or she tacks welds together. This interaction between the welder and the weldment eliminates the need for complex and/or simple fixtures in most manual or semi-automatic applications. Weld quality expectations with robotic welding systems are extremely high, and therefore, the primary functions of a robotic weld fixture are to not restrict the welding process, but to accurately locate the weld joint and to clamp the components together with minimal to no gaps. Other factors, such as the design intent of the weldment and dimensional tolerances, are also vital to meet. With over 40 years of robotic welding experience, the presenter will provide tips, considerations and best practices to improve your robotic weld fixtures.
Zane A. Michael - Yaskawa American Inc.