Dual-Robot Welding Cell for Excavator Booms
Robotic welding cell for excavator booms with positioner and dual robots
- 2Welding Robots
- 3-AxisServo Positioner
- OfflineRobot Programming
- CMTRoot Pass Process
On this page
Solutions Used
Technologies
- FANUC Robots
- Fronius Welding
- CMT Process
- Offline Programming
- Heavy Positioners
Project Overview
Heavy equipment manufacturing presents unique automation challenges. Parts are large, heavy, and require extensive structural welding. An excavator manufacturer was struggling to meet production targets while maintaining quality standards.
Each excavator boom required structural welds in multiple positions, laid down by welders who had to reposition the part repeatedly to reach every joint. With demand exceeding capacity, the manufacturer turned to AMD Machines for a solution.
Engineering for Heavy Fabrication
Automating heavy fabrication requires specialized equipment and engineering:
Custom Positioner Design
For excavator booms, AMD Machines designed a custom 3-axis servo positioner with:
- Heavy-duty roller bearings
- Servo drives with position feedback on every axis
- Integrated safety interlocks for part clamping verification
Extended-Reach Robots
The FANUC M-710iC/50 robots provide the reach and payload needed for heavy fabrication:
- 2,050mm reach to access all areas of large weldments
- 50 kg payload for heavy torch packages
Multi-Process Capability
Different joint configurations require different welding approaches. The Fronius TPS systems switch automatically between:
- CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) for root passes
- Pulse MIG for fill passes
- Standard short arc for specific joint types
Offline Programming
Rather than teaching the weld paths on the robots inside the cell, AMD Machines implemented offline programming using:
Digital Twin Simulation
Complete cell geometry imported into ROBOGUIDE allows programmers to develop and optimize weld paths away from the cell.
Automatic Path Generation
CAD-to-path software generates initial weld paths from 3D models, then programmers optimize torch angles and travel speeds.
Virtual Validation
Complete simulations verify reach, collision avoidance, and cycle time before downloading to the robots.
New boom variants are programmed and simulated offline before being loaded to the robots.
01The Challenge
Manual welding of excavator boom structures was limiting production capacity and creating quality inconsistencies. Large weldments with joints in multiple positions made automation seem impractical.
- Manual welding time per boom limiting line output
- Inconsistent weld quality between operators
- Large part size complicating automation
- Multiple weld positions requiring constant part repositioning
02Our Solution
AMD Machines engineered a dual-robot welding cell with a 3-axis servo positioner, enabling complete welding of excavator booms in a single setup.
Heavy-Duty Servo Positioner
Custom 3-axis positioner (tilt, rotate, height) rotates the boom to present each weld joint to the robots.
Dual Arc Welding Robots
Two FANUC M-710iC/50 robots with extended reach coordinate welding on opposite sides of the boom simultaneously.
Multi-Process Welding
Fronius TPS welding systems with CMT capability enable both root passes and fill passes with optimal parameters.
Offline Programming
Complete programs developed offline using digital twin simulation before being loaded to the robots.
03The Results
The cell welds the boom in a single setup: the 3-axis positioner rotates the boom to present each joint while the two FANUC robots weld opposite sides of the boom at the same time. Root passes run on the CMT process of the Fronius TPS systems and fill passes on pulse MIG, with the weld programs developed offline in ROBOGUIDE before being loaded to the robots.
Technical Specifications
- Robot Model
- FANUC M-710iC/50 (x2)
- Welding Power Source
- Fronius TPS
- Welding Process
- GMAW / CMT
- Wire Diameter
- 0.052" / 1.2mm
- Positioner Axes
- 3 (tilt, rotate, height)
- Offline Programming
- FANUC ROBOGUIDE
Our engineering team can scope a system for your parts and volumes. Let's discuss your requirements.
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