Automated Robotic Welding for Forklift Frame Manufacturing

Linde Material Handling, a global manufacturer of industrial trucks, required a new production system for its latest series of electric forklifts. The company needed to manufacture seven frame types and 14 different overhead safety guards to exact specifications. Because each forklift is built to order, the production line required high flexibility to handle a wide variety of structural variants while maintaining strict quality standards and a high degree of automation. The facility planners also sought sophisticated inline quality assurance and seamless integration with existing enterprise resource planning systems to optimize material flow.




Implementation of two-stage automated welding modules
To address these operational requirements, the manufacturer selected Yaskawa as a general contractor to design and implement a comprehensive robotic welding architecture. The facility is divided into two modules to provide a buffer between main processes. In the first module, highly automated stations utilize welding robots to tack-weld the different frame types and safety guards into complete components, supported by handling robots equipped with automatic gripper changing systems. The second module executes finish-welding across redundant cells. The system features a total of 33 robots, including specialized welding and handling models mounted on floor tracks. The provider was chosen due to its extensive automation expertise and the capability of its proprietary production system software to make complex welding data transparent.




Inline measurement and system deployment
The engineering phase spanned nearly four years, utilizing simulation tools for virtual layout evaluation before the plant was constructed and tested under series conditions at the provider's facility. Following successful pilot series manufacturing, the system was relocated to the final production site in Aschaffenburg. The automated line includes an inline polishing process that uses abrasive tools to remove welding spatter and prepare surfaces for coating. At the end of the manufacturing process, an automated inline measurement station checks geometric accuracy and weld seam geometry to detect irregularities. Operating on a series cycle of 12.5 minutes, the system provides continuous data flow through large cell monitors, ensuring stable processes and early error detection while achieving the required levels of quality and productivity.




Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.yaskawa.eu.com