Las Vegas, November 16, 2016 – Coldwater Machine Company, a leading engineered solutions company that manufactures and integrates assembly automation and special machines for the Appliance, Automotive and Aerospace industries, has announced the availability of its Roll-Up and Laser Weld Module for the fabricating of clothes washer and dryer drums and baskets, or other round sheet metal wrappers. Based upon a standard Coldwater-developed process, each system may be modified to suit customer requirements.
Coldwater has automated the process from coil stock to finished basket or drum with a flexible and modular approach that allows on-the-fly automatic changeover to different part diameters and heights for improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
The process begins with a servo-controlled de-coiler that feeds stainless steel through a straightener into a proprietary trimming press. Here the material is sheared to the specified sheet lengths and edges are prepared for the laser welding process.
Improved Throughput
The material is automatically fed into the roll up and laser weld module that rolls the sheet into a hoop-shaped wrapper, which will become the basket or drum and the joint is then seam-welded with a laser in a single operation. This eliminates double handling of the part as in traditional processes and leads to improved quality and throughput. Laser welded parts are now ready for secondary operations such as spin forming and closure assembly.
High Quality Welds
Coldwater’s laser welding solutions can handle either CO2 or fiber delivered lasers. Quality is greatly improved with in-line 100% scanning and inspection of the weld joint. Coldwater’s systems apply continuous inward pressure to keep the gap tight as well as strong top and bottom clamping force throughout the weld process.
Modular and Flexible
The Roll-Up and Laser Weld system is modular in design so that it may be incorporated into existing manufacturing processes or coupled with other Coldwater Machine modules to provide a turnkey solution. In addition to stainless steel, the Roll-Up and Laser Weld module can handle a variety of materials including cold-rolled, pre-painted, stainless, galvanized, or other sheet metals and various material thicknesses. A large range of diameters and lengths can be handled automatically. For more information, visit FABTECH 2016, booth C20024, or contact Coldwater Machine at (419) 678-4877.
Coldwater Machine Company is a leader in the design, build and integration of specialized equipment and automation for the appliance, aerospace and automotive industries. Our strength lies in our ability to transfer technology and know-how developed in solving specific challenges for one market to other industries. If you are looking for a partner committed to excellent customer service that delivers quality solutions on time, Coldwater can provide you that partnership. www.coldwatermachine.com