| Introduction : |
A new product line, taking Wylex Electrical into the European market place, needed a simple automated method of welding the corners of the facia panel. |
| Facia welding and dressing machine : |
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| Requirement : |
Although existing products in their range use welded construction, the precision with which this new range could be pressed and folded, meant that the welding requirement was minimal, with a small stitch weld, or spot of weld, holding the flange of the facia in position. |
| Method : |
The photograph above shows the machine with a facia panel positioned under the welding head. In the other corner of the work table, the dressing head can be used to lightly clean up facia front of the welded joint. The operator can select from three different programs providing a choice of a single spot weld, two spot welds or a run of weld. The weld positions can be entered on the keypad, or may be taught after jogging into position. |
| Welding head : | Dressing head : |
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| The welding cycle is automatically initiated when
the facia is pushed into the corner location. Before welding, the facia is clamped in position to ensure the perfect
alignment of the weld joint. The welding is carried out using a Merkle MIG welder, using Argon mix shield gas and
0.6mm wire, ensuring the minimum weld metal deposit. The dressing flap - wheel starts automatically after the weld is completed, and runs for sufficient time to allow the operator to dress all the weld if necessary. Fume and dust extraction is also provided, mounted under the worktable, together with the Merkle welding power source and wire feeder and the machine controller The machine is sequence controlled by a Mitsubishi FX0 series PLC. The operator may adjust the weld positions, speed and duration, together with several other parameters through the Mitsubishi FX10 DUE operator interface unit. |