STUDY OF ROBOTIC ARM ARC WELDING MACHINE

19-MAY-2023 TO 16-JULY-2023 (25 DAYS)

Internship Report

Submitted by

KISHORE KUMAR S (22200135)

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of diploma in

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

KRISHNAGIRI

DIRECTORATE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

CHENNAI 600 025

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We wish to express our sincere thanks to Mr. RAVICHANDRAN, HUMAN

RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, NEEL METAL PRODUCTS LIMITED, HOSUR for
providing internship training opportunity in the esteemed organization and also thanking the
industry department supervisor for providing valuable and informative technical guidelines
during the internship training in the concerned department.

We wish to express our sincere thanks to the Directorate of Technical Education

(DOTE) for curriculum development as ‘N’ scheme syllabus demands internship training for a
period of 25 days (one month) to be undergone by every student at the end of fourth semester
during vacation. The purpose of providing internship training is to gain practical exposure to the
current technological developments relevant to the subject area of training.

We wish to express our sincere thanks to the Government of Tamil Nadu for providing
fund for the internship training. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the respected
Commissioner of Technical Education Guindy, Chennai, for providing technical, practical
exposure opportunity through the implementation of internship training.

We wish to express our heartiest thanks to our beloved Principal Mrs. P. SARATHA
M.E., for her constructive support to do the internship training successfully.

We express our great thanks to our Mrs. A. SHANMUGAPRIYA M.E., Head of the
Department for his valuable guidance and arrangement of internship training.

We also express our thanks to Dr. S. KESAVAN Ph.D., Lecturer in the Department of
Mechanical Engineering for his strenuous effort in the arrangement of internship training.

We express our sincere thanks to Mr. M. IVIN B.E., the faculty supervisor, for providing
proper guidance for updating technical practical exposure in time.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S. NO. CHAPTERS

1. INTRODUCTION - COMPANY PROFILE

2. ROBOTIC ARM ARC WELDING MACHINE

3. TYPES OF ROBOTIC ARM ARC WELDING MACHINE

4. SERVICING PROCEDURE OF MACHINES

5. PRODUCTION OF BIKE FRAME

6. TYPES OF BIKE FRAME CHASSIS

7. CONCLUSION
 INTRODUCTION

COMPANY PROFILE:

NEEL METAL PRODUCTS LIMITED, JBM Group is a manufacturing company

based in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India. Global headquarters for Neel Metal Products is located in
Gurgaon, India. JBM Group currently has an infrastructure of 40 manufacturing plants, 4
Engineering & Design centers across 18 locations globally. The company specializes in the
production of Auto frames and Bike frames, which are widely used in various industries such as
automotive and general engineering.

Covering the activities in the disciplines of automotive, steel service, fabrication,

construction, and waste management, the JBM, after its reorganization, has emerged as a leading
Group. Its automotive sector has achieved outstanding perfection in high quality production. By
the involvement of internationally reputed players in the technical advancement in the growth
and development, the Group has received recognition in the wide-ranging customer preference.
Over the years, the Group has diversified its activities covering other areas of public importance.
In the year 2007 the Group ventured in the sector of waste management and today it provides a
novel service to the people in this section in the cities of Chennai and Ambattur.

The policy of JBM Group is to achieve total customer satisfaction by delivering products
and providing services that meet or exceed their exact requirements and expectations and to do
so on time and at most competitive prices in domestic and export market for our entire product
range. Neel Metal Products Limited is an unlisted public company incorporated on 04 April,
1997. It is classified as a public limited company and is located in New Delhi, Delhi.
 The company manufactures and sells of automotive components in India. It offers various
finished automotive components, including wheels rims for motorcycles; exhaust systems and
welded steel tubes for two-wheelers; complete frames for scooters; and stamped components,
and complete fabricated and painted body for three-wheelers. Some of the key features of the
organization includes,

