Robotic welding of heavy plate sections--Mining equipment manufacturer digs newfound productivity

摘要

Bucyrus International Inc. knows something about earthmoving. Its products have been used in huge excavation projects all over the world, even in the creation of the Panama Canal. When it came time to redesign its armored face conveyor (AFC) product line almost five years ago, the company's engineers knew it had to present beefier and more robust conveyor components. The longwall conveyor equipment routinely is exposed to the battering involved in removing coal from the face and up and out of the mine. The goal was to have the conveyors move as much as 5,000 tons of coal per hour out of a mine--and survive to do the job again the next day. Upgrading the conveyor components meant designs using heavier plate sections and tougher grades of wear-resistant steel. Those designs meant much more welding time would be required. The additional welding time meant higher production costs--if Bucyrus maintained a completely manual approach to welding.