111 welds can be programmed in 9 minutes (100x faster)

Wheeling, IL-based Precision Zone, Inc. provides electronic and mechanical repairs and sales of robotic and automation products and tooling. Some of the products are produced at the company's facility (72,000 sq. ft.), which employs a staff of about 50 professionals.
The company uses robots for its own production, and in addition, as an integrator, they install robots for its customers.

When Precision Zone saw the ABAGY solution, they recognized two opportunities for development. On the one hand, they could simplify the programming process for themselves. On the other hand, a completely new market opened before them as an integrator, with thousands of non-serial production companies that could not use robots before.

One of the products that Precision Zone manufactures is the Assembly Table. It consists of 7 major welded components. For example, the table base requires 111 welds.

Instead of days of programming, ABAGY generates robot trajectories for 111 welds in 9 minutes (100x faster). This happens automatically and does not require companies to keep a programmer on staff.

To do this, a user just needs to upload a 3D model of the product (stp./step format from any CAD systems). The software indicates all potential welds in the uploaded 3D model. The user then sets welding parameters and the welds sequence. After that, the software generates robot movement trajectories based on this task.

But besides generating the program, it is important to execute it.

With ABAGY, robots can "see" with the help of machine vision. This gives flexibility and adaptability.

Firstly, robots easily determine the position of the part in the work area. No reference points are required, and in the case of the Precision Zone assembly table, no fixtures are required.

Secondly, robots can automatically adapt to part deviations. If there is a difference between the loaded 3D model and the real part that the robots have identified using machine vision, they will be able to correct their trajectories on the fly.

Automatic generation of programs in minutes, as well as the adaptability of robots to part deviations thanks to machine vision, makes it easy to switch from one product to another. This is essential for non-serial production.

So, Precision Zone can produce in their robotic cell any parts that can be placed in the work zone. It can be other assembly tables or any other equipment.