Comau supplies ‘highly intelligent’ welding robots for electric automaker
Comau has supplied Hycan Automotive Technology with a “highly intelligent” welding solution for its framing line. The innovative system ensures multi-model manufacturing of new energy vehicles, high jobs per hour (JPH) and a concrete reduction in production losses.
Deployed at the Hycan Hangzhou manufacturing base, the flexible automated production system can randomly switch between four different platforms, is fully compatible with the existing manufacturing platforms and is mass producing the brand’s smart, pure electric A06 sedan and stylish, intelligent-driving, pure electric SUV Z03 at a cycle efficiency of 60 JPH.
Hycan Automotive specializes in the development of electric vehicles, with a strategic focus on attracting young generations in the Chinese market. Given the diverse preferences of its target users, the need to develop a rich product range in a short period of time, and the rapid iteration of its offer, Comau engineers made sure the highly flexible welding assembly line could keep pace with the automaker’s evolving manufacturing needs.
In addition to facilitating the seamless introduction, adaptation and scaling of new Hycan models, it grants Hycan complete flexibility in the future.
The comprehensive solution is based on a customized version of Comau’s Opengate framing system, which grants flexible high-precision body-in-white assembly, and virtual commissioning technologies.
Comau also added a flexible servo positioning mechanism to the conveying system to help shorten the production cycle while ensuring both economies of scale and the ability to meet Hycan’s product diversification needs.
With an OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) exceeding 90 percent, the solution delivers an annual production capacity of up to 200,000 units. And because it can complete random mix production from 1 to 6 models, it allows Hycan to achieve true zero-loss production.
Feng Yiqiang, director of Hycan Intelligent Process, says: “The results of the first collaboration between Hycan and Comau are very satisfactory. Comau’s innovative technologies and professional engineering management throughout the project have fully demonstrated its position as a leader in body solutions and provided an important guarantee of the processing efficiency and quality for our first model production project.”
Gaetano Cantalupo, Comau head of countries cluster APAC, says: “This important project in the electric vehicles field is the result of working side-by-side with the Hycan team to achieve their targeted production capacity while meeting their challenging product diversification needs.
“The highly intelligent framing line reflects Comau’s commitment to improve flexibility and efficiency in body assembly and leverages our longstanding expertise in process and design excellence.”