Case Study - Allin Towbars

Allin Towbars are investing into improving the efficiency, safety, and scalability of its welding operations. The South Australian-owned manufacturer, known for its custom towing and 4WD solutions, face challenges in sourcing skilled welders and managing labour-intensive fabrication processes. 

In partnership with Flinders University’s Factory of the Future, Allin Towbars explored cobot welding to supplement its workforce and boost throughput. Using advanced simulation tools, the Factory of the Future team evaluated Allin’s existing workflows and collaboratively developed a tailored cobotic welding work cell that enabled fully automated welding of pre-tacked towbars.

The result was a set of welding parameters for different weld join and orientation types found on Allin’s products, a custom welding bench design that enabled dual-work station operation, and a custom jigging design that eliminated the need to rotate towbars during welding. This approach was proposed to streamline production, aligned with lean manufacturing principles and reduced environmental impact. At the conclusion of the project, Allin Towbars were assessing the market for cobot welding options, processes for certifying cobot-performed welds, and pathways for implementing the system into full-scale production.

Researchers:

• Kosta Manning
• Dr Valerie O’Keeffe