13 August 2015, 14:59
Automated laser welding of thin-wall stainless steel tubes
Blumenbecker Slovakia s.r.o. once again demonstrates its skills in laser welding by constructing and delivering highly specialised robotic welders to automotive supplier Martinrea Slovakia Fluid Systems. The unit can operate in three different ways - cold welding with or without filler material and non-contact welding, by means of pre-programmed paths.
Canada-based automotive supplier Martinrea International Inc. manufactures mouldings and castings from steel and aluminium, as well as fluid systems such as oil coolers for engines and drives, hose lines and piping, filler nozzles for engine and gearbox oil, hose lines for coolers and heating and tank and filling level modules. Martinrea Slovakia Fluid Systems s.r.o. in Bratislava specialises in fuel and brake systems and oil cooling systems for transmissions.
In August 2014 Blumenbecker Slovakia received a request from Martinrea concerning the construction and delivery of laser welding booths for fuel lines. “Because it produces very high quality welding joints even if the material is not thick or strong, and doesn’t generate much heat, laser welding is ideally suited for welding extremely thin-walled stainless steel tubes,” says Peter Grno, Blumenbecker Slovakia’s managing director. “We performed some successful tests in our welding laboratory and were able to prove that it works 100-percent reliably even considering the ruggedness of everyday production.”
SPECIALISED WELDING BOOTHS
The unit comprises two laser welding booths, each dedicated to different tasks and equipped with laser welding heads from different manufacturers. “We developed them specifically for welding thin metallic materials and with automatic tracking,” explains Grno. “Now, Martinrea can produce 10 different types of welded products for three different automotive manufacturers. The welding speed was increased significantly, and there’s also an option for welding different types of fuel lines in one pass. And if you use a stronger laser source, you can also weld thicker materials.”
The finished robots were delivered in December of last year. Additional modifications and extensions were carried out until May 2015.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
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Trumpf laser head
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KUKA KR 150 robot
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Scansonic ALO1 laser head
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Siemens PLC with profibus
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Schneider Electric drives
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Welding booths made from aluminium
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Albany roller shutters