Case Study: Robotic Welding for a Metal Stamped Part

Robotic Welded Footboard

Customer

Motorcycle Manufacturer

Part

Footboards

Manufacturing Issues

  1. The increasing variability when welding the hinges onto the footboards was risking the functionality and quality of the part.
  2. Manufacturing costs were growing to an unacceptable level as production quantities continued to increase.

Manufacturing Solution

Robotic welding improved the accuracy and quality of the welding process and met the manufacturer's growing production demands. The robotic arm of the welder operates with exact precision versus the inherent variability of a human welder. And the programming establishes welding at a continuous pace and increases production rates.

Customized welding fixture

Each footboard required eight “1- inch” welds so Ultra designed and built a customized welding fixture. This established a stable location for the robotic arm to weld more consistently and at a faster rate.

 

Robotic Welding ArmSecond Robotic Welding Arm
And with two robotic welders, CNC Panasonic Robotic Welder and the Genesis Robotic Welder, Ultra can produce two footboards at a time – DECREASING downtimes and INCREASING production rates.

 

Customized functional gauge

A customized functional gauge designed and built at Ultra tests the placement of the welded hinges ensuring the footboard is ready for assembly.

In addition, the Metal Stamping of both footboards was completed at Ultra. Our Value-Added area completed this manufacturing process with visual inspections of the footboards.

Customer Outcome

Production rates were doubled and labor costs were decreased with the introduction of the robotic welder.
Precision and accuracy of the welding improved for a more secure fit onto the motorcycle.