 Largest manufacturer of metal forming system in India and amongst the leading players
globally
 Pioneer in and largest manufacturer of skin panels in India and one of the biggest in
world
 Comprehensive range of auto components including contract manufacturing, BIW,
chassis & suspension systems, pedal boxes, tubular products and safety critical
components
& assemblies
 End-to-end solutions provider for all business segments including 2-wheelers, 3-
wheelers, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, farm & construction equipment
 Highly automated global manufacturing facilities with over 3,000 robots used in multiple
applications
 Best-in-class technologies including cold & hot stamping, aluminium stamping, CMT
welding, roll forming, laser welding, laser cutting amongst many others
 All coating technologies available in-house including state-of-the-art ED coating, powder
coating and zinc plating HR painting, Tri Nickel chrome plating, equal and differential
zinc plating and top coat
 Biggest and widest range of over 1,000 presses up to 3,000 tonnes in India and across the
world
 Artificial Intelligence (AI) used for multiple applications like productivity enhancement,
data analytics, component quality validation and manpower management amongst others
 Multiple global centres of excellence across Europe and India for FSS products, hot
stamping, light weighting technologies like aluminium and high strength steel amongst
others
 Product design expertise for chassis, suspension systems & pedal boxes
 Advanced testing facility for comprehensive product validation with more than 70
million cycles of product testing completed
 India’s largest steel processing business in the non-OEM space with more than 20 years
of experience
 Widest and largest range of steel processing and tube manufacturing in different shapes
and sizes in ferrous like coated / non-coated CR, HR, High tensile – up to 980 mpa, Hot
forming grades, stainless steel and non-ferrous like aluminium
 Extensive procurement experience & worldwide network
 Comprehensive range of services and strategic partnership across the world
 Tooling Technology
 Facilitating Seamless Art-to-Part Experience
 Our Tooling Division manufactures tools and dies for turnkey projects and is spread in 9
locations across the country
 ROBOTIC ARM ARC WELDING MACHINE

Robotic welding is a highly advanced version of automated welding, in which machines

conduct the welding, but welders still control and supervise the process. The use of robotic
technology allows for precise and quick results, less waste, and greater safety.

A basic robotic arc welding system is formed by two subsystems: the welding equipment
delivering the energy from the welding power source to the workpiece, and the robot providing
relative positioning of the heat source and the workpiece. Normally six-axis industrial robots
comprising a three-axis lower arm and a three-axis wrist are used, since they enable the welding
torch mounted at the wrist to achieve all the positions necessary for three-dimensional welding.
Traditionally, general purpose industrial robots are employed, carrying arc welding torches as
end effectors.

Many robot manufacturers have recently developed arc welding-specific robots, which
are smaller and less expensive. This reduction of the required capital investment has further
increased the sale of robotic welding systems. Another recent development in welding robotics
has been the introduction of seven-axis robots, which feature an additional axis in the lower arm
providing additional flexibility and saving floor space. The major characteristics of industrial
robots are summarised in the table.
 Robot welding means welding that is performed and controlled by robotic equipment. In
general equipment for automatic arc welding is designed differently from that used for manual
arc welding. Automatic arc welding normally involves high duty cycles, and the welding
equipment must be able to operate under those conditions. In addition, the equipment
components must have the necessary features and controls to interface with the main control
system.

A special kind of electrical power is required to make an arc weld. The special power is
provided by a welding machine, also known as a power source. All arc welding processes use
an arc welding gun or torch to transmit welding current from a welding cable to the electrode. They
also provide for shielding the weld area from the atmosphere.

The nozzle of the torch is close to the arc and will gradually pick up spatter. A torch
cleaner (normally automatic) is often used in robot arc welding systems to remove the spatter. All of
the continuous electrode wire arc processes require an electrode feeder to feed the consumable
electrode wire into the arc.

Welding fixtures and workpiece manipulators hold and position parts to ensure precise
welding by the robot. The productivity of the robot welding cell is speeded up by having an
automatically rotating or switching fixture, so that the operator can be fixing one set of parts
while the robot is welding another.
 To be able to guarantee that the electrode tip and the tool frame are accurately known
with respect to each other, the calibration process of the TCP (Tool Center Point) is important.
An automatic TCP calibration device facilitates this time-consuming task. During the short time
that industrial welding robots have been in use, the jointed arm or revolute type has become by
far the most popular. For welding it has almost entirely replaced the other types except for the
Cartesian, used for very large and very small robots.

