The Danish machine builder BC Maskiner ApS transitioned from developer to producer last year. “Where we previously produced only small series per design, we now had to scale up to several hundred units. This made the switch from manual to robotic welding inevitable. A high-end system from Valk Welding perfectly matched our needs, and their support helped us get started. After just one year, we see a doubling in production,” says Mikkel Christensen, who heads the welding department.
BC Maskiner ApS specialises in the development and construction of forestry machines. “One of our biggest customers is Greentec, for whom we make many parts for their machines, while they handle the assembly and mechatronics themselves. Annually, this amounts to around 1,500 machines per year. We do this with 10 employees, four of whom work in the welding department. The welding process is therefore the most crucial link in the entire production process.”
“In addition to the fact that the quantities we produce are hardly achievable with manual welding, a shortage of skilled welders was also an important reason to switch to robotic welding,” Christensen explains. “No one within the company had experience with robotic automation. As a mechanical engineer, even my welding knowledge was limited. Yet, after a two-week training at Valk Welding DK in Middelfart, I programmed the first parts for the robot myself. Programming a part and then seeing it welded by the robot is really cool.”
Valk Welding supplied a welding robot installation in a TRACK-FRAME-FRAME-E setup with two 4-meter workstations placed side by side. “Given the maximum length of most parts, this was the most obvious setup.” For the steel parts, BC Maskiner also uses the solid Valk Welding welding wire from the Welding Wire Service Centre.
The welding time on the robot ranges from 30 to 60 minutes per part. “This is easy for one operator to keep up with. While the robot welds at one station, the welded part is swapped at the other station. In between, the operator can tack the parts and manually weld other parts. This way, the work remains varied and interesting for the operator, and the welding robot does not demand all the attention.”
BC Maskiner is using the V3L5 HD Super welding wire. The ideal steel welding wire for robotic applications. Provides the best possible weld surface finish, reducing the need for post-weld cleaning and thus optimising production efficiency.
“Although the welding robot is not yet fully occupied, the investment has already had a considerable impact. Not only has the output doubled, and the speed of the welding robot is twice that of a manual welder, but the consistently high welding quality is the real game changer for us.”
We like to think along with you in finding solutions for your (welding) automation, welding wires and welding accessories. We are looking for the connection and prefer to be a partner rather than a supplier.
