Product Description
System Overview
This 2010 Wayne Trail / VIL Integration robotic laser welding cell is a lightly used, fully-equipped, production-ready system built around an 8 kW IPG Ytterbium fiber laser and an ABB IRB 4400/45 6-axis robot. The cell was engineered for high-precision, high-throughput laser welding of cylindrical and rotational parts mounted on a servo-driven headstock/tailstock positioner, with the robot traveling the full 124-inch distance between centers via a 14-foot servo-driven 7th-axis rail system.
The complete cell is housed in a heavy-duty, solid steel enclosure with insulated walls and a power roll-up door mounted on a retracting overhead slide — allowing full crane access for loading and unloading large workpieces directly into the headstock/tailstock chucks. This is a premium-grade safety enclosure and a significant capital asset in its own right.
All original manuals, wiring diagrams, electrical schematics, software, and fully backed-up robot programs are included — sourced directly from Wayne Trail. This dramatically reduces integration time and provides a complete roadmap for maintenance and future programming.
Ideal Applications
This cell is purpose-built for industries requiring precise, repeatable, high-speed laser welding at scale. Ideal use cases include:
- Automotive & Tier-1 Suppliers — axles, drive shafts, torque converters, transmission components, exhaust manifolds, body structural assemblies
- Aerospace & Defense — precision welding of cylindrical structural components, pressure vessels, and fuel system parts
- Agricultural & Heavy Equipment — PTO shafts, gear assemblies, hydraulic cylinder rods, and frame components
- Oil & Gas / Energy — pipe fittings, valve bodies, pressure vessels, and downhole tool components
- Medical Device Manufacturing — high-cleanliness precision welding for surgical implants and instrument housings
- General Industrial Fabrication — any application requiring seam, butt, lap, or fillet welding on round or tubular parts up to 1,650 lbs
The combination of an 8 kW laser, 7th-axis travel, and 124-inch between-centers makes this system particularly well suited for long, heavy cylindrical weldments — a niche that conventional robotic MIG/TIG cells cannot match for speed, heat input control, or weld quality.
Laser Power Source — IPG Photonics YLS-8000
The heart of this system is an IPG Photonics YLS-8000 Ytterbium Fiber Laser — one of the most capable and reliable industrial fiber lasers available. Fiber lasers of this class deliver approximately 30–35% wall-plug efficiency, dramatically outperforming CO2 and lamp-pumped solid-state alternatives, and require virtually no consumable optics or laser gas.
| IPG Photonics YLS-8000 — Key Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | IPG Photonics |
| Model | YLS-8000 Ytterbium Fiber Laser |
| Output Power | 8,000 W (8 kW) continuous wave |
| Delivery Fiber | 100 µm core fiber to robot arm |
| Process Fiber | 200 µm (at beam switch output) |
| Beam Switch | 2-way internal beam switch |
| Wavelength | ~1,070 nm near-infrared |
| Advantages | High efficiency, no consumable optics, excellent beam quality, low maintenance |
Welding Head — Precitec YW50
| Precitec YW50 Welding Head Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Model | Precitec YW50 |
| Collimator Focal Length | 100 mm |
| Focus Focal Length | 300 mm |
| Spot Size | 600 µm |
| Fiber Input | 100 µm core process fiber |
Robot System — ABB IRB 4400/45 on 7th-Axis Rail
The ABB IRB 4400/45 is one of ABB's most trusted medium-payload 6-axis robots — well known in laser cutting and welding applications for its rigid construction, ±0.07 mm path repeatability, and high-speed TrueMove motion control. Mounted on a 14-foot servo-driven 7th-axis linear rail, it covers the full 124-inch workpiece span.
| ABB IRB 4400/45 Robot Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Model | ABB IRB 4400/45 |
| Axes | 6 (plus 7th-axis track) |
| Payload Capacity | 45 kg (99 lbs) at wrist |
| Maximum Reach | 1,950 mm (76.8 inches) |
| Repeatability | ±0.07 mm |
| Controller | ABB IRC5 |
| 7th-Axis Rail Length | 14 feet (168 inches) |
| Rail Coverage | Full 124-inch between-centers span |
| Drive System | Servo-driven linear rail |
Headstock / Tailstock Positioner — ABB IRBP 750L (x2)
| ABB IRBP 750L Positioner Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Quantity | 2 (Headstock + Tailstock) |
| Model | ABB IRBP 750L |
| Max Load Capacity | 750 kg (1,650 lbs) per unit |
| Swing Diameter | 28 inches (711 mm) |
| Between Centers | 124 inches (3,150 mm) |
| Chuck Type | 3-jaw self-centering (both units) |
| Drive Type | Servo-driven, CNC coordinated rotation |
Machine Control — Allen Bradley CompactLogix & PanelView HMI
| Allen Bradley Control System | |
|---|---|
| PLC Platform | Allen Bradley CompactLogix |
| Operator Interface | Allen Bradley PanelView 1000 Color Touchscreen HMI |
| Function | Cell sequencing, safety I/O, process parameter management, alarm handling |
| Integration | Communicates with ABB IRC5, laser source, safety system, and fume extraction |
Weld Quality Monitoring & Seam Tracking
This system is equipped with a fully integrated weld quality assurance suite combining the Precitec LWM process monitor, the Precitec LPF seam tracker, and the Primes PowerMonitor PM100 — providing industry-leading process control and full traceability.
