Smart robotics by kranendonk An introduction to our technology
kranendonk is the robot technology centre for non-repetitive production.
2 KRANENDONK Smart robotics
www.kranendonk.com
kranendonk
Contact information
Sir Rowland Hillstraat 10 NL-4004 JT Tiel The Netherlands
Kranendonk Production Systems BV (head office) Phone +31 344 623 944 Fax +31 344 623 388 P.O. Box 6147 NL-4000 HC Tiel The Netherlands info@kranendonk.com www.kranendonk.com
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The business of advanced robotic automation
Kranendonk was founded in 1983, as a supplier of custom automation systems for industrial applica足tions. Over the years, we have specialized in advanced robotics for heavy steel applications. It brought us to where we are today: a position as robot technology centre, with a unique competence in the automation of non-repetitive production processes.
Transforming processes For the near future, we see that technological and macro-economical developments are putting pressure on the production process. Advanced automation is spreading into new areas. In the choice of equipment, integration of processes and centralized operation are the decisive factors.
Kranendonk will keep assisting companies in transRobot technology centre forming their production processes, to make them Our role as technology centre enables us to continu- more efficient and flexible, and ready for the future. ously develop new robot applications. To do this effectively, we maintain close relationships with With this brochure, we proudly present an overview technology partners, universities and customers. of our technology for advanced robotic automation. Our way of working has led to some major innovations in the past few years, and the application of robotics in new areas of the industry.
Arie Kranendonk
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What defines us Ongoing technological and macro-economical developments are putting pressure on the production methods of manufacturers. There is a need for higher productivity and quality, but also for more integration and flexibility of the production process. By prioritizing methods and solutions instead of equipment, kranendonk implements automation systems that are not limited to the products of today.
Robot Technology Centre kranendonk is the robot technology centre for nonrepetitive production. By implementing intelligent robot technology, we enable manufac turers to produce more efficiently and effectively. kranendonk supplies custom build solutions that are cleverly integrated into material and data flows. We maintain a technology centre position by simultaneously fulfilling four different roles: engineer, supplier, supporter and partner. A key part of this position is the ability to connect to the different stakeholders: customers, technology partners, universities and ambassadors.
Field of work The field of work in which kranendonk operates is not limited to a product or industry, but is defined by a production principle. Traditionally, robots are used for repetitive production. kranendonk’s competence lies in the opposite: realizing nonrepetitive production by smart implementation of robotics. It creates a range of automation opportunities for manufacturing companies, that have not been possible before.
Supplier
Supporter
Technology Centre Engineer
Supporter and partner kranendonk develops advanced software and sensors to make industrial robots suitable for non-repetitive tasks. It proves to be valuable in various markets, such as shipbuilding, offshore and structural steel. These industries have their respected challenges, but the role of automation stays the same. After all, people always structure their jobs around the technical possibilities that they are given. We acknowledge that our systems have a large impact on a manufacturer’s daily routines. Therefore, we take our roles as supporter and partner very seriously.
Partner
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New technology Innovation is anchored in the culture of kranendonk. Throughout the company’s history, the focus has been on the development of customized robotics at the cutting edge of technology. kranendonk delivered its first robotic cutting line in 1989 and its first robotic welding line in 1992. All for
Picking and placing parts up to 100 kg
non-repetitive production. Recently, the step into robotic assembly has been made, supported by the development of robot vision technology. A culture for innovation and broad knowledge enables kranendonk to continuously develop new robotic applications with a high level of novelty.
CCS 600, CCS 1250 ‘Standardizing the robot cutting cell’
Robotic submerged arc welding ‘Subarc welding with the freedom of robotics’
In 2011, a new standardized cutting station was launched, the CCS. Integration of all components into a rigid main frame is the main feature of the new ccs concept. An accurate in-flow measuring system eliminates a separate length measuring device. Accuracy is also gained by calibrating the robot, which gives the possibility for multi-cuts that are even automatically calculated.
In 2010, Kranendonk developed a tool for Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) with robots. A path sensor and flux recovery hose are integrated, increasing the flexibility. Advanced safety sensors enable the operator to monitor the process from a close distance. The SAW tool is in continuous development in cooperation with our technology partners.
Technologies Robot calibration arac production software
Product Beam welding
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Automatically programmed welding robot
Touch screen interface
Integrated logistics
Beam Assembly Line The Beam Assembly Line is a breakthrough innovation for the structural steel industry
Vision camera tooling
Robot Vision technology ‘We gave eyes to the robot’
Beam Assembly Line ‘Changing the structural steel business’
In 2010, kranendonk combined vision and robo tics. Putting cameras onto a robot arm creates new opportunities for automation, such as assembly with robots. kranendonk has developed advanced software to overcome tolerance issues, which is the most challenging aspect of assembly in steel processing industries.
