In Webtec gas tank production line of Pressure Vessel Co., Ltd, Kai shan's first robot is running in an orderly manner. Its mechanical arm turns flexibly, and series of welding actions are dazzling. According to the control technician on the spot, “Welding robot is superior in safety, power, comfort and environmental performance, and through simulation operationing by circuit designing and software programming, it can weld straight line, slash and arc seam flexibly with high precision and accurate positioning.”
To improve productivity and reduce dependence on labor, our group encourages each company to accelerate the upgrading of production equipment all along. Considering that Wabtec product volume is large and the variety is single, in early 2014 Kai Shan Pressure Vessel Co., Ltd began to prepare for the welding robot. After nearly half a year of debugging and running-in, the first welding robot got into normal working procedures in December 2014. According to the Pressure Vessel Co., Ltd general manager Yu Wenbin, "Our robot investment now is just an experiment, so our step is very cautious. After all we did not have any of this foundation and experience, and after we gradually accumulate experience, we will put more investment on Wabtec line——add two more robots and craft equipment，so all the welding seam of Wabtec gas tanks can realize automatic welding. Now there are 38 operators in Wabtec line, and after the tansformation of this line, 6 welders and 2 riveters can be reduced, nearly 1/4 of them are reduced. Machine substitutions is also an important means of our long-term development."
Robot's being put in ues can not only reduce working intensity of welders, reduce environmental pollution and personal, weldment damage, improve product quality and efficiency, enhance the competitiveness of enterprises, but also can promote the enterprise to transform and upgrade into high-tech, high environmental protection direction. Especially can reduce reliance on highly skilled welders, and the quality of seams welded by robot is stable. Even the most skilled welder can not weld out the appearance.
Pressure Vessel Co., Ltd thinks that machine substitutions is not just put in big equipment, if some improvement can be made on flow chart, for example put pneumatic stripping device on craft equipment can greatly reduce working intensity of workers. During production the company always encourage all employees to improve productivity by small skills.
The chairman Cao Kejian said, "Anything that is conducive to improving productivity and reducing labor is worth trying." For that, the people of Kai Shan are always trying.