Precitec LWM — Laser Weld Monitor
The Precitec LWM analyzes optical emissions from the melt pool and keyhole in real time, detecting defects — pores, spatters, insufficient penetration, and material inconsistencies — as they occur, without interrupting production. Data is logged for full traceability, critical for automotive and aerospace supply chain requirements.
Precitec LPF — Seam Tracker with Camera & Controller
The Precitec LPF uses a camera and controller to find and follow the weld seam in real time, automatically compensating for part-to-part variation, fixturing tolerances, and thermal distortion. This eliminates the need for highly precise fixturing and dramatically reduces scrap and rework on long cylindrical weldments.
Primes PowerMonitor PM100 — Laser Power Measurement
The Primes PowerMonitor PM100 is a calorimetric laser power measurement instrument using a water-cooled cylindrical absorber with a highly absorbent inner coating. Cooled by a dedicated Dynachill PWC009 chiller, the PM100 provides a direct, traceable measurement of actual delivered laser power — completely independent of the laser source's internal reading.
| Primes PowerMonitor PM100 — Key Features | |
|---|---|
| Measurement Principle | Calorimetric (water-cooled cylindrical absorber) |
| Power Range | Up to 100 kW (well above this system's 8 kW) |
| Cooling | Dedicated Dynachill PWC009 water chiller |
| Output Signal | 0–10 V analog proportional to power; PC interface |
| Protection | Pneumatic closing device protects absorber from contamination |
The PM100 provides absolute, traceable laser power verification — confirming the laser is delivering its rated 8 kW output. The Precitec LWM then monitors the weld process in real time using optical emission signals. Together they deliver two complementary quality layers: one confirms the laser is performing to specification at the source, while the other monitors the actual weld as it is being made. This combination supports ISO process qualification, first-article inspection, and SPC documentation.
Cooling Systems
| Cooling System Summary | |
|---|---|
| Laser Chiller | IPG/Riedel PC 250.01 — Air-Cooled, ~10 Ton (35 kW) |
| Refrigerant | R407C |
| PM100 Chiller | Dynachill PWC009 — Dedicated chiller for Primes PM100 |
Fume Extraction — Donaldson Torit T2000
Integrated fume evacuation is provided by a Donaldson Torit T2000 fume extraction unit, capturing and filtering laser welding fumes, spatter, and particulate at the source. A proven workhorse in high-duty-cycle laser welding environments.
Safety System — Class I Laser Safety Enclosure
The complete cell is a fully interlocked Class I laser safety enclosure, meeting requirements for safe operation of an 8 kW Class IV laser source within a production environment.
- Solid steel enclosure with laser-rated insulated walls — full beam containment
- Power roll-up door on overhead retracting slide — safe crane loading without beam exposure risk
- Door interlocks on all access panels — beam disabled upon any door opening
- Perimeter safety pull cords — immediate E-stop from all sides
- Lockable access doors — prevents unauthorized entry during unattended operation
- Motion sensors — detects personnel entering the cell envelope
- Safety mats — pressure-sensitive floor mats provide last-line-of-defense E-stop
- Multiple hardwired emergency stops at operator stations and cell perimeter
Complete System Component Inventory
| Full Equipment Listing | |
|---|---|
| Laser Source | IPG Photonics YLS-8000 (8 kW Ytterbium Fiber Laser) |
| Process Fiber | New fiber cable included |
| Beam Switch | 2-way internal beam switch |
| Welding Head | Precitec YW50 (100 mm collimator / 300 mm focus / 600 µm spot) |
| Robot | ABB IRB 4400/45 — 6-Axis, 45 kg payload, 1,950 mm reach |
| Robot Controller | ABB IRC5 |
| 7th-Axis Track | 14-foot servo-driven linear rail |
| Headstock | ABB IRBP 750L with 3-jaw self-centering chuck |
| Tailstock | ABB IRBP 750L with 3-jaw self-centering chuck |
| Between-Centers | 124 inches (3,150 mm) |
| Max Workpiece Load | 1,650 lbs (750 kg) |
| PLC | Allen Bradley CompactLogix |
| HMI | Allen Bradley PanelView 1000 Touchscreen |
| Seam Tracker | Precitec LPF with Camera and Controller |
| Weld Monitor | Precitec LWM Weld Process Monitor |
| Power Monitor | Primes PowerMonitor PM100 |
| Laser Chiller | IPG/Riedel PC 250.01 Air-Cooled (~10 Ton) |
| PM100 Chiller | Dynachill PWC009 |
| Fume Extraction | Donaldson Torit T2000 Integrated System |
| Cable Management | Kabelschlepp Robotraxx (electrical, fiber, pneumatic, gas, water) |
| Safety Enclosure | Solid steel, insulated, Class I laser rated |
| Enclosure Access | Power roll-up door on retracting overhead slide (crane loading) |
| Safety Features | Door interlocks, safety mats, E-stops, pull cords, motion sensors |
| Documentation | All manuals, wiring diagrams, software, and backup programs from Wayne Trail |
This is not a stripped-down used robot and laser — it is a complete, integrated, production-proven laser welding system with every subsystem intact: laser, optics, robot, positioner, seam tracking, weld monitoring, power measurement, fume extraction, chillers, and safety enclosure. Systems of this specification, complete with original documentation, are rare on the used market.
The inclusion of the complete Wayne Trail documentation package — manuals, wiring diagrams, software, and backup programs — virtually eliminates integration risk and gives any buyer's engineering team a full roadmap for installation, commissioning, and ongoing operation.