In 2012, we launched a revolutionary production system. The Beam Assembly Line is able to mount steel plates (e.g. stiffeners) to beams, normally one of the most labour intensive processes in steel construction companies. The Beam Assembly Line brings many technologies together: robot vision, advanced software and integrated logistics.
Products Flange Assembly Line Beam Assembly Line
Technologies Vision RinasWeld software
Robotizing pipe shops The Flange Assembly Line makes optimal use of the possibilities of robot vision technology. The machine automatically mounts flanges to tubes. Every tube is produced on-demand, in any size and any order, with the reliability and accuracy of robotics. By including transport systems and storage, the Flange Assembly Line is a robotized pipeshop. This product has been nominated for the Maritime Innovation Award 2012.
http://youtu.be/YHKkDK2pw0k
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An overview of our products Web Welding Gantry
Two automatically programmed robots
Tracks mounted in the floor
Continuous flow of non-repetitive products
Shipbuilding kranendonk’s portfolio features high-end robot solutions for various stages of the shipbuilding process. Find our product range for shipyard automation below.
kranendonk specializes in robotic systems for non-repetitive production. These systems are used in a range of industries. To showcase our capabilities, the main products for a diverse set of industries is featured on the next pages. We often create custom automation solutions in areas where robots have not been used before. Please contact us to discuss the opportunities for your industry.
Profile processing equipment One of the first preparations in the production pro- cess of ship sections is cutting of profiles. kranendonk offers completely automated systems for the processing of profiles. A fully equipped plant features a range of components: cutting cells, logistical equipment and dedicated production software. CCS600 robot cutting system The CCS600 is a robot cutting system for highspeed cutting of shipbuilding profiles up to a width of 600 mm. It is based on the standardized CCS concept. All electrical and measuring components are integrated into the rigid base frame, resulting in a durable system even in harsh conditions. The production software takes care of a continuous production flow, controlling the logistics as well as additional machines. Also, the production software adapts the cutting path to the actual dimension of each profile, so the highest accuracy is achieved. Water hole grinding, marking of text and inverted bending lines can be performed by the CCS 600.
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ccs 600 Plasma Profile Cutter
Durable infeed and outfeed buffers
Protective cabin with fume extraction and air filtering
Integrated logistics for handling profiles Integrating the logistics around profile processing increases productivity and flow. kranendonk has delivered systems that can cut 3200 meters of profiles per day. Most profile cutting lines are equipped with roller conveyors and in- and outfeed buffers for temporary profile storage. In all cases, the control of the logistics is handled by the main control system. Additionally, high-rise storage systems can be placed before and after the system. This results in an optimal production flow and maximized utilization of the equipment and the floor space. Additional processes such as toe-cleaning and profile marking A cutting cell is often complemented with other machines, such as toe cleaning stations (brushing, grinding, milling and shot blasting) resulting in increased welding speed. kranendonk integrates these machines in the production flow and controls them with the main control system, even with a multi robot system. Complete profile shops are intelligently monitored by the spl (Shopfloor Production Logistics) software.
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Panel Welding Gantry
Automatically programmed welding robots
Robotic welding lines for shipbuilding Welding in shipyards comes with specific challenges. The welding is complex and not repetitive, meaning that programming of welding robots has to be automated. kranendonk offers the RinasWeld software, which is the most advanced production tool for welding robots available. Panel and web welding A panel or web welding gantry supports one, two or four robots that simultaneously weld without any chance of collision due to the RinasWeld software. Besides collision avoidance, RinasWeld smartly balances the workload between robots to optimise efficiency and minimize deformation due to heat input. With a direct interface between the CADsystem and the welding line, arc times of 90-97% are commonly realized, even with the most complex panels and sections. Double hull welding Welding the double hull of a ship is difficult because of the limited space. Small robots can manoeuvre into these spaces, but programming their paths is difficult. kranendonk developed several double hull solutions which are combined with the RinasWeld software. The software calculates all robot movements based on the CAD model of the product. Thanks to the stability and motion performance of the gantry, the system offers full control over all weld positions.
Double Hull Welding Gantry
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Flange Assembly Line
Flange assembly in production
Tubes of any size in any order
F lange assembly and pipe shops The flange assembly line is the result of a thorough analysis of the production of pipe-spools in the shipbuilding industry. The result is the robotized pipeshop, which brings the production time for a pipe spool back from several hours to 8 minutes. The central control system takes care of the production flow and monitors each tube individually. The flange assembly line mounts the flanges while taking the bolt hole orientation into account. Edge preparation for PSPC compliance To improve the quality of coatings in shipbuilding, IMO PSPC demands the preparation (rounding) of plate edges. Automation of this process requires an adaptive machine that perfectly follows plate contours. The Edge Preparation System combines proven CNC technology with a state-of-the-art force controlled milling system. The system machines both sides without turning of the plate. Advanced software and a touch screen makes sure that 足operation is easy.
