News

Oct 22, 2024

Robotic welding system brings consistent quality to rolled steel vehicle sections

What results from the combination of an engineering background, innovative mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, and the drive to help a friend weld up an old Volkswagen Beetle? Auto Rust Technicians, a

What results from the combination of an engineering background, innovative mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, and the drive to help a friend weld up an old Volkswagen Beetle? Auto Rust Technicians, a car and truck reconstructing business founded in 1977 by Jerry Carlson. The Cranston, R.I.-based company uses a variety of techniques and products to help customers restore their vehicles’ structural integrity.

“Specializing in ‘rustorations,’ Auto Rust has facilitated the repair of over 20,000 vehicles,” Carlson said. “From expert installations in our 10,000-sq.-ft. facility to the delivery of SafeTCap frame repair kits, our dedicated team and reliable product line help customers overcome auto rust issues of all magnitudes.”

Introduced in 1995, the SafeTCap kits are functional repair sections for vehicle frames, including select Chevrolet and GMC trucks, Jeeps, Saabs, Ford Rangers, and Toyota Trucks.

To minimize manual welding burnout, as well as maintain production output while helping to ensure high-quality, exact-fitting components, Carlson decided to implement robotic automation for the welding of the rolled steel frame sections.

Carlson partnered with a Yaskawa supplier to find a robotic system that would fit Auto Rust’s application and floor space needs. To achieve the most efficient use of space while meeting fabrication requirements, Carlson selected the ArcWorld C-30 workcell. Designed specifically for high-mix production of small to medium-sized parts, the preassembled system includes a 6-kg-payload Yaskawa arc welding robot with a 1,400-mm horizontal reach, 2,511-mm vertical reach, and ± 0.08-mm repeatability. A hollow upper robot arm helps to maintain optimum bend radius of the welding torch cable, and the manipulator’s T axis rotates the torch ±210 degrees without cable interference.

To facilitate the smoothest integration process possible, an Auto Rust employee attended a week-long training for basic programming with arc welding at Yaskawa Academy – an accredited IACET facility located at Yaskawa Motoman headquarters in Miamisburg, Ohio.

The system provides substantial part coverage and enables the precise processing of a variety of parts using 11-ga., cold-rolled mild carbon steel, as well as 7-ga. hot-rolled steel for heavier duty brackets. Welded parts are 30 to 65 in. long, with each part typically comprising two welds.

The welds are formed either with a Miller Auto-Axcess 300DI or Miller Auto-Axcess 450DI multi-MIG process weld system, depending on part requirements. Transition from part to part requires a simple switching of fixtures and proper program selection.

The one-station workcell operates about 30 hours per week, with one operator responsible for loading and unloading parts. The company has since added a second ArcWorld C-30 system, and pneumatic-operated door guards provide operator safeguarding to allow both cells to be loaded and managed by the same employee.

Overall, robotic automation has delivered transformative results. Manual welders experiencing low morale from performing long, repetitive welds have been redeployed to other value-added tasks. The robot’s ability to produce the same weld every time has improved part quality for the rolled steel frame sections. In addition, the flexibility for part changeover has allowed Auto Rust technicians to address low- to medium-volume fabrication requirements, keeping pace with market fluctuations.

“We have a long history of working with automotive and weld shop owners, as well as DIYers,” confirmed Carlson. “Our ability to adapt and meet a wide variety part specifications via robotic automation is a game-changer, helping us accommodate more customers and projects for joined success.”