At Thyssenkrupp Bilstein’s Romanian plant, which produces shock absorbers for the automotive industry, Panasonic, together with its local partner SC TOTAL TECHNIQUES SOLUTIONS SRL, carried out a comprehensive implementation of the TAWERS G4 welding robot system, taking the digitalisation of the factory to a whole new level.
The implementation included the modernisation of two welding cells that had been continuously supporting the production of shock absorbers for more than a decade. Six TAWERS G4 welding robots form the new heart of the production system, with performance and compactness that significantly outperform the older solutions.
Thanks to faster signal processing and optimised communication between the controller and the robot arm, the solution not only speeds up the welding process but also improves its accuracy. The integrated transformer made it possible to reduce the size of the unit, saving space without compromising durability and reliability.
An important element of the implementation is the advanced off-line programming software – DTPS (Digital Throughput Programming System). It allows engineers to remotely program and modify welding processes in real time, without interrupting the robot. The ability to use the digital twin of the production cell means that testing new fixtures or welding configurations no longer requires costly downtime.
Where it used to take three days to set up a new process, it is now possible to transfer CAD data and simulate the solution in a virtual environment.
The modern touch screen interface of the control box has made system configuration more intuitive and operation itself much faster and more ergonomic.
The introduction of the TAWERS G4 system has not only improved the operation of the production line, but has also opened the door to the full digitalisation of welding processes.
The installation of the G4 robot system is marking an important milestone of thyssenkrupp Bilstein Sibiu digitalization journey in the factory. Florin Dobrita, Head of Manufacturing and Process Planning at the plant says: “We can reprogram all parts, or just some parts, while the robot is still running. For a new welding, up to 3 days programming is not uncommon – carrying this out outside the shopfloor saves a lot of time.”
“It’s the small things, such as during “teach in” programming in the production line, e.g giving programs a name or moving them around, that prolong programming times and can be sometimes annoying. With the touch screen function of the new G4 teach pendant all of that is history”, said Vincent Lonsdale, Key account manager at Panasonic Connect.
Photo: Panasonic