Edge Preparation System
http://youtu.be/YB-IJMscyes
Double Hull Welding Gantry Robots are great tools for welding in the tiny spaces of ship sections. However, programming their movements is complex and time consuming. kranendonk has solved it by fully automating the programming process. The RinasWeld software offers smart features such as collision avoidance and works directly with 3D CAD files of the parts. With the software, arc times of 97% have been realized in these ship sections.
http://youtu.be/T2w7GZwrQdM
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Random placing of products
Robotic SAW welding
Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) Station
Beam Welding Gantry
Offshore & structural steel The demand for quality and flexibility puts pressure on the manufacturers of complex constructions. By offering flexible manufacturing systems, kranendonk assists structural steel and offshore companies. Beam cutting – CCS 1250 The CCS 1250 is a robotic cutting cell for the production of beams, profiles and square tubes up to 1250mm width. The CCS 1250 can cut any 3D shape, due to its large robot. The system is based on kranendonk’s standardized CCS concept. Dedicated options for offshore are build in, such as high precision oxy fuel cutting and adaptation to deviations in the raw material. kranendonk's multi-cut principle automatically splits large cuts into seperate tasks, while maintaining accuracy. Tube cutting Creating perfectly fitting tube constructions is a challenge because of the vast amount of parameters, possible deformation and deviations in the tubes. kranendonk's tube cutting systems measure the tube before cutting, correcting the path to material deviations. Also, the deviations of a connecting piece can be taken into account.
Beam welding In the steel construction industry, many beams are reinforced using stiffener plates and equipped with end plates. kranendonk’s beam welding lines are equipped with one or two robots that are automatically controlled by the arac or RinasWeld software. Not only mig/mag welding is available, but also the faster Submerged Arc Welding process. Systems are always customized to match with the product dimensions and required output. Beam assembly The Beam Assembly Line automatically picks, places and welds attachments to steel beams. In typical construction companies, this is one of the most labour intensive processes. kranendonk created a fully equipped assembly line with multiple robots, on a small floor space (see image on page 7). The Beam Assembly Line revolutionizes the way that steel construction companies look at automation.
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Trailer Production Line Robot welding station
Automatic mounting of stiffeners/plates
Stiffener welding portal
Transport kranendonk supplies various robot systems to manu facturers of transportation equipment. Key aspect of all systems is the ability to handle continuously changing designs. Among our clients are truck manufacturers, trailer builders and railroad companies. Aluminum trailer welding Modern trailers are often made with aluminum tippers. The production of these structures is complicated due to the large products that have to be welded. kranendonk has developed a special robotic welding system for this task. In order to access the tubs and trailers from the inside or outside, a robot is suspended from a carriage that offers three additional degrees of freedom (in X-, Y- and Z-direction). The robot itself is small, but still a full six-axis industrial welding robot. Chassis welding Various robot systems for welding aluminum or steel chassis have been supplied by Kranendonk. If needed, the option of multi layer welds is added. Since most chassis have to be welded on both sides a product manipulator is used. The arac production software makes non-repetitive production highly profitable. A typical chassis welding system consist of a rigid traveling column with two welding robots that simultanuously weld the chassis.
Trailer assembly and welding A trailer production line is engineered to automatically assemble and weld aluminum trailers from profiles and plates to complete trailers. The production line is split into two independent lines with five stations to obtain the highest level of throughput. Due to ARAC cell control the complete line is integrated and easy to operate. By using a CAD/CAM interface, various product dimensions are possible and production will be order driven.
Production line for aluminium trailers A production line for trailer manufacturing is only feasible if it can handle changing designs. Kranendonk offers production equipment with advanced control software, that is closely connected to the CAD design software. It means that data from a sales order can run straight to the shopfloor, without the need for hours of work preparation.
