Valk Welding: Realised projects

Geesink Norba Group Emmeloord

Welding robot Valk Welding in line production Geesink

Geesink Norba Group from Emmeloord, manufacturer of among others waste collection systems, has chosen line production for its newest type of loading platform. The various parts of the loading platform are being produced in parallel and assembled halfway the line. To weld the bottom plate, Valk Welding supplied a welding robot cell, consisting of a hanging Panasonic VR008L welding robot, able to reach all welds of the bottom plate on a track of 10 meter. 

Geesink is a name you will often see on Dutch dustcarts. For over 125 years, the company is building waste collection and transport systems. Some twenty years ago, Geesink designed modern breech loader systems to collect waste in a healthy and safe way. The production of these loading platforms with breech loaders mainly involves high quality steel constructions, but also assembly, blasting, coating etc. Already in an early stage, Geesink employed welding robots and longitudinal welding robots for the production. However, the complete process still remains rather labour intensive and complex, in particular due to the complicated moulds for attaching and others for final welding. Reason for the manufacturer to focus on modernisation of the production when developing a new loading platform.

Geesink's 12 years of experience with welding robots, formed a sound basis for the new production process. The Geesink development team, under the direction of construction supervisor Abel Stulp, has studied all possible concepts during an extensive study phase aimed at the largest possible automation of welding for the new loading platform. Abel Stulp himself first converted all concepts into DTPS and then assessed investment and time of passage. Abel Stulp has been working with DTPS since 1999 in order to programme both products and moulds for 4 Panasonic welding robot cells, by now he knows how to read and write with them. In the existing situation, loose components are first attached in calibrated moulds before being finally welded in a next mould by the welding robot. Geesink wanted to get rid of this logistically complicated and labour intensive process. Henceforth, the new loading platform had to be produced in a line system.

New loading platform in line production
At first, he thought the new new loading platform could be welded completely by robots. However, due to the large volume, the accessibility and the weight to be manipulated, such a concept is extremely expensive. For that reason, it was decided to weld the bottom plate only, containing many short weldings, with a robot. In the new line, the sides are being welded parallel with the 'bottom line' using longitudinal robots, after which they are added halfway the line for manual welding to the bottom plate. Geesink has elaborated this complete concept in collaboration with an engineering firm, whereby Valk Welding  supplied the welding robot cell for the bottom plate. The welding robot cell consists of a Panasonic VR008L welding robot fixed to a mobile stand that can reach all welding spots of the bottom plate on a track of 10 meters. All components for the bottom plate are being manually attached in a previous station, and then rolled towards the welding robot cell. Every two hours, production shifts to a next station in the line. In the meantime, both manual welders and the welding robot must do their work. The line contains a total of 9 stations.

Shorter passage time
Due to this new production way, logistics have been largely simplified, the number of movements of loose parts has been highly reduced and the passage time for the complete loading platform has been reduced to 18 hours. Per daily shift, 4 complete loading platforms are being produced in the line. The steel plate department where the thick steel plate is cut to size, positioned and provided with pivots, supplies the correct quantity of components once a day in the evening. External suppliers too, such as the coating firm, are exactly on time to collect a complete loading platform. Because of this, the space previously needed for buffer storage could be greatly reduced.

Limited downtime risk
A line lay-out has the disadvantage that the speed will be determined by the weakest link and the complete line will be stopped in case of a breakdown. In case of a breakdown of the welding robot the Geesink people cannot solve, Valk Welding bust be able to send one of its technician within four hours. Abel Stulp: "Valk Welding is known for its good service and has always been able to live up to that reputation. "Ever since 1994, Valk Welding is a regular visitor at Geesink. In those days, Valk Welding supplied the first welding robot to Geesink, with which a product of 6.5 hours manual welding could now be finished in 3 hours. This cell, consisting of a hanging welding robot and equipped with a tactile search system is still in full operation every day. Another later delivery included among others a welding cell with 8 axes for the side and back walls of the breech loaders, which are positioned by 2 manipulators of 1000 kg each.

Geesink has such positive experience with the new line production that the breech loaders will soon be made in line production. Certainly, welding robots will also take over a major part of the welding job.

(Source: various professional magazines - October 2004)