The global leader in power and automation technologies ABB, is known for high-quality products, systems and services. This spring in their Vaasa factory, Dosetec automated the dosing and weighing related to the mixing operations of resin. The reform ensures the uniformity of the resin quality in stator windings.
ABB’s Vaasa factory is located in one of the most significant industry and technology parks in Finland, Strömberg Park. The park dates back to Gottfrid Strömberg (1863–1938), who is the “God Father´ of the Finnish electrical engineering industry. He developed the first direct-current machine in Finland and other electric machineries, which were internationally awarded as top products of the time.
Today, Strömberg´s history continues in ABB, which provides environment-friendly applications of power and automation technologies for the process industry.
Correct viscosity is crucial
Development Engineer of Production, Mr. Kaj Hautala says that customers in the industry appreciate high quality, because low-quality products may cause damaging consequences. For example, if a wind turbine stops working when a short circuit occurs in the power generator due to low quality, the reparations at nearly 100 metres height and often at sea become expensive and laborious.
– We invest in quality in everything. That is why we wanted to automate dosing and weighing in resin production. The resin is used to saturate the air gaps between winding wires in the stators of electric motors. The resin must be of an exact correct thickness and to remain attached reliably for not letting the wires vibrate and wear away. Too watery resin may cause short circuit.
Reliable fabrication with a recipe
The confidence made in previous cooperation helped ABB choose Dosetec as the system deliverer. In the new fabrication process, quartz sand, resin and a hardening agent are automatically dosed into the mixing tank in the correct proportion. The fabrication according to the recipe guarantees a uniform quality in each batch, while stator packages are produced at around 300 weekly.
The automation has made the work significantly easier because the manual process was difficult to control due to material properties. A dust control system in connection with a big bag and the mixing tank ensures that the quartz sand doesn´t spread around the working environment.
Plug and play!
ABB´s new system was mainly prepared and tested in the Dosetec factory. The installation in Vaasa took place during a weekend. The user training was provided on Sunday, the plug and play on Monday morning. The fabrication of resin was not stopped once.
– The entire system has been functioning flawlessly, Mr. Hautala states.
ABB is one of the world´s leading power and automation technology corporations. It employs over 145 000 professionals in around hundred countries.