Spot welding is a critical process in automotive manufacturing, especially in the body shop where it’s used to join metal panels and structural components with precision. At this Leadec’s customer site, this operation relies on a rotating mechanism called a gyro, which allows the welding gun to move and lock at specific angles for accurate weld placement. However, frequent failures of the aluminum-based gyro were causing safety risks, increased maintenance, and high replacement costs. Applying Kaizen principles, the team developed an in-house solution using a durable mild steel gyro plate with improved locking features—enhancing safety, reducing downtime, and delivering significant cost savings.
Problem Description
In spot welding operations, the welding gun needs to rotate freely to reach different weld points. This rotation is controlled by a component called gyro mechanism, which helps lock the gun at specific angles during welding. However, the gyro often fails because the welding guns are very heavy, and the gyro is made of aluminum, which wears out quickly. Once worn, the gyro cannot hold the gun in place, making it hard to maintain the correct welding position. This leads to unsafe working conditions and increases the risk of injury to the operator. The bush inside the gyro also gets damaged frequently, requiring replacement twice a week. These repeated failures have increased maintenance time (MTTR), raised costs, and disrupted production.
Solution
To fix the repeated failures of the gyro mechanism, the team came up with a smart in-house solution. They replaced the old aluminum gyro with a new in house developed in mild steel (MS), which is stronger and lasts longer. A special locking provision is added and holes were drilled at exact angles to help the operator lock the welding gun securely during operation. An unused aluminum scrap plate was also reused and fitted to support the parking lock. This new design makes it easier to rotate and lock the gun safely and accurately. It prevents damage to the gyro and bush, improves safety, and saves time during welding.
