Automated assembly & welding for Flexcon, Randolph MA, USA

Function:
Automated assembly and welding of a subassembly for a drinking-water reservoir. This subassembly consists of a steel dome, rubber water trap, water connection component and a metal ring on which the entire reservoir later rests.

Client:
Flexcon Industries: Randolph MA, United States.
Manufacturer of drinking water reservoirs and boiler systems.

Operation:
At the centre of the machine is an automated laser with an integrated tooling carrousel that has six positions. After intake of a dome, the water trap is fed in from the base. The water trap is fitted with a metal nipple that is welded permanently to the dome. A connecting component is introduced next and welded permanently to the nipple after which the metal ring is put into position and also welded to the dome. Finally, the exterior of the water trap is greased and the subassembly carried out.
All operations are performed automatically with the exception of the introduction of the water connection. This operation could be automated in principle. Nonetheless, the decision was made to do this manually, firstly because different models of connection components were employed together and, secondly, in order to increase involvement in the process of the supervising operator. A second machine, following on from the automatic laser machine, assembles the subassembly fully automatically together with an upper dome and a shell to make a complete drinking water expansion tank of 400 to 700 mm around and 400 to 1800 mm in length.