Modeling of Material Handling System Using Computer Aided Engineering Case of Wear Plate Welding Machine.

Wear plate welding machines are used for depositing material on the metal sheets. The deposition of material on metal plate increases the life of the wear plate. The process is carried out for coating the metal sheets. These metal sheets are also called as wear plates. The wear plates are used for making boilers, chemical tanks, containers, etc. Wear plate welding machines requires some special raw material handling system as they are heavy to handle. Wear plate welding requires 2-3 workers for handling the raw material. Also after welding, weight of wear plate increases (becomes almost double). Hence, it becomes heavier to handle. So, there is scope for automated material handling.Roller conveyor system is designed for the wear plates between machine and storage place. Itinvolves hydraulic accumulator for lifting wear plate up to the height of machine table.Clamping system consist of three pushers. Three hydraulic cylinders are required for operatingthe pushers. The pushers and a mechanical vice restrict motion of plate and hold the plateduring welding for a given time. Surface of machine bed and platform from which wear plateis pushed by pusher consist of rollers.