Reliable welding of metal pallets

One of the main technologies used in SMR PLUS is, of course, arc welding, which is necessary for practically every product leaving the company’s gates. Mr. Libor Vaněk, owner and director of SMR PLUS, says: “In 2015, our production volumes began to approach the limit where only manual welding was unable to ensure the required quantity of production. Therefore, we decided to look for a partner who would facilitate our entry into welding robotization and guide us through this (at that time) new process for us as quickly as possible.”

Searching for a solution for the production of various small series

“The production of metal pallets is, by principle, a production where many products are mostly produced in series not exceeding tens or lower hundreds of pieces,” continues Mr. Vaněk. “Therefore, we were looking for a partner who has experience with the nature of such production.”

Step by step

In 2015, SMR PLUS decided to gradually robotize the welding processes of metal pallets. The floor subassembly - a flat part, essentially a two-dimensional part - was chosen as the starting point.
Two Valk Welding FRAME-H robotic systems equipped with Panasonic TL2000WGH3 robots were selected as the starting machines to gain experience. Thanks to the high engagement of the technical staff, both machines were successfully put into operation in a short time, and the production of the required subassemblies began.
Hynek Tymrák, technical advisor and sales engineer at Valk Welding, says: “Thanks to the positive attitude, appropriate qualifications, and high commitment of the SMR PLUS staff responsible for commissioning both machines, everything went smoothly. The interest of both programmers in the new technology was undoubtedly one of the key points for successful deployment. It is always a pleasure to see when support and advice fall on fertile ground.”

Building on solid foundations

When the need for robotization of welding other parts arose in SMR PLUS in 2019, it was decided to purchase five more robotic systems based on the experience gained in previous years. “The experience with support from Valk Welding was so positive that we were happy to use both the advice for configuring individual systems and the possibility of integrating these systems into the DTPS offline programming tool, which we knew very well from previous installations. I can say that thanks to the previous experience, we really had something to build on,” says Mr. Vaněk.

Reliable robotic welding

After almost ten years of experience with robotic welding, Mr. Vaněk evaluates: “Robotic welding, including all accessories such as offline programming, systems for eliminating inaccuracies, and others, has become our daily bread. Without these technologies, we would not be able to further develop our production. Thanks to the reliable partnership with a well-chosen supplier who helped us grow step by step in this field, all seven robotic systems do an excellent job.”

www.smrplus.com