Experience the Fusion of Service, Training, and Top-Notch Machine Tools
This invitation is especially relevant if you’re concerned about welding efficiency. That’s because Capital Robotics, the automated welding division of Capital Machine, will have two of its modular Fusion Arc robotic welding cells on display, systems that have been raising the bar on joining productivity for nearly two decades.
Already have a robotic welder? Not like this one. Imagine being able to pick up a self-contained welding cell, move it anywhere in the shop, and have it making parts in less time than it takes to eat a sandwich. Imagine switching from one job to the next in minutes rather than hours, and never having to worry about lost programs or scrapped parts. That’s what Fusion Arc brings to the table.
Capital Robotics has been making the Fusion Arc welding cell since 2000, when it joined forces with OTC-Daihen, an industry leader in robotics and welding products. Since then, the company has become the largest provider of robotic welding and fabricating technology throughout the southeastern United States, with the rest of the country not far behind.
That’s not to say the systems sold back then were anywhere near as advanced as today’s units. Capital Robotics has listened to its customers, its field service technicians and welding engineers, and continually refined the Fusion Arc welding cells to provide a fast, flexible, and accurate welding solution for shops large and small.
Set it and forget it
Let’s start with the construction. Where competing systems use structural steel and tubing for the cell frame, Capital Robotics leverages proprietary tab and slot construction to create an extremely accurate and secure fit, then welds the structure together after final configuration. This has a dramatic effect on rigidity and therefore accuracy. There’s no resonance to interfere with weld quality. Welding speeds are faster. Vibration from passing forklifts or that annoying heavy stamper on the other side of the aisle is no longer a concern.
The structure also eliminates the need to anchor the cell to the floor. As long as there’s a forklift handy and hookups for power and compressed air at the Fusion Arc’s next destination, you can set it on the floor, hook it up, and get to work. Temperature swings, shifting concrete, midsummer humidity—nothing affects the Fusion Arc.
Convenience and flexibility are important, but there’s more to the rigidity story than that. Because the volumetric accuracy of the Fusion Arc is consistent no matter where it’s sitting, setups are much faster. The motorcycle frames you welded in the back bay last month can be welded in the front of the shop today, without having to tap the fixture into position or re-teach the robot. The result is greater equipment utilization than you ever thought possible.
Faster setups
This is one reason why Capital Robotics has equipped the Fusion Arc with premium, surface ground, and grid-style welding tables. With a series of dowel pin holes along one side and drilled and tapped holes along the other, returning to the same location on repeat jobs is no more difficult than playing a game of Battleship, says Bryan “Rodi” Rodriguez, application engineer at Capital Robotics. “There’s no more scrap parts or painfully long setup times. Just place the welding jig at position A5 or C2, load a workpiece, and hit cycle start.”
Four Fusion Arc models are available, although Capital Robotics is happy to work with you on a custom cell if none of the standard units fit your needs. This is unlikely, however. Each pre-configured cell can be ordered in either standard or extended reach format, providing customers with eight off-the-shelf cell designs.
The FA100, for example, boasts a compact design that offers easy loading and unloading from the same side of the cell, eliminating the cost and hassle of a rotary turntable. On the other end of the spectrum, the FA300 is a triple station welding cell, which along with the other Fusion Arc models supports a wide array of options such as additional robots, workpiece positioners, safety peripherals, and more. A 56-inch wide pneumatic door comes standard, although options for light curtains and larger roll-up style doors are offered. There’s even a “Versatility Package” that combines all of Capital Robotics’ most popular options into a single, affordable bundle. Add it all together and this makes the Fusion Arc a versatile switch hitter able to manage most any task you throw its way.
“The Fusion Arc’s versatility avoids having to invest in some huge, overkill system when your needs are small, but allows you to expand the cell or add capabilities as the business grows and application requirements change,” says Rodi.