The reason for the popularity of the jointed arm type is that it allows the welding torch to
be manipulated in almost the same fashion as a human being would manipulate it. The torch
angle and travel angle can be changed to make good quality welds in all positions. Jointed arm
robots also allow the arc to weld in areas that are difficult to reach.

Even so, a robot cannot provide the same manipulative motion as a human being,
although it can come extremely close. In addition, jointed arm robots are the most compact and
provide the largest work envelope relative to their size. Usually, arc welding robots have five or
six free programmable arms or axes.

Off-the-shelf programmable robot arms are today available from different suppliers such
as ABB, FANUC, PANASONIC, KUKA, MOTOMAN.
 Seven-axis welding robot

Typical characteristics of an industrial arc welding robot:

Payload 2 to 30kg

Axes Six to seven

Velocity Up to 5m/s

Acceleration Up to 25m/s2

Repeatability ≥0.05 mm

Communications Profibus, DeviceNet, CANopen, Ethernet/IP and serial channels

IO capabilities Digital/analogue IOs

In a production environment, workpiece manipulators are frequently implemented as part

of the robotised system. The devices extend not only a welding robot’s working range but also its
accessibility, especially when welding complex and large geometries. The control of a
manipulator is often integrated with that of the robot, which enables the synchronised and
simultaneous control of the two mechanisms.

The integrated control allows coordinating motion between the robot and manipulator
(workpiece) which maintains the optimum welding positions (higher deposition rate and quality)
and possibly increases the welding speed (higher productivity). Figure 3 shows a six-axis
industrial robot integrated with a cold metal transfer (CMT) arc welding system and a two-axis
workpiece positioner at TWI Cambridge.

Robotic CMT welding cell

Process sensing:
Robotic welding is a challenging combination of welding, robotics, sensor technology,
control systems and artificial intelligence. Driven by the increasing demands of improved
quality, productivity and flexibility, precise and adaptive control of the robotic welding processes
has become a crucial target for the development of modern systems. Sensing technologies
designed for welding and its automation are the essential elements for enabling this desired level
of control.

The sensors are applied to observe and measure process parameters, acting as the sources
of input to the control system. By acquiring and analysing the input information from the
sensors, the control system adapts output of the robotised welding process in accordance with the
defined welding procedure specifications.

There are various types of sensors available for robotic arc welding applications.
Depending on their functions, the sensors are classified into two categories: process and
geometrical. The former measure the process parameters of the robotic welding process (eg arc
voltage, current, wire feed speed and torch rotation), which determine the stability of the process.

The latter measure the weld joint geometry (eg gap sizes, weld size changes, deviation
from the nominal path and orientation changes) and are used for weld searching, seam tracking
and real-time adaptive welding.
Table 2 Typical sensors used in robotic arc welding

Function Sensor

Welding current measurement Hall effect sensor

Current shunt

Arc length control Voltage sensor

Distance control Capacitive sensor

Weld edge searching Tactile (electrical contact) sensor

Proximity sensor

Weld seam tracking Tactile (mechanical contact) probe

Eddy current sensor

Through-arc sensing (weaving with electric measurement)

Vision sensor

Laser scanning (Figure 4)

Weld penetration monitoring Infrared radiation sensor

Ultrasonic sensor

Weld pool monitoring Vision sensor

Thermal imaging

Weld quality inspection Eddy current sensor

Ultrasonic sensor

Laser scanning
 Laser scanning used in robotic arc welding

Key issues:
The benefits of implementing robotic arc welding are evident but there are some issues
associated with it which should not be ignored. Robotised technology is a good solution to fill
the burgeoning skills gap in welding fabrication industry, but using and programming the
industrial robots is still a complex and difficult task for regular operators.

