FASTSUITE Pays for Itself and Helps Melton Machine Overcome Supply Chain Shortages

Melton Machine robotic arc welding cell powered by FASTSUITE software provides true coordinated motion with two robots and a dynamic workpiece positioner.

“We’ve been able to perfect this complicated robot team setup with CENIT’s help and we’re at the point now where we can have two robots on an overhead slide synchronized with a Ferris wheel system, and we can build the programs in advance. When we’re ready to power on those robots for the first time, we can load in fully functioning programs that are ready to weld with very few touchups needed. Because we can do all the work on the front end instead of doing the programming after the robot is up and running, that’s made the time to a deliverable much shorter.”

An exact geometry, Parasolid based CAD kernel allows users of FASTSUITE software to exchange tooling and even whole cell layout data with external CAD systems, without losing that valuable project data while programming parts using true curves or surfaces, instead of tessellated or split segments, which are common with other software. CENIT’s software reduces programming time by using automated weld seam search and torch angle orientation strategies, thus avoiding tedious point-by-point programming. The result is a sleek, compact program with a minimal number of points, which is easier to use.

“In FASTSUITE, there are process geometry functions where you can click on the weld joint and it automatically populates all your points,” says Joseph Koirtyohann, Simulation Engineer at Melton Machine. “With a couple clicks, you can generate a complete toolpath and then adjust your torch angle, your tool angles and other parameters. It cuts programming time by a third.”

“Our time to runoff has shrunk considerably,” adds Archer. “By using FASTSUITE, we reduced the project execution lead time by 6 weeks.”

Even with the best planning, supply chain issues can throw a wrench into the works. Recently, the integrator had an issue with a material handling project that was already designed around a particular brand of robot. That manufacturer said they would be unable to deliver the robot in the expected timeframe. The new lead time would be 36 weeks!
 

Archer says the delay would have killed the project for his customer, so Melton Machine had to substitute a different robot brand with a shorter lead time. Normally that type of change, if simulated in the original robot manufacturer’s software, would require a lot of time and effort to reprogram in the new robot’s brand-specific software. But FASTSUITE software is brand agnostic. This makes for an easier swap.

FASTSUITE software provides an extensive library of nearly 800+ robot arms from all major manufacturers. Reachability studies, axis limits, etc. are all handled by CENIT software, no matter the robot brand. And no matter the process, whether it’s material handling, welding, material removal or assembly. Using CENIT’s brand-agnostic software, Melton Machine was able to swap out a different robot and drop it into the existing simulation.

“We were able to get the new robot in 8 weeks and turn it around quickly,” says Archer. “The customer was back on track!”

Having the capability to simulate robot motion and coordination with dynamic workpiece positioners, external axes and sophisticated fixtures gives Melton Machine engineers the confidence that they can show customers what they are going to get, and deliver a sound solution. A typical cell has at least two robots with six axes each, plus a workpiece positioner adds another axis, for a total of 13 axes of motion. FASTSUITE software provides accurate 3D process simulation, including collision detection and avoidance, axis limits, and singularity monitoring, saving Melton Machine the time and cost of rework.

“We did our own internal return on investment calculations,” explains Archer. “We looked at the time it takes to get a robot up and functioning from the day it hits our doorstep to when we’re ready to weld parts, and how simulation and offline programming reduce that time. Being able to find all the interference issues at the very beginning of the design stage saves an incredible amount of time and effort versus having to go back and makes changes afterwards. Something could be just an eighth of an inch off. But if we don’t know that upfront and have to make changes later, it’s very expensive.”