MACHINING & MACHINERY
BOOSTING WELD CAPACITY
KM TOOLS
KM Tools welding gantry supplied to Bombardier Transportation
KM Tools Ltd has demonstrated its machine
building capabilities by supplying a new
welding gantry to Bombardier, the UK’s
leading rail engineering and manufacturing
company. Now installed at the iconic
Litchurch Lane facility in Derby, the new
gantry is supporting the production of
carbody structures manufactured at the site.
Bombardier is the only company in the
UK with the capability to design, develop,
manufacture, test and service trains.
Producing multiple unit rail vehicles for a
host of UK train operators, the business has
to ensure adequate manufacturing capacity
to support these extensive operations.
Litchurch Lane has been producing railway
rolling stock since the late 19th century,
and now KM Tools Ltd is a part of the site’s
modern era.
The welding gantry provided by KM Tools
is a key machine in the production of
train underframes and roofs. Sections of
underframe/roof are held in jigs next to one
another, ready for welding. With the expert
help of operatives in protective gear, the
welding gantry passes over, its two heads
carrying out high-quality welds across the
length of each seam. Once one side of the
underframe/roof section is welded, the jig
is rotated 180 degrees and the process
repeated for the opposite side.
Adrian Degg, Group Engineering Director
at KM Tools Ltd, was instrumental in the
project: “We are primarily a machine
builder, working with our customers to
The welding gantry provided by KM Tools
is a key machine in the production of train
underframes and roofs.
Above left, KM Tools made sure the software and user interface were almost identical to other
machines to ensure operator familiarity. Above right, Bombardier required a new welding
gantry that closely matched those already operational on-site.
provide specialist equipment to support
OEM production lines. We had previously
supplied a wide range of jigs and fixtures to
support Bombardier’s production activities,
so when the time came to add a new
welding gantry at the facility, we were ready
to offer a solution.”
Bombardier required a new welding
gantry that closely matched those already
operational on-site. KM Tools offered to
reverse engineer a new machine to the
required specification, offering a reduced
lead time and increased value compared to
its competitors. The welding gantry would
need to be installed and operational by
mid-February, 2020.
KM Tools managed the entire build
process. After inspecting an existing
machine, engineers replicated the frame
and installed two welding heads with seam
tracking. Seam tracking is controlled via
an articulated mechanical contact (See
Photo 5) mounted on the head, which
moves the welder up and down or side
to side depending on its current position
relative to the seam. Allen-Bradley controls
were installed on the machine, with
programmable safety features. KM Tools
made sure the software and user interface
were almost identical to other machines to
ensure operator familiarity.
The machine was finished within seven
weeks, with installation completed
before the deadline. The machine is now
operational, boosting welding capacity at
the site.
Adrian concludes: “We enjoyed working on
this machine, and it has operated without
issue since it was commissioned. We have
KM Tools engineers on-site to quickly react
to any issues, so there is extra assurance
there. We’re used to meeting the needs of
leading OEMs across multiple industries,
which has greatly aided our work at
Bombardier. By utilising this experience and
offering a turnkey solution – we were able
to deliver an ideal, value-added machine
quickly.”
For further information, please visit www.kmt.tools
60 PECM Issue 46