Despite the fact that modern sensing techniques for robotic arc welding are readily
available and reasonably reliable, it is still challenging to effectively and efficiently apply them
in some applications. The high temperature, intense light from arc, fume, high current, molten
metal, spatter, and other factors involved in arc welding can interfere with the sensors.
Developing a control system which can fully utilise the information obtained by the sensors and
effectively translate it to the fabrication is still a difficult task.
 Robotic arc welding is an essential component of today’s manufacturing plants. The
primary benefit of robotic arc welding is the production of high-quality welds in a shorter cycle
time, with manufacturing flexibility another major advantage. Through extensive application in
many manufacturing industry sectors, robotic welding has been developed to a mature
production method. Strong industrial need continues to drive the rapid development of robotic
arc welding and associated technologies to overcome technical difficulties and expand their
capability.

Motoman Arc Welding Robots:

The Motoman AR-Series welding robots are tailored to arc welding in any respect. The
slightly bended hollow arm structure allows the wire feeder to be placed perfectly. More than 50
arc specific robot functions are standard or come in software and function packages, helping to
decrease programming time radically. Our weaving, multi-layer, seam tracking and sensor
integration capabilities are absolutely best in class.

TYPES OF ROBOTIC ARM ARC WELDING MACHINE

The first step in identifying the type of robotic welding system that’s best is to determine
which type of welding process is required. There are many different types of robotic welding,
including:
 Resistance Spot Welding
 Laser welding
 Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
 Thin Gauge Arc Welding
 Plasma welding
 Laser Hybrid Welding
 Each type of robotic welding process has it’s advantages and disadvantages in specific
scenarios. Taking a close look at each one will help determine which one most closely aligns
with your needs.

Types of Robotic Welding Equipment

Beyond the type of robotic welding process, there are a number of equipment
considerations. First, there are automation peripherals and consumables to choose from that help
boost productivity and return quicker return on investment (ROI). Whether it’s consumables
such as contact tips and retaining heads and liners, or peripherals like nozzle cleaning stations or
wire cutters, welding equipment plays a vital role in robots achieving peak productivity.
In addition to consumables and automation peripherals, connected manufacturing
software has to be evaluated. Machine communication software, remote support capabilities,
manufacturing execution software, performance analytics and more take robotic welding
processes to an entirely different level of productivity.
Investing in robotic welding systems, especially when paired with the latest software and
equipment, enhances your competitiveness in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
Choosing the right type of robotic welding process and equipment is important to
maximizing the potential productivity of automation. While there are many different options for
first time users of welding robots, taking a close look at each process and equipment mentioned
above will help narrow down the options.
YASKAWA has developed seven types of robot arc welding machines. It has different
types of arc welding.

1. AR700
2. AR900
3. AR1440
4. AR1440E
5. AR1730
6. AR2010

1.AR700 2.AR900
3.AR1440 4.AR1440E
 5.AR1730 6.AR2010

The six-axis AR1440 robot provides fast and accurate performance to boost productivity
for arc welding applications. A slim profile allows for high-density robot placement, and a
contoured arm gives easy access to parts in confined spaces, avoiding potential fixture
interference. The AR1440 has a symmetric wrist, with a generous range, providing equal torch
access to both sides of a part. A 50 mm thru-hole reduces cable interference and wear, and an
enhanced feeder mounting area on the arm reduces equipment obstruction.

Payload of machine is 12.0 kg.

The control remote of robot machine YRC1000 Controller.

It will turn up to 1440mm Horizontal Reach and 2511mm Vertical Reach.

 SERVICING PROCEDURE OF MACHINES

U-arm

The motor, the battery pack, and the belt drive part are located in the U arm on the
configuration, and then the mating surfaces between covers in the U-arm are sealed with gaskets
in order to prevent liquid ingress or fumes of welding. After removing the cover for maintenance,
make sure to replace the gasket.
Seeped Oil Check

Periodically check for contamination due to seeped oil or oil spot. Especially the parts

indicated. “Inspection Parts for Seeped Oil Check” must be inspected carefully. Wipe off seeped

oil or oil spot with a cloth before use.

Protective Tube Replacement

The protective tube is installed on the external lead wire.

Clean the spatter on a regular basis. Also, check for a hole and/or a tear in the tube.
Replace the tube if any.

Disassembly and Reassembly of Protective Tube

Disassembly:
 1. Turn OFF the robot controller power supply.
2. Remove the protective tube.
3. Remove the protective tube.
4. Remove the protective tube.

