Der KUKA flexibleCUBE wird mittels Drehtisch neu bestückt

Automation is child’s play with the KUKA flexibleCUBE

KUKA Industries is a technology leader in the field of joining and an ideal partner where safety-relevant components are concerned. The transfer of technology from the automotive industry makes it possible to use these processes in general industry as well. In this case, it makes us a reliable partner for Hartan

The initial situation

“Made in Germany” is written large at baby carriage manufacturer Hartan. The family-run business is committed to state-of-the-art production technologies and certified quality assurance for every baby carriage it makes. This means that the company has the highest standards for providing contaminant-free materials, maximum safety and superior comfort. For this reason, the company has invested in the process expertise of KUKA Industries from Augsburg, Germany, for production purposes. The baby carriage manufacturer, Hartan, produces up to 2,000 baby carriages per week – and the figure is rising. In the company’s metalworking department especially, there are capacity bottlenecks in the welding area. The welders are extremely well trained. Every seam is perfect. However, upwards of a certain number of units, they are simply no longer able to handle the workload in the same quality. Technically competent welding professionals are difficult to come by these days – specialists are in ever shorter supply. Further challenges are the fast growth of the company and the high quality requirements from customers and in-house operations.

The task

The challenge at hand is the weekly manufacture of 3,000 welded parts which are essential to the entire geometry, movement and stability of the baby carriage. This line must guarantee the entire production of seats and backs for the company’s nine completely different baby carriage models. The parts of the carriage which require welding are absolutely critical to safety and must be 100 percent flawless.

Due to KUKA’s many years of experience in automating joining processes, the baby carriage manufacturer opted for a flexible standard robotic welding cell from KUKA Industries. The Augsburg-based system builder has decades of expertise in joining technology and offers an automated solution which solves capacity bottlenecks, fulfills the highest quality requirements and performs intricate welding work – the KUKA flexibleCUBE.

The highest level of production quality is paramount at Hartan

The solution

The arc welding cell is particularly suitable for automation newcomers, as it can be integrated into the manufacturing process easily and seamlessly. Arc welding is the ideal joining process when it comes to steel joints. The weld seam must hold up in quality control tests, since it is a question of safety-relevant parts.

This precise welding task is no problem for the KUKA flexibleCUBE.

Roboter im KUKA flexibleCUBE beim Schweißen — The KUKA flexibleCUBE arc can be easily integrated into the existing production process

Advantages of the KUKA flexibleCUBE

User-friendly thanks to plug & play functionality
High degree of investment security
Flexibly deployable, as the cell can be easily adapted to the manufacturing environment
Characterized by a high level of process quality.

The KUKA flexibleCUBE is a standardized welding cell which enables simple automation in the production plant. The Cube is equipped with KUKA components on a modular basis and can be combined with service-proven welding equipment from leading manufacturers. KUKA Industries supported Hartan in the process development and recommended the optimal equipment for this task. In the end, the modular welding cell was equipped with a KR 5 arc, a power source with welding equipment, a turntable, plus a central extraction system, torch cleaner and TCP check. It is the flexible answer to the requirements of an automated welding cell.

Right from the start, we have had no problems with the cell. Unlike other automated cells at the plants of suppliers and partners, we have had no downtimes to speak of. We make baby carriages as if they were for our own children.

Philipp Bernreuther, Head of Metalworking at Hartan

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