COMPONENT STUDY
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!THE COMPONENT IS A HYDRAULIC PIPE, WHOSE ID VARIES FROM 0.375” TO 1”.THE WEIGHT OF THE COMPONENT VARIES WITH THE LENGTH. PICTURE SHOWS THE PARTS OF THE COMPONENT.(IMAGE 1)
COMPONENT SPECIFICATION:-
| SL NO | NUT ID | NUT A/F | THICKNESS |
| 1 | 0.375” | 17.46 MM | 4.4 MM |
| 2 | 0.5” | 30 MM | 6.4 MM |
| 3 | 0.75” | 31.75 MM | 6.2 MM |
| 4 | 1” | 41.28 MM | 7.8 MM |
THE REAL PROBLEM
1) CIRCULAR FILLET WELD OF END CONNECTORS (NUT) ONTO HYDRAULIC PIPES.
2) THE AUTOMATION FOR THIS WELDING AS CONTINOUS WELDING MANUALLY WAS DIFFICULT, HAZARDOUS TO OPERATOR.
3) EASING OF OPERATION.
PROVIDING THE BEST SOLUTION
THE PROCESS
- THE CIRCULAR FILLET WELD :-
- THE WELDING IS DONE IN ORDER TO JOIN THE END CONNECTOR (NUT) TO THE HYDRAULIC PIPE.
- DUE TO LENGTH OF THE COMPONENT, ITS ROTATION POSED A CHALLENGE AND IT IS OVER COME USING CERTAIN SUPPORT STRUCTURES.
- TIG WELDING WAS THE PROCESS USED IN ORDER TO WELD THE COMPONENT.
- THE BELOW IMAGE SHOWS THE COMPONENT AFTER CIRCULAR WELDING.(IMAGE 2)
SOURCE
- AUTOMATION DONE USING 4 AXIS WELDING SPM:-
- THERE IS ONE LINEAR AXIS AND ONE ROTATION AXIS ALONG WITH 2 MICRO AXES ADJUSTED MANUALLY.( X AND Z AXES)
- THE TORCH IS MOVED TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE COMPONENT IN ORDER TO CREATE WELD ARC USING 3 LINEAR AXES(X AXIS, Y AXIS AND Z AXIS).
- THE COMPONENT IS ROTATED USING THE ROTARY.
- THE PRECISION IN MAINTAINING THE CONCENTRICITY IS DONE USING THE DESIGNED FIXTURES.
- THE BELOW IMAGE SHOWS THE SPM AND AXIS USED.
- THE AUTOMATION WAS DONE IN ORDER TO DE SKILL THE PROCESS, HAVE HIGHER REPEATABILITY AND EFFICIENCY.
- EASING OF OPERATION:-
- SEQUENCE OF OPERATION IS MADE ACCORDING TO CUSTOMER REQUIREMENT AND THE MACHINE IS MADE FOOL PROOF WITH COMPONENT SENSOR AND SUITABLE PROGRAM.
- A CENTRAL V-BLOCK WAS PROVIDED TO SUPPORT HIGH LENGTH COMPONENTS AND THE V BLOCK WAS SUPPORTED OVER A HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM INGENIOUSLY MADE.
- TAIL STOCK IS PROVIDED TO SUPPORT THE OTHER END OF THE COMPONENT WHICH IS ACTUATED USING A PNEUMATIC-MANUAL DETENT VALVE.
- THE FIXTURE HAS SUITABLY DESIGNED HOLE IN ORDER TO ALWAYS KEEP THE COMPONENT CONCENTRIC TO ROTARY AND IT HAS AN WELD GLASS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE OPERATOR SAFE.
- THE BELOW IMAGES SHOWS THE V BLOCK ARRANGEMENT (IMAGE 4), THE TAIL STOCK (IMAGE 5) AND THE FIXTURE ARRANGEMENT (IMAGE 6)
GOALS ACHIEVED
- AFTER CAREFULLY WORKING ON CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS WE DELIVERED AN SPM WHICH NOT ONLY SATISFIED THE CUSTOMER BUT MADE THE CUSTOMER HAPPY.
- THE MACHINE IS NOW PRODUCING 2000 SUCH WELDED COMPONENTS IN A SHIFT WITH THE CUSTOMER WORKING FOR 3 SHIFTS PER DAY.
- TWO PEOPLE WERE WORKING ON LOADING AND WELDING OF COMPONENTS WHILE NOW A SINGLE OPERATOR CAN WORK ON LOADING AND WELDING.
- AN OPERATOR WHO DOESN’T KNOW WELDING CAN ALSO OPERATE THE MACHINE, IT HAS HELPED IN DE-SKILLING OF PROCESS.
- THE OPERATOR IS NOT UNDER INFLUENCE OF HARMFUL GASES HENCE IT SAFE GUARDS THE OPERATOR.