KUKA Invictus

Powerful, fast, precise: the friction welding machines for medium to large components impress with a forge force of up to 1500 kN – as well as with their enormous versatility.

Powerful and versatile

The KUKA Invictus product family provides impressive performance with friction welding machines in the medium forge-force range up to 1500 kN. Developed to meet the latest requirements for a wide range of applications, it is based on a systematic modularization approach and is particularly suited for large weld cross-sections with high forge-force and torque requirements.

Overview of industries & applications

Invictus excels in numerous industries that require a high forge force and high torque, including:

Automotive

A wide range of drive train and IC engine components for commercial vehicles, including:

Axles for trucks and trailers
Drive shafts
Engine pistons
Crankshafts

Construction machinery

Various drive train, hydraulic and IC engine components, including:

Axles
Hydraulic piston rods
Hydraulic cylinders
Rollers for tracked vehicles

Mechanical engineering

Diverse mechanical engineering applications for various sectors, including:

Printing cylinders and printing rollers
Shafts, spindles
Tools
Valves and turbo rotor wheels for large internal combustion engines

Oil & gas

Various applications with components of steel and mixed-material combinations, which are also used in the foodstuffs industry, including:

Drill rods, drill pipes and fittings
Pipe connectors (transition joints)
Pump shafts
Shut-off valves

Electronics

Components for electrical energy distribution in copper/aluminum materials, including:

Rod anodes
Aluminum-copper contacts / cable lugs

Convincing advantages of the KUKA Invictus

Powerful and fast
- 80% higher spindle speed
- Dynamic drives for high speed/load range
- Headstock with unrivaled bearing technology
Top weld quality
- New bearing technology for high precision and reproducibility
- New self-centering center clamp
- New machine bed optimized for stiffness 
Flexible application
- Customized machine configuration
- Simple component exchange and retrofit
- Installation via crane and truck transport
Ergonomic
- Easily accessible workspace
- Simple operation via touch panel

Low maintenance requirements
- Use of durable components
- Central lubrication for reduced lubrication requirements
- Clear structure and good accessibility
Easy to automate
- Simple cell automation
- Loading from front or rear with robots or gantry solutions
Industry 4.0
- Fully monitored machine condition and welding process
- OPC UA interface for data export and cloud-based data analysis
- Greater productivity and data transparency
Industrie 4.0 SmartProduction

KUKA Invictus 150: versatility redefined

The cost-effective, modular KUKA Invictus 150 replaces up to six friction welder models and raises common applications to a higher level of performance. It is designed for a forge force of 77 to 1500 kN, which covers a wide range of components and even replaces special machines such as the RS 120 HS or RS 300 HS. The “Viper Drive” feature even enables it to simulate inertia processes as a direct-drive machine.

The KUKA Invictus 150 friction welding machine replaces up to six friction welders

KUKA Invictus 150 in detail

Transport-friendly design

Plug & play integration of hydraulic and electrical equipment reduces the floor space requirement and simplifies transportation and installation. Lifting and transporting without removing enclosure elements. Outer module dimensions suitable for trucks.
User-friendly operator panel

Touch screen operation with clearly structured menu navigation makes operator control of the Invictus 150 quick and intuitive thanks to the new HMI. A digital operating manual with search function and maintenance schedule increases user friendliness.
Improved quality monitoring
Comprehensive reporting and data analytics

Numerical and graphical display of all process-relevant parameters

Comprehensive statistics for quality analysis and process optimization

Generation of preconfigured quality reports

Export via data interface
VIPER Drive

The combination of a highly dynamic drive and process control in the 1 ms range allows the welding process to be controlled precisely for the component. In this way, inertia processes can also be simulated without a flywheel mass.
High-performance headstock

Up to 80% higher spindle speed thanks to the new headstock with unique bearing technology and a high speed/load range with large spindle bore for mounting various clamping systems and components up to 240 mm in diameter
Turning unit with tool changer

Facing and turning for component preparation and flash removal for one-shot production. The swarf is transported away via a conveyor integrated into the machine bed.
Ergonomic workspace

Ergonomic and easily accessible workspace for components up to 3,900 mm in length and automatic operator doors for quick opening and closing.

KUKA Invictus 150 equipment packages

Short model variant with one door for short components
Automatically adjustable forge backstop (ABS) to reduce changeover work
Proportional control technology for clamping fixtures improves the clamping results and increases tool life
Automatic temperature control of the headstock to eliminate the need for system warmups
One-shot production with facing and turning for component preparation and flash removal
EPE – Electronic positioning unit ensures precise relative orientation of welding parts
VIPER Drive (virtual inertia welding) for reduced shortening and reduced welding times
Active Travel Control (ATC) reduces variance for exact finished component lengths despite large variance in parts to be welded
Automation interface for integration of further peripheral equipment, such as loading/unloading robots or line integration
Data matrix code interface for Industry 4.0 ensures seamless component tracking
Weld data export for 100% quality assurance
OPC UA interface for Industry 4.0, enabling data exchange for data analysis, process optimization and cost reduction
User management with EKS chip (EKS light) ensures safe operation

Our intuitive user interface stands out through

Welding process

User-friendly configuration and setting of the welding process

Data backup

Input and backup of data via a USB interface

Documentation

Documentation of welding results through database, printer or PDF export

Parameter profiles

Graphical representation of current and archived parameter profiles

Control and monitoring

Millisecond-range control and monitoring of all parameters of the welding process

Quality management

Full traceability via data matrix code. Weld data are assigned to the individual components.

Program management

Management of up to 1,000 welding programs

Presentation of values and status

Plain-text display of actual values and parameters as well as current status

German Design Award 2023

Invictus combines the best of friction welding machines from the KUKA and Thompson product brands and stands for dynamism, precision and long service life.

Till Maier, Portfolio Manager and Project Manager for Advanced Welding Solutions.