Maximum quality, repeatability and process reliability

For many decades Carl CLOOS Schweisstechnik GmbH in Haiger and H&G Entsorgungssysteme GmbH in Burbach have maintained a trustful cooperation. With their sites only around 10 kilometres apart, both of these local, traditional companies benefit from their close proximity to each other. H&G recently began operating a new CLOOS robotic system for the automated welding of screw compactors for disposal systems.

H&G screw compactors are in demand wherever there is a need to control the rising tide of waste and recyclable materials – with leading international discounters, internet commerce, logistics and disposal companies, as well as diverse companies across trade and industry. The principle is to efficiently reduce large volumes to a fraction of their original size so they can be disposed of quickly, economically and using minimal manpower. The screw compactors are universal, i.e. they process almost any material in the interchangeable containers. "Paper or cardboard, foil or plastic, wood waste or PET bottles, our screw compactors are true omnivores," says Björn Stolz, technical manager at H&G. "Thanks to their robust and compact design, they can compress large quantities of waste and recyclables in the shortest possible time, regardless of the material type and size."

The screw compactors are the mainstay of H&G Disposal Systems GmbH. Together with Stahlbehälterbau Greis and SFG Steelforming, the company belongs to the Henrich Group, which employs a total of 120 people in Burbach. H&G produces 600 screw compactor systems each year. In addition to increasing demand from large logistics centres and furniture store chains, the company has benefited greatly from the growth of discounters and internet trading companies, which continue to spread across Europe and around the world. Although H&G exports about 60 per cent of its disposal systems, the company manufactures all components at its factory in Burbach to ensure the highest quality. "Our customers' requirements are growing," explains Stolz. "In addition to reliable, high quality equipment they also expect ever shorter delivery times."

Customised robot system with two stations

H&G aims to meet the growing demands of its customers through continuous investment in machinery and automated manufacturing. For this reason, the company recently invested in a 60-square-metre robot system from CLOOS for the automated welding of machine housings and screw compactors. The new CLOOS system is specifically tailored to H&G's production needs. The centrepiece is a six-axis QIROX QRC-410 welding robot which is mounted on a rotating vertical stroke to extend its working range. The system consists of two stations each equipped with a 1.5 ton workpiece positioner. They have a horizontal swivelling axis on which an L-shaped extension arm is fitted. The extension arm contains a vertical rotary axis with a horizontal faceplate which is used to hold the workpiece. The workpiece positioner is designed to position the complex workpieces perfectly for welding. Machine housings are welded at one station, screw compactors at the other. In order to provide a constant and reproducible working basis for the robot, H&G developed and manufactured a sophisticated clamping system.