Mechanised Post-weld treatment of welded structures for automotive and cargo applications (MIDWEST)

Research Project, 2020 – 2023

Purpose and goal: This project will develop and implement mechanisation solutions for key improvement methods (Burr-grinding, TIG and HFMI) for welded components and structures. This enables increased fatigue life, improved load capacity and product quality, productivity, reduced scrapping, and a more sustainable and efficient production when these improvement methods are fully used in the Swedish the automotive and transport industry. These solutions will be important for wheel loaders and transport vehicles, loader cranes, forklifts, and fatigue-loaded chassis components in cars.
Expected results and effects: The improvement methods studied in the project have previously shown exceptionally good results on the fatigue life of welded components, but for the methods to be fully implemented in the Swedish manufacturing industry, mechanization solutions are needed for these methods. This project will study, mechanize and quality assure these important improvement methods to enable full use and implementation in the Swedish vehicle and transport equipment industry. Appropriate improvement methods for different applications will be identified and mechanized, and guidelines developed. Approach and implementation: A robot cell for mechanical post-weld treatment of welds shall be built at Robotdalen. Welded components are laser-scanned and an algorithm developed in the project generates a robot path that ensures that the treatment with TIG, Grinding and HFMI is performed at the critical weld toe along the entire weld. Four industry-specific demonstrators from car, wheel loader, crane and forklift truck will be treated with the methods, and the results will be analysed technically and with LCC. The work is performed in 6 work packages over 3 years with close cooperation between the participants.