Robotic welding technology is growing increasingly popular within a variety of industrial sectors. The industrial robots are articulated devices, equipped with arms allowing them to move and adjust themselves as required. While having many advantages such as relieving human labor from heavier tasks and facilitating scaling up production, robotic welding also presents disadvantages, with hazardous welding fume problem getting more prominent. The awareness of fume extraction and a need for proper air filtration to protect people and production from welding process has risen in recent years.

Our client is one of the manufacturers seeking for sustainable production. As a Chinese manufacturer of industry-leading construction and mining equipment with global presence, it ranks No.1 as concrete machinery manufacturer worldwide and No.1 construction machinery manufacturer in China, owning 25 manufacturing bases, and over 100 offices with more than 400 agents and 8,000 suppliers all over the world.     

The request for welding fume extraction came from the 274 robots in the workshop performing gas shielded welding.Production process generates large amounts of welding fumes that cause health problems and negatively affect production, especially in the construction equipment industry. Welding robots and the operators can be subject to residual welding fumes and also need to be protected. Since environmental protection has become a key national strategy in China, stricter and increasing number of laws, regulations and initiatives have been implemented to lay emphasis on the industrial sector. Shouldering social responsibility of being a corporate citizen as a reputed manufacturer, the client looked for a suitable solution to handle fumes in their robotic welding process.

Customized solution to achieve a Best-Fit for client

While there are many ways to extract welding fumes, finding the right solution that fit for actual operation is never an easy job, considering that there is no unified process of welding.There are many challenges in designing the extraction system. In addition to excellent fume extraction rate which is usually the top consideration, the fume extraction equipment should neither interferes with the torch nor inhibits the movements of the robotic arm. One has to look at every single welding process individually in order to decide if the method can be used or not. 

Several methods have been tested at customer site by different fume extraction system providers, including mobile filter units, ambient room cleaning, as well as extraction system with hoods. All ended up with less-satisfying results, either the extraction hoods hindering the operation space as the robotic arm moves, or not matching with the processing, or failing to reach the required extraction rate.An Excellent Solution for Robotic Welding Fume Extraction 

After unfruitful trials, the client resorted to Nederman. In consideration of client’s specific welding process and equipment deployment, Nederman came up with a solution by applying 274 pieces of LPAK 250 high vacuum system and suction nozzles to extract the fume from source for every single robot. Suction nozzles were mounted on the welding torch, capturing welding fumes right from the source before they spread into the environment. The fume extraction collector, placed next to the welding torch on the robotic arm, was connected to a hose through which the fumes were passed on to a filter. This method is used by Nederman which we call on-torch welding fume extraction, with the concept that various hazardous metal fumes generated by welding should be collected as close to the source as possible.

The solution turned out to be a success. Out of client’s expectation, the extraction rate reached over 90% without any concedes on operation. It is comparatively more cost efficient due to the perfect integration of extraction system into the whole welding process, enabling extra savings for the client. Besides high effectiveness of removing dust and fumes, the compact design of L-PAK made it easy to place the stationary unit into a restricted work place. Furthermore, client benefited from easier installation and usage, reliable quality and performance, as well as relaxed maintenance task thanks to high performance cartridge (over 6,000 working hours) and automatic filter cleaning using atmospheric pressure. 

Being a reliable and trusted partner 

The solution was an achievement from efforts of three-year’s development and continuous testing. After the system design was confirmed, two sets of extraction systems were deployed to test the effectiveness onsite. Through repeated refinement side by side with client, our engineers finally worked out a solution that was acknowledged by all levels at customer side, resulting in large-scale application of high vacuum system in the manufacturing process. Customer relationship was crucial in building up a long-term partnership. Being fast and proficient to customer needs and inquiries, the team exemplified dedication and patience, impressing many along the way and eventually enabling a successful delivery of the project. 

Future outlook 

Given the considerable advantages and further affordability, robotic welding is likely to become even more commonly used, especially in industries that probably benefit the most from robotic welding such as heavy vehicle, construction equipment and mining equipment manufacturing industries. The solution added further possibilities to solve welding fume problem and can serve as a basic solution to be widely applied to robotic welding process in the construction equipment manufacturing. he successful project has proved Nederman’s strength to offer tailored and efficient solution that help customer to improve work environment and compliant to regulations even under a demanding application circumstances required by a reputed construction equipment manufacturer with worldclass processing technology, with which we believe will better serve the market in the future.