- Industry
- Automotive / Exhaust Systems
- Solution
- Automated spot welding machine
- Project duration
- November 2016 – September 2017
- Engineering focus
- Machine design, welding fixtures, automation, PLC controls, cooling
- Application
- EGR cooler tube and plate welding
EGR coolers are built from thin-walled tubes and plates. Weld them slightly too hot, too long or with the wrong electrode pressure and you get distortion, inconsistent joints and scrap — at production volumes that is expensive very quickly.
The machine also had to fit limited production-floor space, run energy-efficiently, and hold weld quality as electrodes wore through a shift.
We designed a machine around custom fixtures, a rigid vibration-damped steel frame, an automated welding cycle, PLC control and a touchscreen operator interface, with electrode cooling and temperature monitoring built into the process.
Spring-loaded clamping mechanisms held tubes and plates in position under consistent pressure so components could not move mid-cycle, and welding current, electrode pressure, weld time, temperature and positioning were optimised together with electrical and controls specialists.
Automatic electrode compensation and feedback controls kept the process inside its window as electrodes wore, and prototype testing confirmed weld integrity through thermal cycling and extreme temperature conditions.
Project overview
Redyna Technologies designed an automated spot welding machine for the production of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) coolers.
The system was designed to weld thin-walled tubes and plates while maintaining high weld quality, dimensional accuracy, repeatability and production efficiency.
Key challenges
The project addressed:
- Welding thin-walled materials
- Material compatibility
- Weld consistency
- Thermal distortion
- Precise welding parameters
- High-volume production
- Automation
- Energy efficiency
- Limited production-floor space
- Electrode wear
Redyna's engineering solution
The machine incorporated:
- Custom welding fixtures
- Rigid structural frame
- Automated welding cycle
- PLC-based control
- Touchscreen operator interface
- Electrode cooling
- Temperature monitoring
- Automatic electrode adjustment
- Feedback-based process control
Custom fixture design
Specialized fixtures were developed to accurately position EGR cooler tubes and plates during welding.
Spring-loaded mechanisms provided consistent clamping pressure and prevented component movement during the welding cycle.
Welding process optimization
The engineering team worked with electrical and controls specialists to optimize:
- Welding current
- Electrode pressure
- Welding time
- Temperature
- Component positioning
Machine structure and cooling
A high-strength steel machine frame was designed to maintain rigidity during welding, with vibration-damping elements to minimize movement and improve weld repeatability.
An active cooling system circulated coolant through the welding electrodes, and temperature sensors monitored operating conditions to maintain stable welding performance.
Automation and controls
The machine incorporated PLC-based automation to control the welding sequence. The operator interface allowed production personnel to:
- Enter welding parameters
- Monitor machine status
- Monitor process conditions
- Identify operating conditions
- Manage production cycles
Testing and results
Prototype testing demonstrated:
- High-quality welds
- Minimal component distortion
- Repeatable welding performance
- Reliable operation under thermal cycling
- Weld integrity under extreme temperature conditions
Business value
The automated system improved welding consistency and repeatability while reducing manual intervention and supporting high-volume EGR cooler manufacturing.
Redyna's value — one engineering and implementation pathway
- Requirements
- Concept
- Fixture design
- Machine build
- Controls
- Process optimisation
- Production release
Consistent cycle to cycle
Weld repeatability
Minimal on thin-wall parts
Distortion
Nov 2016 – Sep 2017
Programme