Page 26 - MetalForming February 2015

FABTECH 2014—So Much to See, So Little Time to See it
New Welding Robots
a Dynamic Duo of Speed and Flexibility
Automation remains a hot topic among
metalformers of all types and sizes, and Yaskawa Motoman Robotics, Day- ton, OH, offered several new robotic solutions at its booth. Included was a pair of arc-weld- ing robots loaded with features to optimize fab-shop opera- tions: the six-axis MA2010 (left), with a 10 kg payload and 23- percent larger wrist hole and six-percent longer reach than previous models; and the MA3120 extra-long-reach model —3121-mm horizontal reach,
±0.15-mm repeatability.
The MA2010 features a new
contoured arm that reduces interference by enlarging the close- range motion area of the robot; it’s ideal for welding large workpieces and reaching over jigs. Its hollow upper arm maintains the optimum bend radius of the welding-torch cable. The MA3120’s extra-long reach arm reduces the need
for tracks and proves ideal for multiple-robot layouts.
www.motoman.com
Economical Bending
Press brakes of all sizes and with varying levels of func- tionality and automation abound at FABTECH, amongst them the new TruBend Series 3000 from Trumpf, Farmington,
CT. Touted as “simple to operate, accurate and reliable,” the press brakes feature a new closed-frame design that report- edly increases overall rigidity and, therefore, increases pre- cision compared to previous models. Backgauges move across the entire length of the machine bed, enabling unre- stricted use when bending at the ends of the machine. And, automatic CNC crowning ensures consistent bend angles.
As the fastest machine in the class, the TruBend 3100— ideal for entry into precision bending—features a press force of 110 tons and 118 in. of bending length. It comes standard with a two-axis backgauge; four- and five-axis backgauges are optional. www.us.trumpf.com
Award-Winning Robotic Gas-Tungsten-Arc-Welding (GTAW) Process
ABB showcased its ability to automate, via robotics, the Tip-Tig hot-wire GTAW process, touting its ability to, when compared with traditional automated GTAW, better cope with joint fitup gaps while providing higher travel speeds and lower heat input.
The ABB robotic-welding cell at FABTECH featured the Tip Tig wire feeder, an IRB 2600 robot, a workpiece positioner and a Miller Dynasty 350 welding power supply. The solution is ABB’s newest standard function package and can be installed on any of ABB’s IRB140, IRB1600, IRB 2600 and IRB4600 arc-welding robots. The integrated interface supports the use of Lincoln Electric and Miller GTAW power sources.
www.abb.com/products/robotics
SAVE THE DATE
FABTECH 2015 November 9 – 12 McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
24 MetalForming/February 2015
www.metalformingmagazine.com