KUKA Friction Stir Welding Takes Center Stage at FABTECH

Highlighting its decades of experience and extensive portfolio of metal joining technology at FABTECH 2022, KUKA demonstrated its robotic Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process featuring the high-payload KUKA KR QUANTEC robot that delivers best-in-class performance in applications ranging from automotive to foundry, welding aluminum parts to manufacture and assembly. The cell consisted of multiple robots, with one robot picking parts from bins and placing them into a fixture and a second robot performing the weld using both Roboception and SICK PLB 3D vision technologies.

The KR QUANTEC, available with a payload range of 120 – 300 kg and reach capability of 2,671 – 3,904 mm, is built to work in virtually any application from automotive to foundry to medical. The KR QUANTEC is the world’s first industrial robot to have digital Motion Modes. The software add-ons can be activated easily on the robot controller, optimizing the performance of the robot for important motion sequences, and, depending on the work step, the robot can switch back and forth between the individual Motion Modes, making it a flexible production assistant.

For EV battery tray production, KUKA has engineered its cost-effective KUKA cell4_FSW modules to provide up to 95% more process efficiency and maximize the available configuration options for manufacturers. Used for both 2D and 3D welding tasks, the modules are scalable and accommodate either one or two 6-axis robots. Shops can arrange several workpiece clamping tools in the working area of the cell so that robots can work simultaneously on larger components if needed.

22/11/2022