FACE TO FACE
Quality control of batteries with AI. TRUMPF’ s AI solution is designed to replace other time-consuming quality inspections.
quality inspection. The first customers from the automotive industry are already using the solution in series production, he confirmed.
The solution takes a picture of the weld seam and AI analyses whether it meets the specifications defined by the user for the manufacturing process. The sensor technology generates traceable measurements for the user, enabling transparent quality control without black-box decisions. For example, if the weld is too narrow or too wide, the AI notifies the user while the component is still in the laser cell. The operator can quickly decide if a repair is necessary, ensuring the quality of the weld. This increases first-pass yield, the proportion of components that meet quality standards on the first pass.
“ This is particularly important for manufacturers of batteries for electric cars, for example, who will have fewer rejects and therefore reduce costs,” continued Stambke.
The AI solution is suitable for many other applications such as welding body parts, hairpins for electric motors or contacts for electronic components.
“ Customers get an easy-to-use AI tool that integrates seamlessly with the TRUMPF system of lasers, sensors and optics,” said Stambke.
TRUMPF confirmed that users can implement the AI without any programming knowledge; they need to train the artificial intelligence before using it. To do this, the user marks correct and incorrect welds in the corresponding image material. For the training process, TRUMPF offers its EasyModel AI software program. Only a few training images are required.
Increased energy efficiency pumps, fans and compressors— are equipped with a rotational speed controller. This enables the solution to use only the amount of energy that is required to cool the laser. It allows for a great deal of energy to be saved, particularly when cutting thin sheet metal or during planned breaks in processing,” TRUMPF told ISMR.
“ With our energy-efficient cooling unit, we are continuing to make sustainability advances in industrial production. Users not only save electricity and CO₂— they also reduce energy costs in the process. This helps companies to remain competitive,” confirmed Fabian Staib, Product Manager, TRUMPF.
According to TRUMPF, the energy-efficient cooling unit pays for itself in less than four years. With a surface area of one square metre, the cooler can fit into most production environments. TRUMPF currently offers the solution for its laser cutting machines with 24kW laser power. In the future, the company also intends to launch the cooling unit for other laser power levels.
“ With the new cooling unit, we are helping sheet metal processing companies to reduce their consumption of coolants in line with the Kigali Amendment, a 2016 agreement stipulating the global phase-out of environmentally harmful refrigerants. The
With its energy-efficient cooling unit, TRUMPF is driving the issue of sustainability forward. cooler’ s refrigerant, R513a, has significantly lower global warming potential and meets the Kigali Amendment’ s stricter regulations,” added TRUMPF.
Automated material transport
Automating material transport in manufacturing poses challenges for many companies. Typically, this process requires an organisation to digitise and network its entire manufacturing process, an investment that not every company can afford.
With its‘ Material Flow Kit’, TRUMPF and SAFELOG have developed a solution that is designed to be easy to use and requires less installation effort. Mobile robots transport the material through the production process. The vehicles can be controlled via a web application that works on any mobile device in the user’ s network.
“ With the Material Flow Kit, production employees can concentrate more on valueadding activities at the machines. Transport orders for the mobile robot can be created with a few clicks in the web app. This alleviates the shortage of skilled workers while also increasing productivity in sheetmetal processing,” explained TRUMPF product manager, Christian Frei. TRUMPF showcased the solution for the first time at INTECH.
The Material Flow Kit allows the mobile robots to access up to nine stations. These include machines in the sheetmetal production area as well as manual workstations or the shipping area. Up to eight transfer points can be specified for the goods to be transported to each station. As soon as a production employee wants to transport the parts they have processed, they request the mobile robot via the web app. This enables them to transfer the workpieces to the vehicle on a pallet trolley without needing to leave their workstation. The mobile robot can transport loads of up to one ton, making it suitable for most components in sheet metal
At INTECH in Ditzingen, TRUMPF also showcased a new cooler for its laser cutting machines.
“ The new unit can reduce energy consumed during the cooling process and uses fifty percent less energy than conventional solutions. Unlike conventional coolers, the main components of this new solution— such as
Fabian Staib, Product Manager, TRUMPF.
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