The robots, which have been installed at the Mabey Bridge site in Lydney, Gloucestershire, will support the manufacture of the company’s world-leading steel bridge, the Compact 200 (C200). This will enable the C200 to be manufactured more quickly, safely and efficiently, with the overall manufacturing time halved.
Under the current process, automated welding systems are used to perform several different functions, with smaller welds being completed by hand. Individual panels are also moved by hand from one machine to the next. The new robots will form one complete cell, capable of manufacturing every element of the product. Raw materials are loaded by hand before the robots take over the process to get the C200 ready for drilling.
The same number of people are needed to undertake the new process, so there will be no reduction of the site’s headcount once the robots begin operations in March 2017. At peak performance, the factory will have the capacity to manufacture over 2km of steel bridging per month.
“This investment in the next generation of industrial robots demonstrates our commitment to investing in and accelerating our own manufacturing and construction processes,” said Michael Treacy, chief executive of Mabey Bridge. “Significantly, the robots will reduce health and safety risks by removing manual lifting and handling whilst enhancing the quality of the weld. In addition, the robots also reduce the need to reach and weld the more awkward places, further improving quality.”
