For the first time in Vietnam, a semi-automatic welding station featuring three robots operating simultaneously to perform different welding processes has been designed, manufactured, and put into use. This innovative solution offers numerous advantages, including affordability, increased productivity, and improved working conditions for workers in hazardous environments…
The total cost of this welding station is 563 million VND, which is only one-fourth of the price of imported products.
Currently, only a few units have purchased specialized welding robots for production, such as the Saigon Shipbuilding Industry Company under VINASHIN or Trung Tin Company (Binh Chanh, Ho Chi Minh City)… However, these are individual robots operating according to pre-programmed instructions.
Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoai Quoc from the Department of Automatic Control at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, who is the project leader, explained that the station features a rotating table with intermittent operation mode with four stopping positions, consisting of three robots and one worker. The worker will set the component in place, after which the component will pass through the three welding robots and return to the worker for removal and inspection.
According to the client’s requirements, the project team utilized robot frames from Japan, then replaced and rebuilt the entire motor and control systems, while also restoring and upgrading the mechanical parts.
The robots are equipped with sensors to detect the position of the fixtures on the rotating table to call the appropriate pre-established machining program. The software, control programs, and programming tools enable the robots to have a standard structure, making them user-friendly and easy to operate for workers, allowing quick programming for new products.
This application increases process productivity, ensures product quality, maintains a stable production pace, and alleviates challenging working conditions for workers in health-unfriendly environments.
“The welds produced by the robots may not look as good as those made by a skilled craftsman, but they have high stability and can weld continuously to meet productivity requirements,” stated a member of the research team.
The semi-automatic welding station is currently on display at the Vietnam Technology and Equipment Market 2005 (Techmart 2005), taking place from October 12 to 15 at Phu Tho Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City.
T.VY