Reassembly:

1. Warp the protection tubes 1, 2, and 3 around the protective spring of the internal wiring
harness.
2. Turn ON the robot controller power supply.

Battery Pack Replacement:

Four battery packs are installed in the position shown in fig. 9-9 “Location of the Battery
and Multi-port Connector”. If the battery alarm occurs in the YRC1000, replace the battery in
accordance with the following procedure. Every 2 hours need to clean the robot welding nozzle.

PRODUCTION OF BIKE FRAME

A motorcycle’s chassis or frame forms its skeleton. All the components of a

motorcycle, like the suspension, wheels, fuel tank, seats, handlebars etc., are attached to
this base structure which lends a motorcycle its strength and ability to handle well.
Motorcycle frames come in a variety of materials and shapes, based on the budgetary and
performance-related limits of the end product. In this article, we will discuss all major
types of motorcycle frames, while also understanding their respective advantages and
disadvantages.
 The primary function of the motorcycle frame (also known as Motorcycle Chassis) is to
hold the different parts together in one rigid structure and prevent it from falling apart. In other
words, a motorcycle frame is its core structure or skeleton made to support the suspension, seats,
handlebars, fuel tank, and engine. It also houses the steering equipment in the front with the help
of a steering head tube.
 TYPES OF BIKE FRAME CHASSIS

Backbone Chassis:

The backbone frame is shaped like a spine and holds important bike parts in place, and
the engine is attached to the frame. The amount of product used to make this is lesser than other
frame types, making it very cost-effective. Even though the backbone frame's production is
inexpensive and comfortable; it is not the first choice for many as it lacks strength and torsional
rigidity. It is the cheapest type of motorcycle chassis.

Single Cradle Chassis:

A single cradle frame or single downtube frame resembles the framework of a bicycle. It
has a unique steel tube that goes down to support the engine for a single cradle chassis. It also
has a simple and cost-effective structure. It comprises steel tubes welded together to form a
structure that holds the various components of the motorcycle. In some cases, the engine is
attached to the chassis and works with it, bearing some of the stress. A single cradle chassis, in
most cases, would mention whether the engine is a stressed member of the frame or not.

Double Cradle Frame:

A Double Cradle or a double downtube chassis frame has got two tubes going down that
cradle it. A Double Cradle chassis is better than its single downtube counterparts in terms of
strength and rigidity, though there is no evident difference in cost. While this type of frame is the
most common choice in India due to its sturdiness and cost-effectiveness, it is not the best
performance-wise and has an outdated design.
Perimeter Chassis:

The perimeter frame, also known as the Twin Spar frame, is one of the most popular
choices among performance sports bikes due to its suitability for high-performance motorcycle
applications. This type of motorcycle chassis reduces rigidity as its steering head joins the swing
arm in the shortest distance possible. The beams entering the steering head with the swing-arm
are stiff, light, and surround the engine. Earlier, these were made of steel; now, almost all modern
perimeter frames are made of lightweight aluminum.

Trellis Frame:

The Trellis frame is similar in its basic concept to the perimeter frame. This frame’s
primary objective, too, is to connect the steering head with the swing-arm as directly as possible.
The primary difference, however, is the way the two beams emanating from the steering head are
constructed. Unlike the perimeter frame which utilizes aluminium beams, trellis frame uses a
bunch.
 CONCLUSION

As a diploma student of the Government Polytechnic College, Krishnagiri, I would gladly

express that this training program is an excellent opportunity for me to get ground level
experience of the working of robotic arm welding machine. I am sure I would have never gained
this knowledge if I had gone straight into a job.

I am grateful to the Human Resource of the organization, and all the authorities of NEEL
METAL PRODUCTS LIMITED, HOSUR for giving me this wonderful opportunity. The main
objective of the internship is to provide an opportunity to diploma holders to identify, observe
and practice how mechanical engineering is applicable to the real industrial scenario.

I had hands on experience on technical practices and also observed the management
practices. I learnt how to interact with the field workers. I might have got lot of chances to
observe other machine functions but I could not get this type of golden opportunity to observe
the functioning of process equipment. I gained better knowledge on servicing and inspecting all
the necessary machineries required for manufacturing a bike frame.