Tenth welding robot at Belgian tube specialist

In an impressive welding line, ten welding robots are lined up. The employee clamps the pieces in the jigs, and after welding, removes the welded pieces from the robot to then connect them to a pressure system and submerges them in water. If no bubbles rise, the piece is leak-proof and can proceed further in the production process.

We are in the workshop of Fomeco in Zwevegem, West Flanders, a global player in the production of exhaust pipes, cooling tubes, and various chassis tubes for trucks, buses, and the off-road industry. In addition to these original markets, the company, which has 220 employees, including a branch in Brazil, increasingly supplies other markets such as the compressor and electric truck industry.

Super Active Wire

The penultimate robot in the welding line was put into operation at the end of last year and, like the other robots, comes from Valk Welding. Externally, the newcomer differs little from the others, but due to its Super Active Wire Process (SAWP) technology, it is unique. SAWP provides dynamic, servo-controlled wire feeding, combined with special software in the welding machine.

“This technology makes it possible to weld more stably at a lower amperage. This is particularly interesting for thin-walled materials with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminium, where the risk of burn-through is greater,” says Michel Devos from Valk Welding, who witnessed the implementation of most robots at Fomeco.

Although he has been with Valk Welding for 28 years, he did not witness the delivery of the first robot. “That was in 1991, when my parents bought it,” says Vincent Bayart, second generation at the metal company. After joining the company in 1998, he has remained loyal to Valk Welding.

Increasing quality requirements

Where quality welding and the absence of leaks are crucial in the automotive industry, this is possibly even more important for other applications of Fomeco’s tube parts. “For example, we supply systems for cooling data centres. You cannot afford a data centre to fail due to a leak in the cooling system,” explains Bayart. “And the tubes we supply to the compressor manufacturer are under very high pressure, making stable, good welding quality essential.”

With the commissioning of the welding robot with SAWP technology, Fomeco has boosted the quality of aluminium welding. “Due to the SAWP technology, there is significantly less failure of parts,” says the Fomeco director, who praises the collaboration with Valk Welding. “Together we strengthen each other. Valk Welding knows everything about robots, and we know everything about our tube work,” he concludes.

www.fomeco.be