When it comes to providing value through collaboration, the duo of ABB Robotics and ABICOR BINZEL does just that by innovating and integrating automation solutions for you.
With a top-of-the-line ABB robot, with welding torches and peripherals added to the table from BINZEL, customers can be sure they are receiving the highest-quality welding equipment available.
Products
Beyond the standard need of a robot and welding torch, the add-ons of weld peripherals can take your operation to measures beyond what you thought was possible.
For starters, BINZEL offers the addition of...
These devices all play their own unique role in helping to increase productivity, cut costs, and ultimately streamline a better system for your automation procedures.
Many customers who work closely with these systems have appreciated the consistency and reliability that they have to offer. We often have requests for all of these weld peripherals to be added to the ABB robot, making our relationship stronger as we both have something of value to bring to the table.
While each of these products is important and does operate to bring a different solution forward, we are going to focus on our seam tracking sensor for this blog.
Seam Tracking
The seam tracking technology in the TH6 reliably finds the weld joint in real time and guides the robot as fast as you can weld the part. Sturdy and unique, the TH6 scans the joint in the XYZ axis to improve robot uptime and overall weld quality. Additionally, it seamlessly integrates with the ABB robotic interface making programming and data collection easy and reliable.
We are able to take data stored from the seam tracking sensor and process it faster. This allows for closer look aheads, ability to tackle shinier materials, and work with different weld joints, all because the data is shared with the robot in real-time, which can lead to corrections and offsets being adjusted as they are happening.
"The process is very good and reliable for enhancing what you currently have or what you would like to do."
- Matt Conklin, Welding Applications Engineer at ABB Robotics
Today's robots are highly repeatable, they go to the same spot every time. What optical seam tracking does is allow the robot to have a set of eyes per se. It's going to look at the joint and say, "Hey, this is where the joint is, this is where I was taught, and then it's going to adjust to that point." You really have to look at your process and consider if this applies to you.
Once that is determined, ABB jumps in and provides feedback to determine what is needed to integrate seam tracking with the robot. One of the first things they question is whether or not there’s access, can they fit the torch and the camera in there.
Many people struggle with the idea that equipment like this must be hard to operate or is difficult to use, but the seam tracking sensor is very easy to use which is why we’ve seen such great success in partnering with ABB to deliver this to all automation operations, big and small.
BINZEL has the seam tracking sensor integrated into a number of the heavier robots from ABB that work best for laser welding applications. The robots provide very high-end controllers, some of the best features and functionality out there, especially with the integration of the seam tracking sensors. All in all, a very solid package from that standpoint.
Service
As we’ve worked with ABB for the last several years, our two teams have been able to guide our customers to see the benefits of new equipment. Any time we have a new product that fits our partnership, we work closely with the ABB team to help them understand and operate this equipment. Being able to go into the lab at either facility is always a huge help to truly test and prove the value of new products, while also allowing time to train on how to set up and program these systems.
Key Account Managers at BINZEL, including myself, help in the integration process as our go-to experts on all thing’s robotics and sensors. This process works well for both teams as we are able to bring our knowledge of the products and pair that with the industry knowledge from ABB.
Both teams have a great understanding of the other and bring ideas and knowledge together to develop, improve, integrate, and ultimately solve all welding needs.
The industry 4.0 approach has been critical to both parties as well, especially with getting information and date into the customers hands. This is something the seam tracking sensor is able to do so well, but the help of a good robot from ABB makes it all the easier. Our goal is that customers are able to make good decisions about their process from the data received and move forward knowing they understand the products completely.
Ultimately, it always a great thing to have a partnership that allows for both sides to be open to asking questions, receiving feedback, and pushing barriers to continue growing. The partnership between ABB and BINZEL has provided really meaningful weld solutions and will continue to do so over the next several years.