several frames of palletizing forks. After validation of the program, we measured the time for welding the lifting fork frames welded by the robot. The total testing time of the program was about 320 h. The original welding time for the frames by the SMAW process was 200 min. The time required for welding the lifting forks after implementation of the robot into the production process was approximately 100 min. When compared to the original production time for the frames, an overall time reduction of 53% (106.5 min) was achieved. Associate times took up approximately 10% of the total production time. The comparison of the original measured time with the actual measured time showed a reduction in the overall production time, and thus an improvement in the manufacturing process efficiency. The program for welding the lifting fork frames with the welding robot was approved by the company’s design division and properly introduced into the production process. WJ Acknowledgments The authors express their thanks to the management of KOVACO, spol. s.r.o., where the experimental procedure was performed. The article was written with the support of VEGA Grant Agency of the Slovak Republic Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport and the Slovak Academy of Sciences, project No. 1/2594/12 (Study of Metallurgical Joining and other Technological Processes Applied in Processing the Magnesium and other Light Alloys by Progressive and Environment Friendly Technologies). In addition, in conducting the experiment, we used computer manuals by FANUC and company resources of KOVACO. References 1. Zeigler, P. B., Praehofer, H., and Kim, G. T. 2000. Theory of Modeling and Simulation: Integrating Discrete Event and Continuous Complex Dynamic Systems. San Diego, Calif., and London, UK: Academic Press, p. 510, ISBN 0-12-778455-1. 2. Naidu, D. S., Ozcelik, S., and Moore, K. L. 2003. Modeling, Sensing and Control of Gas Metal Arc Welding, Chapter 4 — Gas Metal Arc Welding: Automatic Control. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science Ltd., pp. 147–218. ISBN 978-0-08-044066-8. 3. Planckaert, J. P., Djermoune, E. H., Brie, D., et al. 2010. Modeling of MIG/MAG welding with experimental validation using an active contour algorithm applied on high speed movies. Applied Mathematical Modelling 34(4): 1004–1020.4. ISSN 0307-904X. Available at sciencedirect.com/science/article/ pii/S0307904X09002091. 4. Košturiak, J., et al. 1998. Simulation as a tool for increasing the company effectivity and profit. Online cit.: 2014-04-27. Available at fstroj.utc.sk/ journal/sk/024/024.htm. 5. ITALFIL S.p.A. 2012. Analysis Certificate. Gazzo Padovano, Italy. 6. Nof, Y. S. 2009. Springer Handbook of Automation. Berlin-Heidelberg (DE): Springer Science & Business Media, p. 1888. ISBN 978-3-540-78830- 0. 7. FANUC Robotics, Inc. 2014. Industrial Robots. Online, cit.: 2013-08- 19. Available at fanucrobotics.com/cmsmedia/ datasheets/ARC%20Mate%2012 0iC%20Series_8.pdf. 8. Kim, I. S., Son, J. S., and Yarlagadda, K. D. V. P. 2003. A study of the quality improvement of robotic GMA welding process. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science Ltd. Robotics and Computer- Integrated Manufacturing 19(6): 567–572. ISSN 0736–5845. 9. Ryuh, B. S., and Pennock, R. G. 2006. Arc welding robot automation systems. Pro Literatur Verlag (DE)/ARS (AT). Industrial Robotics: Programming, Simulation and Applications, p. 702. ISBN 3-86611-286-6. 10. Antoneli, D., Astanin, S., Mastrogiacomo, L., et al. 2013. Procedia CIRP, Vol. 12, Training by demonstration for welding robots by optical trajectory tracking. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science Ltd., pp. 145–50. ISSN 2212- 8271. Available at sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S2212827113006677. 58 WELDING JOURNAL / MARCH 2016 Fig. 6 — The finished frame. PETER BERČÍK (peter.bercik@stuba.sk) and DUŠAN MUDRONČÍK are with Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava; Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, Trnava; and Institute of Applied Informatics, Automation and Mathematics, Trnava, The Slovak Republic. MILAN TURŇA is with Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava; Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, Trnava; and Department of Welding and Foundry, Trnava, The Slovak Republic.
Welding Journal | March 2016
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