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22/02/2011
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Youngman Group reports achieving flexible production and improved productivity, thanks to a £2.5 million project covering automation equipment from ABB.
 Paul Bentley, Youngman managing director, says that the investment, which includes two automated welding cells complete with ABB's IRB 1600 robots, enables the company to compete against imports from lower cost economies, while aiding flexible production and reducing stockholding.
"We recognised that we needed to invest in the future of the company, as it was clear that costs were continuing to rise and the company was facing cheaper competition from European and Chinese manufacturers," explains Bentley.
"The other major concern was that in the face of a slowdown in the traditionally cyclical construction market, the company would be slow in reducing costs and then slow to recover if labour had to be recruited and trained in skilled welding roles," he adds.
Hence the move to robotic welding, involving laser cutting and robotic welding, with Youngman's automated welding cells each having an IRB 1600 robot mounted on a servo driven track to increase the working area of the cell.
The robot is ABB's compact bending backwards version, and Bentley says the track motion system ensures reliable and effective utilisation of the robot's capability, enabling one robot to reach long workpieces.
ABB's fifth generation IRC5 robot controller has also been installed, to enable the robot, track and welding equipment to work together, providing instant responses to changes in welding parameters, travel speed and robot positions.
"The welding cells operate around the clock, six days a week and we have already noted significant improvements," states Bentley.
"The next step is to continue looking at further investment in robotic manufacturing equipment."
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Author
Brian Tinham
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