Application of AtonmMDSC-1500S dual detector in automotive welding production line

1、 Project Background

With the continuous improvement of lightweight and safety performance requirements for automobile bodies, the application of high-strength steel plates and laser welded panels (patch panels) in vehicle manufacturing is becoming increasingly widespread. In the welding workshop door ring and A-pillar reinforcement production line of a new energy vehicle manufacturer, large plates (large structural components) and patch plates (small plates for reinforcement) need to be precisely stacked and welded.

In actual production, due to the residual rust proof oil film on the surface of the board and the characteristics of the thin plate itself, the grasping robot often experiences the phenomenon of "double sheet" or "stacking", that is, two sheets of board are grasped or placed at once. The main impacts of this issue include:

• Welding quality fluctuation: Direct welding of double-layer plates can easily cause insufficient penetration or weak welding points, leading to repair or scrap
• Potential damage to fixtures: Double layered panels may cause abnormal fixture positioning, affecting positioning pins and fixture accuracy
• Production cycle interruption: manual intervention is required to remove stacked materials, which affects the continuous operation of the production line

For this reason, the client has decided to introduce AtormMDSC-1500S dual detectorEffectively control the stacking problem through technological means.

2、 Solution

After on-site working condition investigation, the technical team used two AtormMDSC-1500S dual detector, deployed separately at the large board workstation and patch board workstation. The installation method adopts the "fixture integration, non-contact detection through" scheme, fully utilizing the existing fixture movements to complete the detection.

2.1 Introduction to Core Equipment

AtonmMDSC-1500SIt is a dual beam metal detector with the following characteristics:

• Compatible with steel plates (0.2-5.0mm) and aluminum alloy plates (0.1-8.0mm), suitable for mixed production
• Through non-contact detection, the probe has no contact with the board
• Split type probe design, easy to install flexibly in narrow spaces such as fixtures

2.2 Deployment Architecture

2.3 Installation method

This solution integrates the sensor probe directly into the fixture structure of the welding station:

• The transmitting probe is installed under the fixed base of the welding station
• The receiving end probe is installed on the movable arm of the fixture

After the robotic arm places the board in place, the fixture is closed. At this point, the probes at both ends are aligned, and the board is located between the two probes (without contact). The sensor immediately performs a through type double tension detection.

2.4 Workflow

1. The robotic arm grabs the sheet from the material stack and places it on the positioning pin of the welding station
2. The fixture is closed in place according to the program, and the probes at both ends are aligned
3. MDSC-1500S automatically measures the total thickness of the sheet between the probes and compares it with the preset threshold
4. When judged as a single sheet, the welding program is executed normally; When judged as double sheet, the system alarms and prohibits welding
5. The test results are uploaded in real-time to the MES system through the fieldbus for quality traceability

3、 Program value

After the implementation of this plan, the production line runs stably, and its main value is reflected in the following aspects:

3.1 Zero beat loss

The detection action is completed synchronously with the fixture closing, without occupying additional production time and having no impact on the production line rhythm.

3.2 Non contact detection

The probe has no contact with the surface of the board and has zero impact on the board, especially suitable for automotive boards that require surface quality.

3.3 Accurate and reliable positioning

The closure of the fixture ensures the consistency of the relative position between the probe and the board, stable detection conditions, and effectively reduces false alarm rates.

3.4 Convenient Production Change

MDSC-1500SBuilt in multiple recipe storage functions. When switching between vehicle models with different thicknesses of sheet metal, the PLC automatically retrieves the corresponding formula without the need for manual adjustment.

4、 Application effectiveness

• The stacking problem has been effectively controlled, preventing double sheets from entering the welding process
• The welding qualification rate has significantly improved, and the number of repaired and scrapped parts has decreased significantly
• Avoiding deformation of positioning pins and damage to welding tongs caused by double-layer panels, extending the service life of fixtures
• Realized non-contact and zero beat online detection, with zero impact on production capacity and board quality

5. Summary

This case demonstrates a highly integrated application of AtonmMDSC-1500S dual detector in automotive welding production lines. By packaging the probe under the workstation and on the movable arm of the fixture, and synchronously completing the non-contact detection through the fixture closing action, the reliability of the detection is ensured and zero beat loss is achieved.