Solutions
Thanks to XXL laser welding, Josef Böhmer is killing two birds with one stone: he has extended his product portfolio and enhanced his welding competence. Böhmer is impressed, "It is a real advantage if you have an eye for which parts are suitable for laser welding. We believe that laser welding is a consistent and important addition to other processes, but it also opens a whole range of new opportunities." The company uses the TruLaser Weld 5000 mainly for welding parts for concrete formwork with long seams, as well as for thin sheet parts for caravan construction. Low production tolerances paired with maximum stability are needed for the first sector, the latter requires a visually pleasing seam. The laser welding system manages this balancing act.
Implementation
The flexibility of the system is an important bonus of laser welding for Josef Böhmer. "We work with a Kuka robot on a linear axis and a turnover positioner. This means that we can cover a large work area, four meters long and 1.20 meters wide." A crane in the machine makes life easier for the employees when lifting heavy parts. The rotate and tilt positioner of the TruLaser Weld 5000 is a big help if a small part needs to be welded in the meantime. Böhmer explains, "We can use it to weld small parts without first removing a fixture for larger parts from the turnover positioner." In addition, the rotate and tilt positioner makes it possible to weld parts which are difficult to access in just one setup thanks to its NC rotary axis integrated in the robot control.