WCA January 2017

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22 Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2017
Industrynews
WILLIAM Hughes, specialist manufacturer of springs and
bent wire components for the global automotive and
aerospace industries, has invested more than £250,000 in a
high technology twin robot welding cell.
The new welding cell was supplied by Bauromat with Fanuc
robots, all installed at William Hughes’ new UK headquarters
in Stalbridge, Dorset. The unit features advanced weld
monitoring and recording ensuring that the highest standards
of quality and consistency are maintained for its customers.
“We have been very successful in winning significant new
business from our automotive customers and this has meant
that we needed to increase our production capacity for our
welded seat frame assemblies,” said Emma Burgon,
engineering director.
The welding cell is in operation 24 hours a day during the
working week and is currently being used for the bulk
manufacture of seat frame backs for an SUV. This particular
assembly has 56 welds and uses 25 wires.
As well as the improved quality and consistency of the
finished product provided by the twin robot cell, the welding
process is much quicker, enabling parts to be produced in
just 1 minute 40 seconds compared with 3 minutes 45
seconds previously. Furthermore, to ensure throughput speed
is maximised, the weld jigs are all designed by William
Hughes engineers using the latest CAD software and
manufactured using CNC milling machines.
This recent investment in the latest manufacturing technology
continues the programme of continued growth which includes
the opening in October 2014 of a new 87,000ft2 factory at its
UK base in Stalbridge.
William Hughes Ltd – UK
Website:
£250,000 investment in latest welding technology
❍ The twin robot welding cell