In this project, we helped a manufacturer of agricultural equipment with the robotic welding and machining of a gear sprocket assembly. Composed if mild steel and alloy steel, this project required a number of our capabilities, beginning with the development of a prototype for proof of concept. This was due in part to the unique combination of machining and welding that this project required. The customer supplied drawing called out tolerances of ±0.01″ for welding and ±0.0002″ for machining. Additionally, due the materials being welded, the parts needed to be pre heated to 650°F prior to welding. This step was essential in order to guarantee 100% crack free welds and ensure a long service life. Fortunately, our facility is equipped with a tempering furnace that can reach temperatures of 1100°F. We also produced all of the tooling and fixturing in-house, which gave us a greater measure of control over quality and production.
Our capabilities as a precision manufacturer made us well suited for the project; this was combined with our logistical advantage of being local to the customer. We are also only one of a few robotic welding shops with the tempering capabilities required for preheating.
The customer was very pleased with our quality, and the cost advantage gained by doing business with us. They have become a long term partner who we continue to service with runs of 30 to 100 of these assemblies per order; all turned over in a short as three weeks.
For more information about this project, or the processes used to manufacture it, see the table below or contact us directly.