Solutions Through Welding Technology..

NBC-9600 MULTIPLE STATION
TOOL BOX WELDING SYSTEM  

 

Application:

A group of stand alone, manually operated machines spot weld a series of preformed components into a large, floor mounted tool cart. There are five (5) welding stations in this area. These manually operated stations assemble and weld the various components, in a step-by-step process ending with the final station which squares and finish welds the entire tool chest or box. Stations range from a simple manually loaded and tip-out unload station for spot welding top and bottom fillers and side panels, to servo positioned welding of automatically inserted drawer slides for right and left hand side panels, to the final station which squares the assembly and welds the top and bottom through a two (2) station shuttle welder. The challenge was to provide a series of cost effective weld stations to be integrated with simple material handling conveyors and operators to fulfill challenging quality demands, meeting production rate requirements, yet within the customer’s demanding return on investment goals. This required economical, individual welding stations designed with a balance of automation and operator dependency, The focus was on the welding process and the accurate & repeatable positioning of the various components to produce a truly "square" tool box with properly aligned drawer slides to accept the multiple drawers which finish these well known tool box products.

  

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Welding Machines for Rollaway Toolbox: Producing 180 Final Assemblies per hour.Welding Machines for Rollaway Toolbox: Producing 180 Final Assemblies per hour.
 

Design Features:

  • Effective balance of automation with operator involvement.

  • Light construction, but rigid weld station structures.

  • Programmable, servo controlled part positioning systems.

  • Precision, belt driven shuttled assembly and weld fixtures.

  • Positioning weld guns to accommodate various product models.

  • Precision component fixtures for square box assembly.

  • Station mounted operator display and data entry devices.

  • Spot weld quality to accommodate high quality finished consumer product.

 
 

Production:

Although relatively operator dependent, the system throughput is in the range of 180 final assemblies per hour. Two (2) right and left hand weld stations use a servo positioning tooling slide and automated magazine fed insertion units to precision locate and projection weld the drawer slides to the side panels of the tool box. These slides must be positioned ±.003 inches of programmed location and within .002 inches square on matching side panels which will be assembled in a following station, and must retain alignment and dimensional positioning to accommodate drawers for smooth operation. These stations are also capable of responding to pre-programmed locations and numbers of drawer slides per panel, through the Operator Data Entry Station. Another station fixtures and welds these side panels to the back panel, including the manual insertion of several other components, while insuring the basis for the final production of a truly square "box". The final shuttle-type welder with positioning weld guns and precision fixtures accepts the back and side assembly with the addition of manually loaded top & bottom panels and fixtures the assembly for final production of the high quality, square and well aligned tool box - ready for accepting smooth operating drawers & slides. Weld quality is very important to compliment the quality image of this consumer product. This system also handles a variety of product models through data entry on a station mounted Operator display and Data Entry devices.

  

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 Total System (operator dependent) Output 180 Final Assemblies per hour.

 

Innovation:

The effective balance of automation, precision fixtures, programmable servo systems, multiple flexibility and positioning spot weld guns with operator controlled stations to produce a high quality consumer product meeting productivity and quality requirements, all within a demanding Return on Investment measurement. Close cooperation was required with the customer to achieve this balance, demonstrating the effectiveness of Simultaneous Engineering and well structured Design Reviews.

 
 

Typical Processing Sequence:

  1. Weld top and bottom filler to side panels.
  2. Right Hand - automated insertion and precision position/alignment and weld of drawer guides.
  3. Left Hand - automated insertion and precision position/alignment and weld of drawer guides.
  4. Assemble and weld right and left side panels, with drawer guides to back panel.
  5. Square, assemble and weld top and bottom panels to back and side panels.
  6. Combination of manual load and unload, with auto unload to simple between station conveyors.