2. Content Layout
• Introduction
• Advantages
• Various automatic welding processes
• Wind tower manufacturing
• Adaptive control in resistance welding
3. Introduction
• Leadership in manufacturing depends upon quality, cost, productivity,
safety and up gradation of technology
• Inflection has taken place in following areas:
a. Semi automatic/manual power source: digital control invertors
b. Welding automation: tandem SAW/MIG, friction stir, robotics, LASER
spot welding, automation with hybrid welding system(LASER –MIG,
plasma-MIG).
c. Advancements in cutting process:-Precision plasma cutting, LASER
cutting
4. ADVANTAGES OF AUTOMATION
• Consistency in weld results- error proofing
• Multiple parameters for multiple welding runs
• Store parameters to share with other machines having same
application
• Quality control
• Data storage and records
• Quicker weld fault diagnostics lower repair time
5. Tandem MIG
• Tendem MIG consist of two
power sources i.e, two wires and
feed mechanism to work at a
point
• Results in higher deposition
rates and hence increased
productivity
• There is use of tubular wire in US
and japan extensively, but not so
popular to rest areas of Europe
• Therefore solid wire type is used
6. Advantages of Tandem MIG
• Exceptional welding speeds
• High weld metal
deposition rate
• Superior weld quality:
◊ Reduced heat input
◊ Resists burn-through on
thin
materials
◊ Maintains low spatter
levels
• Bead profile control
• Lowers production cost
• Increases productivity
7. ROBOTIC WELDING
Fig.. Schematic diagram
showing
autonomous robot vehicle
navigated
by vision system, being used
for all
positional MIG / MAG
welding
8. NARROW GAP SAW
• Tubular wire are being popular
for increasing productivity over
solid wire.
• Now MIG/MAG welding is
replacing the SAW in bridge
construction to reduce
distortion and cost.
9. LASER applications
• In shipbuilding and off-road vehicles, high power
LASER(3-10kW CO2 )is popular.
• Precision dimensional control, accuracy and higher
cutting/welding speeds.
• Precision ±0.3mm/10m
• High powered laser is used in combination with 1 or 2
MIG/MAG torches.
• A German shipyard is already having this system
replacing SAW
• HYBRID system leads to higher joint completion rates
Fig.4a. Nd:YAG laser - MAG hybrid process being
developed for land pipeline girth. A pic.
10. ELECTRON BEAM TECHNOLOGY
• The main areas of improvement is Gun Development and reduced
pressure technology.
• reduced pressure technology uses pressure chamber of 1 mbar, while
conventional use pressure of about 5 mbar
• Results in good quality welds
11. WIND TOWER MANUFACTURING
• It requires highly precise application of gas cutting or arc
cutting i.e., triple torch with single pass.
• Automatic setup which provides, angular adjustments,
infinite rotation of cutting head, Cutting height
adjustment via automatic arc
• precision high end CNC plasma is used with high degree
of automation required to guarantee quality.
• Programming software, Numerical control and Automatic
rotating bevel tools are used to dispense with manual
tasks.
12. ADAPTIVE CONTROL IN RESISTANCE WELDING
• Vehicle manufacturing industries employ resistance welding in
extensive way.
• To achieve the goals related to high quality and reliability,
manufacturers are investing in digitally controlled automatic assembly
system.
• Now, adaptive control has potential to revolutionize the quality,
flexibility and productivity of high speed resistance welding.
• It can obviate the need for follow-up testing of assembly.
13. Real time control
• Adaptive control in resistance welding employs unique type of
hardware and software to precisely control the welding parameters in
real time.
• Ultrasonic inspection since a manual process, is time consuming ,
here adaptive control integrates the inspection of each weld with real
time control how welding is to be performed.
• The adaptive control system measures the current and voltage at the
electrode. Mathematical algorithms calculate resistance curves and
energy balance.
• This kind of control enhances welding flexibility, so manufacturers can
be more responsive to fast-changing market needs.
14. Welding process repeatability
• Manufacturers seek weld reliability, which helps them consistently
meet their production and quality requirements.
• Unfortunately welding is process with large variations.
• adaptive control of resistance welding automatically compensates for
output changes as gun tips wear.
• adaptive control provides an information framework to assure
manufacturers that weld reliability is actually being achieved.
• In terms of process control, this is a significant improvement over
projecting weld quality from results obtained by manual product
sampling
15. Improved safety
• Many automatic resistance welding having hundreds of robots
welding large no. of components per minute. Without real time
control robots deliver constant power which may be undesirable if
material is changed.
• The excess spark may pose risk of explosion and serious injury to
worker.
• Adaptive control receives real-time feedback of conditions on a
component’s surface and adjusts the current flow to just the right
level to complete the weld without generating explosion.
16. Reduction in production cost
• Significant reduction of testing costs, including labor, time, documentation,
expense per part tested, and scrapped and testing materials.
• Less rework of components, recalls, rebates and legal liability due to
increased weld reliability.
• Lower production cost per part due to increased throughout from 100
percent weld inspection
• Reduction of explosion-related costs due to a safer and cleaner workspace
with less contaminants and better quality welds
