At the end of 2020, Triada-Welding carried out several interesting robotics projects, one of which is cooperation with the Zaporizhia metallurgical enterprise ZLMZ, which is part of the international group of companies METINVEST. The project was executed "from scratch" and, starting with concrete works, included design works, manufacturing, installation and integration of RTC into the existing production cycle.
This robotic welding complex was created for the production of serial products, namely: welding of metal sleepers for mining and processing plants and expansion joints. Therefore, another task, which was set after the first project, became interesting in terms of implementation - the project to robotize the technology of metal surfacing was to be done on the existing RTC.
Despite the existing limitations, we have developed on RTC a complex technology of surfacing a reinforcing layer of metal sheet. There were some restrictions on the weight of the product, it was necessary to focus on the equipment, because the load on the axis of the manipulator should not exceed the norm. Therefore, we used aluminum components in the equipment, to facilitate the design of the tabletop designed and manufactured aluminum beams of a special shape, trying to maintain the rigidity of the structure while relieving its weight. Also special attention was required to uniform clamping and equal retention of sheets at surfacing. We managed to design and make such equipment designs that became both light and did not lose rigidity. Special software has also been installed, which we use for additive technologies for growing metal by 3D printing.
Similar technologies for creating bimetals are used in the world, and now at the plant ZLMZ international group of companies METINVEST.
All welding and surfacing technologies were tested in Triada-Welding's own technology center. Also for the specialists of the ZLMZ special trainings on programming and control of RTC were conducted.
The project allows ZLMZ to work continuously and increase the production of parts at the request of the customer. RTC has become more versatile, it can perform various tasks, equipment allows you to install and weld various parts, to make surfacing on dimensional sheets. The robot works in three shifts around the clock, already achieved a capacity of 200 tons of metal per month.
The project showed the latest approaches to the welding process and has already allowed the manufacturer to expand the range of products.