ABB robots help keep Beycelik Gestamp in the fast lane

Mustafa Boga, commercial manager of Beyçelik Gestamp says "“Turkey's motor vehicle manufacturers are barrelling along in the fast lane, and we as suppliers are racing alongside them, providing parts and components,” Beyçelik Gestamp is based in the city of Bursa, Turkey’s automobile manufacturing capital, 250 kilometers southeast of Istanbul. In its 50,000-square-meter production area more than two dozen ABB robots are producing assembled sheet metal parts, chassis and skin panels, as well as front end and crash zone body parts for motor vehicles.

Beyçelik was founded in 1978 by Faik Çelik, a master craftsman in mold making. At the time there were only three employees. In 1983, Beyçelik started forming sheet metal for the automotive industry, a ready market for the company’s products. From that point the company grew rapidly. In 2007 the Spanish company Gestamp Automoción acquired a 50 percent share of Beyçelik. Nevertheless, Çelik still heads the company as chairman. His brother Nedim Çelik serves on the board of directors, and his son Baran Çelik, a mechanical engineer, is its CEO.

Flexible robot solution delivers improved consistent quality
“We like working with robots,” says Boga, who joined the company in 1993 as a mechanical engineer, fresh out of college. “The efficiency of the ABB robots has given us the confidence to be aggressive in planning, investments and production.”

Since 2002, Beyçelik Gestamp has invested EUR 4 million in spot welding, arc welding and transfer robots from ABB – including IRB 6600, IRB 6650S and IRB 2400 robots as well as S4C+ and IRC5 controllers. In 2008 it also placed orders for an additional seven transfer robots..

“When we decided to use robots in welding, it was not easy to adapt the robots, due to the variety and small quantity of the parts produced,” notes Boga. “So we planned a flexible production solution together with our integrator, AB Rotech. With this flexibility, production quantity has increased and quality of the welded equipment has improved.”

Reduced waste & improved working environment
“Our production has doubled as a result of the use of robots,” he continues. “We employ half the amount of people that would have been needed for manual welding. We also use 75 percent less space, and we waste less.” The robotic systems produce a significantly higher quality of parts, resulting in almost no scrapped parts.

Before robots, if there was a large area on a part that required welding, the operator would spot weld more than the actual amount needed, which could result in flaws in a piece, In such cases, delivery of faulty pieces would cause the whole part to be rejected. This has never happened with robotic production, says Boga.

“Spot welding is a process that can have devastating results and can cause irreparable damage,” he says. “But after we started with robotic production, due to the impeccable production, part loss is minimized.” The robots have also provided a better work environment, Boga says. The system is cleaner, safer and more pleasant for employees. “We have a nicer workshop today,” he says. “When we were doing manual welding, the factory was not as clean and didn’t look as good as it does today.”

Facts about Beyçelik Gestamp Founded: 1978 as Beyçelik Headquarters: Bursa, Turkey Current ownership: joint venture between Faik Çelik Holding of Turkey and Gestamp Automoción of Spain (Gestamp Automoción acquired a 50 percent stake in the company in 2007) Products: Sheet metal parts and dies for motor vehicle bodies, chassis and skin panels, front end parts and crash parts Metal-processing capacity: 200,000 tons a year Main customers: Tofaş Fiat, Oyak Renault, Ford Otosan, Ford Europe Annual sales: USD 83 million in 2006, USD 135 million in 2007 Annual exports: USD 5.2 million in 2006, USD 13.5 million in 2007 Number of employees: 1,000

Reaping the benefits Benefits of robotic welding at Beyçelik include: Reduced waste: The robotic systems produce significantly higher quality, resulting in almost no rejected parts. Better working environment: The system is cleaner, safer and more pleasant for employees. Reduced space: The robot welding systems takes up a 25% of the space of a manual system, allowing more room for production and other activities at the plant.