Adaptive Welding Trials – Into Robotic Systems : A pre-welding study to see the possibilities and challenges for adaptive welding implementation

Sammanfattning: This diploma project investigates a practical approach to adaptive welding. The goal was to evaluate the possibility for implementation of adaptive welding, and the diploma work comprised theoretical work and evaluations of adaptive welding of one of the welds on a front frame. Here, the idea was to adapt the welding parameters after a measured gap size in the joint. Initially, a literature study was performed and also subsequent interviews and study visits. Secondly, after some preparations, welding tests in a welding robot were carried out where the welding was evaluated and improved in steps. The experimental parts of this diploma work were: measuring variations of the gap in the selected joint, ordering test plates for the cell and robot 21, evaluating and trimming the weld parameters to enable an approved final weld for each joint gap. And evaluating the results. The results from welding the test plates and the 260-front frame were positive. Both the weld fusion and the geometry of the welds were fully acceptable, which show a possibility for implementation of this type of adaptive welding in Volvo Construction Equipment Arvika. The goal for this diploma work was accomplished, it is shown that it is fully feasible to implement this type of adaptive welding in the Arvika facility with the methodology developed in this project. The final conclusion in this report is that this type of adaptive welding works. In the future work chapter, it is commented on what further investigations that are needed before full implementation. All relevant data are found in Appendices to this report, but some are excluded in the open version of the report.