Gearing up for Industry 5.0 with new welding solutions

Josep Viñolas founded Viñolas Metall in 1968 in Cornellà del Terri, Spain, and the company has been producing metal constructions for companies and private consumers ever since. Years later, his son David Viñolas joined the company and invested in new machinery and technologies for the export business and to optimize project workflows through computerization. A 4,000 m2 production site in Banyoles was recently opened to complement the existing 800 m2 assembly workshop in Cornellà del Terri. In addition, Viñolas Metall has been certified to ISO 3834-2 by the Fronius Welding Academy.

The company has a diverse range of customers from different industries, including winemaking, water treatment, swimming pool accessories, mechanical engineering, plant construction, toolmaking, power plant construction, and railway construction. Viñolas Metall is known for its innovative solutions, high quality of service, and efficient, customer-oriented project management.

Current situation and new challenges

Welding currently accounts for 70 to 80% of production times. Carbon steel, stainless steel (304, 316, duplex, and super duplex), aluminum, and COR-TEN® are the most common materials processed.

It is mainly smaller components that are joined, but also large and heavy components too. Sheet thicknesses range from 2 to 40 mm. Welding is carried out in the PA (flat position), PB (horizontal vertical position), and PC (horizontal position) positions. Out-of-position welding on vertical beams and pipes is performed in the PF (vertical up position) and PG (vertical down position) positions. The most frequently used processes are TIG and MIG/MAG for manual tasks, as well as the ArcTig keyhole welding process for automated applications. Orbital welding systems are also used, whereby the welding torch rotates around the component during joining.

As they specialize in technically demanding, complex metal structures, Viñolas Metall faced two new challenges. The first was finding a solution for creating high-quality, reproducible welds for series production where industry specifications and welding standards had to be taken into account. The components produced are exposed to high loads and used in a highly corrosive environment—for example, in plant construction.

The second requirement focused on welding autonomy and system optimization. The desired system should be able to switch between two welding processes (TIG and MIG/MAG) independently and without sacrificing the weld quality, all in the course of a quick process change. 

The solution: Robotic welding cell with TPS 400i CMT

As a result of the good experiences Viñolas Metall has had with Fronius welding machines and processes, the company trusts in the professionalism and reliability of Fronius both from a technical and efficiency perspective.

“When we need to weld identical parts with the highest weld quality, we turn to Fronius, as they always have the solution we’re looking for,” says David Viñolas, managing director of Viñolas Metall.

One specific challenge for Viñolas is welding beams for swimming pool roofs from austenitic chrome-nickel steels 304 and 316. The welding solution consists of a robotic welding cell equipped with a TPS 400i CMT welding machine, a hollow arm welding robot, and a H reverser, which has two vertical turntables on a horizontal axis on both sides. Custom-made clamping devices are mounted between the turntables, each of which can accommodate four of the stainless steel beams.

Once one side of the H reverser is loaded with four steel beams, they are turned into the welding cell and joined in a single cycle. Meanwhile, on the other side, the finished welded components can be removed and four new ones positioned, saving valuable cycle time. As soon as the teaching of the system is complete, the sequence program together with axial movements is specified and the weld quality is ensured. The component handling itself can be carried out by trained operators who do not have to be experienced welding specialists—a particular advantage in times of skills shortages.

“We want our best welders to work on large projects with high added value, while smaller series parts can be welded with the robotic welding cell,” explains mechatronics engineer Matheus Borborema. 

The Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) process used in the welding cell is characterized by its minimal heat input, which reduces the heat-affected zone and thus the deformation of the base material. At the same time, it impresses with its extremely high arc stability. CMT enables higher welding speeds with low spattering, minimizing uneconomical rework and costs for consumables.