Valk Welding: 2002

Valk Welding from Alblasserdam is considered a trend-setter in the welding industry. Although, the marketing focuses on the Benelux market, there seems to be an increasing interest from other countries lately. Robot installations for improved output with reliable Panasonic welding robots are successful abroad. "The combination of robot technology and welding becomes ever more important. Panasonic robots that are imported in Europe have been extensively tested on the Japanese domestic market. That is a perfect base for our export", says Remco Valk as director of Valk Welding. He observes a growing use of stainless steel. The material is being used for more applications in order to increase the durability of the products; resulting the previous year in extra clientele. Valk Welding disposes of a well stocked warehouse for the welding of stainless steel. "In general, orders come in very late for short term delivery. Contrary to the general economic strategy, we even have a stock of very expensive wires."

More stainless steel
From Japan came a trend to use stainless steel to increase the durability of products. At Valk Welding this can be observed in the growing orders for welding wires, including special sorts as Inconel. "These are materials that are often ordered at the last moment, due to the sharp purchasing policies of the suppliers that increasingly become more stringent. On the other hand, the available surfaces in plants are constantly decreasing. Due to our fast deliveries, we were able to expand our clientele. This is especially true for stainless steel wire because of its high quality and fast delivery."

The other upcoming trend is more welding robots forming the artery of modern serial production. The noxious gasses that are released when welding stainless steel encourage this automation. Valk Welding, that already started its delivery of welding articles in 1961, followed later by the introduction of automated arc welding in the Netherlands, is able to offer a complete range of welding and robot techniques including internal training and follow-up. The installations at Stork PMT for chicken slaughtering machines and Woodward Governor in Hoofddorp form a good example. The latter reference even resulted in the delivery of a robot installation to Woodward America for the production of stainless steel components for turbines. But also passive measures, such as working with Adflo fresh air systems, are available in the broad range of tools and consumables of Valk Welding.

Remco Valk is not at all worried about competition from cheap welding materials from the East. "It is a good sign that the old spirit of always buying cheaper is disappearing. Together with our suppliers, we are now able to offer products that are attractive from a technical and price technical point of view." We therefore need to collaborate with permanent suppliers. That is why Valk Welding forms part of the development team of Panasonic in order to inform the development department what is required on the (Dutch) market.

MIS
The PanaRobo DTPS is very interesting for welding robots used for small production series: an integrated programming and simulation software package to programme welding robots off-line, using the PC. It is possible to simulate the complete welding part and to immediately determine the cycle times. In addition, the software offers the possibility to manage the programmes and helps to steer production.

Valk Welding has developed a Management Information System (MIS), displaying the performance of a welding robot by continuous testing and monitoring of all functions. Remco Valk: "We noticed that buyers are very satisfied with the performances of the robot installation. But when you start measuring, it often seems that performances are less than expected."

Linked to a database, diagrams are made to illustrate the efficiency of a certain machine. But the supplier will have to accept the consequences. The quality of the Panasonic welding robots and the expertise of Valk Welding can take this risk. Remco Valk: "It is often possible to adjust the internal organisation in the company concerned to increase the performance of the existing machines. Any orders delayed due to this, will later be regained when the machines are performing better and expansion or replacement is taken into account."

Due to its practical experience with automation projects, Valk Welding can rapidly anticipate, based on a database with data of a confidential nature. "In the database, we dispose of a large number of detailed process data from our customers. However, we will never use these when this might be damaging the interests of a customer who already has one of our installations."

Although the commercial success of  robots in the welding industry is very attracting, for Valk Welding the core business remains the selling of a complete welding system, including consumables. There is still a lot to do, such as development of the welding of stainless steel and any accessory materials such as welding wires, torches, conductors, insulating bushes, hoses and equipment. After well-thought advice, the most suitable welding wire for every application is found. However, for consumables even a slight misunderstanding is enough to immediately destroy a yearlong trust, because working with welding wire from the box is often underestimated. The stock temperature of the welding wire, lead-through speed and age are of paramount importance for the successful use, because welding wire that has been on the shelves for more than four months, is no longer suitable for automatic welding.

Remco Valk: "In spite of our success, we remain extremely cautious. We may never ignore our domestic market that is the fundament of our current position. That is why we have no acquisitions abroad. Foreign customers come to us via references."

(Source: various professional magazines - August 2002)