Designing Your Weld Cell - 3 Things You Need to Know
Robotic weld cells can help production lines increase productivity and efficiency, as well as keeping costs lower. While individual industrial robots can be great, weld cells are pre-engineered to run production according to a job specific need.
In a constantly evolving competitive economy, adding elements like robotic weld cells keep companies on the cutting edge and able to focus on efficiency. And with many production cells cutting down on waste, there is not only higher profit, but an increasingly better relationship with the environment.
There are important steps and processes to consider as you are designing a weld cell for a production line.
Continue reading to learn three things you need to know before designing your weld cell.
MAKE A PLAN
It seems like a simple and straightforward idea, but knowing exactly what your work cell needs to do is an important first step when designing. Asking questions like, “What will my work cell be producing?” is key to knowing exactly what parts to include in the cell, and how to program it.
Each work cell that is in existence has not only specialized parts, but unique programming to both the task and machine. Being as specific as possible in this early stage helps streamline building and programming, and ensures less down time as you start to design.
Part of making a plan should be developing an outline, including mapping out tasks before production and building begins. A solid outline will act as a framework for production, and make sure all steps of the automation process will be included.
PICK YOUR PLAYERS
Once a thorough plan is created with an outline, it’s time to select the industrial robots and parts for your weld cell. As you are searching for robots, there are a few important points that should be considered:
Robots' Reachability – This can determine the number of robots and spacing.
Payload Limitations – Consider what you are producing, and the weight and size limitations of the equipment you are selecting.
Precision Capabilities – Determining what you will be producing and the finer nuisances that might be needed can separate one robot choice from another.
End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) - Knowing what equipment you will need on the end of your robotic arm can help to narrow down purchasing options.
Cycle of Time – The speed of the robot is a good indicator for a production line’s efficiency and speed.
In considering what robots to select, a positioner also needs to be chosen. The positioner is what will hold or contain your product that is being manufactured. It can be mobile or fixed, with factors such as adjustable height and weight capacity being taken into consideration when selecting an option.
LAY IT ALL OUT
Once you’ve developed an outline, and selected your production equipment, it’s time to create a layout. This is the most important aspect of design, as you are figuring out the placement of both robots and positioners to achieve maximum efficiency.
Consider how your work cell will be laid out. Will it be in a linear fashion, or will it have turns, or changes in direction?
As you lay it out, make sure to think about not only how it will fit into a manufacturing facility, but how staff and employees will be positioned in the workflow. Safety is always the most important factor, and protecting and making sure employees are comfortable should be a top priority.
NRTC Automation Solutions
NRTC specializes in custom turnkey weld cells for manufacturers of all sizes. From startups to top automotive OEMs, all of our work cells are refurbished, ensuring turnkey automation that is ready-to-work and affordable.
For more information on our automation solutions, turnkey weld cells, and parts manufacturing, contact us or visit our website for more information.
