Maximizing Machine Capacity:
Titus Attachments’ Success with ArcNC
Introduction
Titus Attachments, a leading manufacturer in Northern Ireland, recently made a strategic investment in a Valk Welding robot system. To fully optimize this new technology, Titus turned to ArcNC, allowing the system to reach its full machine capacity.
The Need for ArcNC
Titus is a manufacturing house where customers from all over Europe supply their own drawings for custom excavator buckets. In this niche, robot programming is a continuous demand.
"In our niche, with a wide variety of low-volume products, programming is a constant challenge. To get to full machine capacity, we’re always programming and probably always will be," says Alastair, robot programmer at Titus.
Simon, owner at Titus continues: "ArcNC is worth every penny for the business. Tasks that once took a week to program and test now take just one day."
Discovering ArcNC
Titus first encountered ArcNC during an open day event hosted by Valk Welding. James from Valk Welding demonstrated how ArcNC could quickly take a part, fill in the welding parameters, and create a complete program for the robot within an hour. This showcase was the only training that Titus ever had on ArcNC.
Simon: "What ArcNC was doing with the live demonstration was in our heads what we expected to get with the robot at the start. It was drag and drop, very simple visual software. James was able to take a part in the software and then an hour later we were at the machine welding a part. This is very quick. At that point, it changed our outlook that we can put a batch quantity of five items on the robot."
ArcNC vs. Traditional Software
When compared to traditional software like DTPS, ArcNC offers significant advantages. DTPS, while powerful, requires repetitive manual inputs, especially for motion planning—a critical task in robotic programming. ArcNC simplifies these processes, automating motion planning and weld seam finding, making it a far more user-friendly solution.
Case Study: Welding Bucket Programming
A standout example of ArcNC’s impact at Titus is their experience programming a welding bucket from scratch. The bucket’s small size and tight welds required precise torch movements, a task that would be extremely challenging to program manually. However, with ArcNC, Titus was able to complete the programming efficiently within a day.
Alastair: "To manually program that bucket would have been very difficult, since it is very tight (340-400 mm high), requiring a lot of torch movement. With ArcNC I’d have the program done in a couple of hours. In the final program, there were a lot of search motions, and it all worked on the robot the first time.”
Recommendation and Future Plans
Titus strongly recommends ArcNC to other companies with constant programming needs. "The ability to reduce a multi-day programming task to a few hours makes ArcNC an invaluable tool."
Looking ahead, Titus has already invested in a second Valk system with a drop center positioner, underscoring their confidence in ArcNC and their commitment to continuous improvement.
Conclusion
ArcNC has become an integral part of Titus Solutions’ operations, enabling them to maximize their machine capacity and streamline their programming processes. For any company looking to enhance efficiency and productivity, ArcNC is a game-changer.