Smart welding
Aside from its flexible footprint, six models of OTC-Daihen’s FD-series robot are available with the Fusion Arc. From the compact, 6-axis FD-B6 to the “Ultra-Flex” 7-axis FD-B4S, the cell supports virtually spatter-free GMAW, GMAW-P (pulsed MIG), GTAW (fusion and filler), and Controlled Bridge Transfer (CBT) welding, with end-of-arm load capacities up to 44.09 lbs. (20 kg), rotational speeds of 600°/sec., and positioning repeatability of ±0.003 in. (±0.07 mm). Other features common to all Fusion Arc robots include servo shock sensing to prevent damage to the equipment or workpiece, and through-the-arm coaxial cables to improve wire feeding and access to the welding area.
When you’re done looking at the robots, be sure to check out OTC-Daihen’s FD 11 Smart Controller, standard on all Fusion Arc cells. With an energy conservation timer mode and external servo OFF function, power consumption is reduced by up to 50-percent. The FD 11’s space saving design is 20-percent smaller than previous models, and 30-percent fewer parts makes maintenance easy. And because the controller and welding machine are mounted to the outside of the cell (which also makes the system easier to transport), valuable working space inside the cell is maximized.
It’s also easy to use. The teach pendant is now lighter and smaller. Its icon-based display is easier to read and simpler to understand, with one-touch guide functions that allow even less skilled operators to create beautiful precision welds. A USB memory slot simplifies backups and program transfers, and a jog dial on the side of pendant makes it possible to adjust wire positions and quickly scroll through programs. Finally, remote monitoring is possible, as is offline programming software with intuitive corrective teaching functions.
Speaking of advanced technology, be sure to take a look at the latest in electric press brakes, the SafanDarley E Brake B 35-1250. With an R-axis capable CNC-controlled backgauge, integrated safety system, optional WILA tooling, and no need for a crowning system, you can throw away your shim stock and step up to a new level of productivity.
Worry free
There’s more to any capital equipment investment than product features, however. What happens after the sale? For starters, you can expect intensive hands-on training. Over a 4-day period, Fusion Arc operators will learn the ins and outs of robotic welding at the training lab in Capital Atlanta’s 17,000 sq. ft. Technology and Demonstration Center, free of shop floor distractions. Topics include welding and safety concepts, advanced programming, troubleshooting, and equipment maintenance, everything needed to get the Fusion Arc running quickly, safely, and productively.
A Capital Robotics welding engineer will then come onsite to work with operators and programmers on the production floor, to answer additional questions and help setup their first job if so desired, part of the company’s “Worry Free Training Guarantee.”
Worry free also extends to the reliability of the Fusion Arc Cell, as demonstrated by its 3-year component warranty. In addition, Capital offers comprehensive preventive maintenance programs. A fleet of strategically positioned service vans and certified Capital Robotics technicians are readily available to customers. Shop floor personnel are trained how to properly maintain and troubleshoot equipment, and in the unlikely event that something does go wrong with your investment, the Capital team is there to provide on-site service and phone support.
With the manufacturing industry growing a bit more competitive every day, a robotic cell such as this is the clear path to greater profitability. Part quality improves, throughput is more predictable, and flexibility greatly enhanced. Job quantities of even a single piece become practical, providing opportunities for drop-ins and low-volume orders without disrupting exiting production. And since the Fusion Arc was developed and built by Capital Robotics personnel, you’re assured of single source support and consumables.
“The beauty of this system is that it’s about as plug and play as it gets,” says Rodi. “There’s no need for tape measures and levels, concrete anchors, or the hassle of trying to get everything oriented in the same position as it was on the other side of the shop. All this wasted time and effort becomes a thing of the past with the Fusion Arc. You plug it in, set the fixture in place, and you’re off to the races.”
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For additional information on Capital Robotics and the Fusion Arc please visit:
https://capitalrobotics.com/
Or, contact us at (800) 635-7777
You may also reach out to Bryan Rodriguez at BRodriguez@capitalmachine.com
We would like thank Kip Hanson for his contributions on this piece.
Kip Hanson
KAHMCO LLC
kip@kahmco.net 
