Grenzebach receives NoAE Innovation Award for robot-based Friction Stir Welding (FSW)

In the NoAE (Network of Automotive Excellence) Innovation-Competition 2011/2012 a jury of Aerospace and Automotive companies has awarded 21 companies from 12 different countries with the innovation award for their products. Grenzebach is one of these winners that will be awarded at the 5th NoAE project day on April 17th and 18th 2012.

Grenzebach Automation GmbH from Karlsruhe has developed a robot-based system for friction stir welding (FSW) together with EADS and KUKA. Realizing FSW using a robot and a special tool provides substantial technological and commercial advantages over the established classic FSW concepts.

Grenzebach, being an experienced system integrator and solution provider, delivers the overall process solution, ranging from system layout, tools, fixtures and safety concepts all the way to project implementation, process optimization, training, operation support and after sales services. Having handled a first large scale robotized FSW-production project with a large number of systems, Grenzebach know what it takes to provide a fully industrialized production solution.

The technology partnership with EADS and license agreement for EADS’s “DeltaN FS” tool concept ensures access to cutting-edge technology developments, research experts and networks.

The use of specially designed robots from KUKA allows a flexible and cost-efficient solution, supporting configurable 3D-geometries and a wide range of process parameters.

Owing to the integration in the globally present Grenzebach Group, all these services and products can be offered worldwide. Grenzebach Automation GmbH is part of the Grenzebach Group, a global enterprise with a staff of approx. 1500 and 5 production sites in Germany, the US and China as well as 15 representation offices around the world.

Picture: The development team of FSW with the permanent secretary from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Dr. Guenther Horzetzky.
From left to right: Dr. Guenther Horzetzky (permanent secretary North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), Dr. Joachim Doehner (Grenzebach), Otto Kellenberger (KUKA Roboter), Andreas Froehlich (Grenzebach), Juergen Silvanus (EADS Innovation Works).

Picture: Certificate for Grenzebach Automation GmbH located in Karlsruhe for the development of the robot-based system for friction stir welding (FSW).