Beam Assembly Line In the structural steel business, robot automation is not common practice. Variety in designs puts pressure on the feasibility of welding robots. kranendonk has developed a revolutionary system that not only welds, but also assembles. The Beam Assembly Line mounts steel plates to beams, which is one of the most labour intensive processes in structural steel.
http://youtu.be/O3Xfd3Xyz8g
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Adaptive Plate Beveling Cell
Other industries
kranendonk’s competence is not limited to a product or industry, but is defined by a production principle: systems for non-repetitive production. This means kranendonk works for many industries. A few examples below. Adaptive plate beveling For the precise cutting of bevels to steel plates a dedicated robot cell has been developed. The robot compensates its cutting path to the deviations that occur in the steel, as a result of the heat input of the cutting torch. Tube to sheet processes Heat exchangers that are built up from tubes and sheets require substantial welding. On larger work pieces, several thousands of tubes have to be welded into the tube sheet. kranendonk offers integrated tube-to-sheet solutions, e.g. tube expanding with torque control and orbital welding. Force controlled grinding Grinding of multi-curved objects is possible by applying force feedback to a robot. To ensure high quality grinding results, kranendonk has developed a dynamic grinding system. The process is used in the casting/foundry industry, for modelling of propellor blades and other casting products.
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Technology overview Automation of non-repetitive processes is enabled by smart sensors and intelligent software. kranendonk has a range of technologies that are used to create customized systems. New technologies are continuously being developed.
The RinasWeld software is the most intelligent connection between CAD design and robot welding.
Software and interfacing kranendonk develops hardware and software simultaneously, resulting in seamless integration of the two. Unique production software makes autonomous production possible and highly profitable. By integrating the production software with current CAD/CAM engineering, the work preparation department will drastically reduce costs and gain flexibility. ARAC software The backbone for most systems is the ARAC software. ARAC is a software package for both offline programming and online (at the shopfloor) control. With ARAC software, a continuous non-repetitive production flow with industrial robots can be realized. ARAC not only generates the necessary programs, but also coordinates downloading, execution and interfacing between the robot and other equipment. It is possible to correct product tolerances, positions, dimensions and process parameters right on the operators touch screen. RinasWeld Increasing complexity of products makes it harder to control a production system. Especially when dealing with continuously changing designs, conventional programming methods are insufficient. To overcome this problem, kranendonk has developed the intelligent RinasWeld software. With this software, robot welding of continuously changing products becomes highly profitable. The software automatically generates all required production data based on the 3D CAD model of the end product.
Shopfloor Production Logistics (SPL) Shopfloor control is the operational level of production planning. For an integrated production line, powerful connections between the different production cells and work preparation, planning and the design system is crucial. The combination of robots, CNC and PLC control into one integrated production line is realized with kranendonk’s spl software.
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Sensors Smart sensors are required to build robot systems that can handle continuously changing products. Sensors can detect products and adapt the robot’s movements to the tolerances that are inside raw steel material. Welding: seam finding, seam tracking When welding products that are always different, the welding robot has to be intelligent. Seam finding enables free positioning of products in the working area of the welding robot. The welding torch is used to find the exact location of the weld. Seam tracking technology is used during the welding process. The robot follows the correct path, also if it deviates from the theoretical values. This is done by measuring the are voltage during a weaving motion of the torch. 3D tracking In certain situations it is not possible to measure the arc voltage during weaving motions of the welding tool. Therefore, kranendonk developed a special tactile seam tracking system. If a weld diverges from the pre-programmed path, the tactile sensor will detect this variation and the software will correct the path of the welding torch in real time.
Dual laser height control (DLHC) During cutting of steel, the heat input from the cutting process may cause the product to bend. This results in unwanted distortions and misfits in parts that have to fit perfectly. The DLHC laser system makes sure that the correct cut is made every time. DLHC measures the distance between the cutting torch and the steel in real time and compensates for any deviations that are caused by heat input. The laser system is initially designed to automatically cut various angles for plate bevelling, but is also useful in tube cutting applications. Robot Vision technology Robot vision is one of our most recent innovations. Adding vision technology to a robot system creates a world of opportunities. Besides the automatic welding which kranendonk has been doing for years, now assembly can be added. In the development and application of vision technology many skills are combined: software development, mathematics, optics and hardware engineering.
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References kranendonk’s robot systems are installed at nearly 300 production sites, featuring leading companies in the industry. Some references are:
Shipbuilding industry STX (France), web welding Aker (USA), double hull welding Keppel (Qatar), profile cutting
Offshore industry PTSC (Vietnam), ccs 1250 for beam cutting Signal (USA), beam and profile cutting
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Construction industry Max BĂśgl (Germany), beam welding and tube cutting Mabey Bridge (United Kingdom), beam welding Civmec (Australia), robotic submerged arc welding
T ransport Stas (Belgium), trailer production line MaxiTrans Hamelex White (Australia), trailer welding
www.kranendonk.com
kranendonk
Contact information
Sir Rowland Hillstraat 10 NL-4004 JT Tiel The Netherlands
Kranendonk Production Systems bv (head office) Phone +31 344 623 944 Fax +31 344 623 388 P.O. Box 6147 NL-4000 HC Tiel The Netherlands info@kranendonk.com www.kranendonk.com
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