Rexroth and CenterLine Optimize Projection Welding at EuroBLECH

At EuroBLECH, Bosch Rexroth and CenterLine are presenting a highly efficient solution for projection welding that reduces cycle times by up to 60 percent. The system combines Rexroth's PRC7000 resistance welding control with CenterLine's servo-driven SoftMount projection welding gun. This synergy makes it possible to shorten the actual welding time (process time) from a typical 100 milliseconds down to just 10 milliseconds. Alongside massive time savings, users benefit from significantly lower energy consumption, reduced cooling requirements, and extended electrode service life due to decreased thermal stress. The solution will be on display at the Rexroth booth in Hall 11 (Stand D08).

Intelligent Control and Parallel Part Feeding
The technological foundation is provided by the PRC7000, whose integrated servo logic greatly simplifies electrode control and allows seamless integration into higher-level MES or cloud systems via open IoT interfaces (OPC UA, MQTT). CenterLine's SoftMount gun is specially designed for robotic applications and compensates for mechanical component tolerances through its floating suspension. A crucial factor in this drastic reduction of cycle times is the integrated QFP (Quick Fastener Placement) unit. It makes it possible to feed weld nuts parallel to the robot's movement or during idle times, thereby eliminating unproductive downtime in fully automated processes.

Additional Context: Technological Background and Market Dynamics
This section provides technological and market-specific background information not explicitly mentioned in the original press release.

Projection welding is indispensable in high-volume automotive and sheet metal manufacturing for reliably joining nuts, bolts, and structural elements. Since thousands of such fasteners are installed fully automatically in a modern body shop, even millisecond-level savings accumulate into massive productivity gains over the course of a year. Shifting material feeding into the robot's existing motion time is a critical lever to maximize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). At the same time, slashing the welding time to just 10 milliseconds addresses two of the biggest cost drivers in body-in-white manufacturing: it minimizes thermal wear on expensive copper electrode caps and lowers peak electrical loads, making a direct contribution to carbon reduction and power grid stability.

Edited by Lekshman Ramdas, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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