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Valk Welding installed 35 years ago its first welding robot

In March 1979, Valk Welding (at that time still known as Las Verkoopmaatschappij) installed her first Arc Welding robot at the Dutch company Kemi B.V. in Riethoven.
Kemi purchased at that time the first Unimation 2005 Arc Welding robot in order to automate the welding of scaffolding as well as sheet metal components for basis of Bewo handcutting machines. The welding robot was a 5 axes hydraulic Unimation robot and was equipped with 2 rotary positioners, controlled by electro motors with each 8 fixed positions.

The Unimation robot was programmed, using a ‘programming gun’ in the shape of the robot, which made it possible to activate push buttons in this robot shaped gun, in order to move the robots into its position. Linear and circular interpolation between programmed points was not known at that time and all programming was done, using a ‘teach ribbon’ with a maximum distance of 1 inch (25,4 mm.) between 2 points.

The memory capacity of the robot was extremely restricted and with even using an external memory 8 times 128 positions could be stored into the memory.

The development of welding robots have taken an enormous evolution, however thanks to those pioneers like company Kemi, present robot technology has developed so fast. Also company Kemi has been very active in innovating their machine park and have, in the meantime, a third generation arc welding robot, which was installed in 2005 (see Valk Melding 2008-2, side 4).

In the archive we found 2 original films and a user manual from the welding robot at Kemi in action, please see following links.

video's

Installation of first arc welding robot

The company Kemi, at the time purchased the first Unimation 2005 arc welding robot for the automated welding of scaffolding parts as shown in this video. The welding robot was a 5-axis hydraulic Unimation arc welding robot and was equipped with 2 rotary tables, controlled by electric motors each with 8 mechanically locked positions. At the time, the welding robot was programmed with a "programming gun" shaped like the robot, which assumed its position by operating pushbuttons on this pre-formed robot. Linear and circular interpolation between programmed points, was not developed at that time and all programming was therefore done using a programming ribbon, whereby the maximum distance of one Inch (25.4 mm.) between 2 points could be defined.

Installation of first arc welding robot

In March 1979, Valk Welding (then called Las Verkoop Maatschappij) installed its first arc welding robot at the Dutch company Kemi B.V. in Riethoven. The company Kemi, bought at that time the first Unimation 2005 arc welding robot for the automatic welding of scaffolding parts and sheet metal frames for Bewo hand saw machines. In this video the vertical longitudinal seams of the saw columns are welded fluid-tight.

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