In 2018, R&E Engineering was awarded a project for the supply and installation of a robotic welding system by DRA Engineering, a very prominent manufacturer in the heavy industry, particularly mobile crane and tanks. The system was purposed for the welding of mobile crane components such as the chassis and booms. The clients saw that we have an edge in terms of capabilities, space requirements and value. Every part of the robotic welding system is a standard off-the-shelf component that are made to be modular. Combined, they become a system that is tailored to the client’s requirements in terms of space available and the products to be manufactured.

There are many features in the system that are worth mentioning. The system is more on the uncommon side of robotic welding system, especially in Australia. This is because of the versatility of its welding capability. Generally, automated systems are limited in the way they work with the workpiece, particularly in terms of product variety such as dimension and shape. But this robotic welding system is designed to work with completely different shape of workpieces at varying lengths, for example, the shape of the chassis compared to the boom and the varying length and dimension of the booms for the crane.

Firstly, the system is equipped with the most advanced laser technology to enhance welding precision whilst reducing pre-weld system calibration time. The laser measures and determines the geometry of the workpiece before welding. This process takes a few seconds depending on the complexity of the workpiece geometry compared to the traditional robot sensors which takes minutes.

Secondly, the system is also equipped with tandem weld technology with automated torch changing capability. The robot operator can command/program the robot to change the torch used (single wire or tandem) as required. The tandem torch can deposit metals at a rate of 26 kilograms per hour compared to traditional weld with a rate of less than 10 kilograms per hour. Now that’s a lot of metal!

Lastly, the robot and workpiece positioners allow the robot to have high versatility in welding varying workpieces. The workpiece can be small, big, short or long, it would pose no problem for the system. The robot is mounted on an overhead positioner that enables the entire welding robot to move in x, y and z direction, giving it access to workpiece at various angles. Combined with a multi-axis workpiece positioner rated at 5 tonnes, the workpiece can be mounted and positioned vertically or horizontally (with a tailstock at the other end). This feature enables longer or shorter workpiece to be welded.

The installation of the whole system was carried out swiftly and smoothly by our team of experts. The system was up and running in just less than two weeks from its arrival. We would like to thank DRA Engineering for trusting R&E Engineering and for the opportunity to support a local Australian company.

R&E Engineering technician finishing up the installation and commissioning with laser sensor calibration.

For more information on robotic and automated systems, please do not hesitate to contact us! We are passionate in helping your business grow and realise its true potential!

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