Increasing efficiency in robot welding production

at Crown

Crown uses FASTSUITE Edition 2 for offline programming of welding cells

Instead of several days, programming a new workpiece or a new part variant takes only a few hours. Because the programming is done in the simulation environment of FASTSUITE Edition 2, i.e. parallel to the productive operation of the plant, the downtimes of the plant have been considerably reduced. The toolmaking department is able to find the appropriate device more quickly because the system with all kinematics is available as a simulable 3D model.

About the customer

Crown

Crown is one of the world's largest material handling companies. In addition to an extensive range of forklift trucks, Crown develops automation and fleet management technologies. Crown has been producing forklifts in Roding since 1986. For more than 30 years, this has been the starting point for innovations in production in the family-owned USA company.

To the customer website

Business challenge

Increase plant efficiency

Programming of new workpieces/parts in a few hours instead of several working days.

Process efficiency

In order to use the robots even more efficiently, Crown has commissioned CENIT to replace the time-consuming manual teaching with simulation-based offline programming.

Productivity/Employee retention

High Crown quality standards for production and high employee satisfaction must be guaranteed

Customer goals

Innovation

Introduction of simulation-based offline programming for increased plant efficiency and higher productivity in fixture construction

 

Time-to-Market

The toolmaking department is able to find the appropriate device more quickly because the system with all kinematics is available as a simulable 3D model.

 

Cost reduction

New components can be optimized during development for subsequent welding production.

 

The OLP project is of course good for our figures. But we also see that our employees are very satisfied and that is very important to us at Crown.

Mads Andreasen
Director of Manufacturing, Crown Gabelstapler GmbH & Co. KG

Do you have further questions or are you interested in a consultancy? Please feel free to contact us directly. Make a request

Approach

Characteristics of FASTSUITE Edition 2 Features that were required for this project:

  • CAD data-based weld path generation (CAD-to-path algorithms) with automatic approach and departure strategies.
  • Weld path generation includes control commands for welding technology; easy adjustment of parameters.
  • Simple operability.

Implementation in three phases:

  • Configuration of the software for the requirements of the plant
  • Development of a digital plant model with robots, tools, collision-relevant interference contours and plant components; incorporation of reference, TCP and plant zero points, kinematization robots with traversing axes and positioners
  • Calibration of the real system with the digital system model: Measurement of real reference points and TCP's by means of a measuring tip on the robot; correction of the values in the software.
  • Handover of the OLP-capable system and user training on site

Practical experience and detailed knowledge of the CENIT team ensure the transfer of quality standards for welding production into automation solutions. Consulting and training of the Crown team ensures acceptance and satisfaction

In a nutshell:

  • Features of FASTSUITE Edition 2
  • Implementation in three phases
  • Consulting and training of the Crown team
  • Final acceptance of the OLP solution

Do you have further questions or are you interested in a consultancy? Please feel free to contact us directly. Make a request

Results and conclusion

Increase plant efficiency

Programming of new workpieces/parts in a few hours instead of several working days
Significantly reduced downtimes due to programming parallel to production operation

Increase efficiency development and design

Virtual prototype of the device can be checked for accessibility in a simulation environment, since the system is available with all kinematics as a simulable 3D model.
New components can be optimized during development for subsequent welding production.

Product quality

Very good welding quality according to Crown standards.

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