Energy: Automated Process start-up (Energy usage optimization)

Hi everybody!!


Today I wanted to talk about an idea I had while I was working for an automotive parts manufacturing company in the United States. They had tons of automation everywhere (conveyors, fixtures, robots, transfers, etc...) to assemble parts for our clients and normally they had to work two shifts a day in most of the processes and because of the amount of automation that they had, it was better to always have all the equipment on and consuming energy in standby mode.


They told me that they had to do this because of the ammount of energy that was consumed when you turn on all of the processes, therefore it was better to keep them on all the time. 


Although this is logical due to the current and voltage peak that will be generated when we turn on the equipment, however I knew that there could be a different solution to this situation that could result in a lower energy consumption.


What would happen if instead of turning on all of the processes at the same time and having that ammount of energy peak instead we progresively turn on one by one all of the equipment with an automated equipment (PLC with a customized control relay array).


A simple comparative of how the energy consumption rate will behave:

This is just an idea of how we can apply automation to reduce our cost and also help the environment.


So tell me:


How many of you could apply this type of controls and how much would this reduce your energy consumption rate?


Thanks again for following, please leave your comments below!


And remember: Everyday is  a great day to improve.

Process: CMT - Cold Metal Transfer Technology

Hi everybody!!! 


Today I wanted to talk about a new welding process I had the opportunity to see when I was working for an automotive parts company. Although there are many ways and processes on the GMAW family, most of them are based on the short-circuting system that allows the wire electrode to join two materials with a flow of voltage and current. 


The process is called "Cold Metal Transfer" and it is basically a new approach to the GMAW current process mainly because instead of having the wire cut pulse to allow the continuous flow of the wire electrode, it mechanically pulls back and forward the wire electrode. Developed by Fronius, CMT has a lot of advantages that will keep your assembly process competitive.

CMT Advantages:

1. Low Heat Input: 
CMT welding allows a dramatical decrease on heat input -- as much as 20-30% less.
2. Weld Appearance: CMT provides cosmetic welds with no spatter or distortion. The weld seam is neatly produced because of the quickly retracting weld wire that leaves behind just one droplet at a time. When welding thin or dissimilar materials (especially aluminum and steel) CMT is one of the best ways to produce attractive welds.  

   
3. Increased Speed: CMT is an extremely high-speed welding process -- faster than traditional MIG welding or even TIG. CMT welding speed results in dramatically reduced cycle times. 

   
4. No Post-Weld Machining: Compared to traditional arc welding, the Fronius-developed CMT method does not require corrective machining and clean up after a weld has been made. This contributes to a much faster cycle time. In addition, reworking often creates dust that contributes to problems for products and workers.
   
5. Simplified Fixturing: Because of the threat of distortion, more planning and more elaborate fixturing is required when configuring a MIG process. CMT, on the other hand, doesn't pose the same threat to the materials, so fewer fixtures are necessary.

   
6. Savings: Robotic CMT welding systems allow companies to cut back on manual labor and streamline production. With faster cycle times, increases in quality, and no rework, CMT offers many ways to save.  


For more detailed information please visit:

http://www.fronius.com/cps/rde/xchg/fronius_international/hs.xsl/79_9399_ENG_HTML.htm

Thanks for following please post your comments below.

And remember: Everyday is a great day to improve!