ASBACH-BÄUMENHEIM/HAIGER, February 2025 - As the world's leading manufacturer of tractors and agricultural machinery, AGCO produces around 30,000 tractor cabs for the Fendt and Massey Ferguson brands every year at its Asbach-Bäumenheim site. With around 1,500 employees, AGCO focuses on precision and modern technologies. A key success factor is the long-standing partnership with CLOOS, characterised by advanced welding technologies and digital solutions.
Production includes sheet metal and profile production, welding and painting of the cab frame as well as cab assembly. CLOOS technologies ensure precise and flexible welding processes. Over 40 CLOOS robots work with workpiece positioners, handling systems and manual welding technology in two interlinked production lines.
Efficiency through digital networking with C-Gate
The central element is the C-Gate digitalisation platform, which records and evaluates production data in real time. "Networked production is essential for making current data available at all times and implementing targeted improvements," explains Markus Rainer, Operations Engineer at AGCO.
Thanks to open interfaces, welding data is linked with information from other production areas. This allows processes to be optimised across processes and results to be achieved more quickly.
Reduced error rate and continuous improvement
C-Gate identifies deviations immediately and enables early action to be taken to improve KPIs. This has significantly reduced the error rate and increased production quality.
Offline programming with QIROX RoboPlan
AGCO also uses the QIROX RoboPlan offline programming system. While production is running, new programmes can be created on 3D models and transferred directly to the robot controller. "RoboPlan allows us to seamlessly integrate our welding programs into the digitalised infrastructure," says Frank Zinsmeister, offline programmer at AGCO.
Stable processes and traceability
The versioning of the welding programmes is saved via the handheld programming device. This means that changes can be tracked at any time and up-to-date, error-free versions are available - a prerequisite for process stability and efficient optimisation.
Technological partnership sets standards
The collaboration between AGCO and CLOOS shows how digital networking and modern production technologies increase efficiency and quality. "Digitalisation offers enormous opportunities to make our production more efficient and competitive," emphasises Markus Rainer.
With C-Gate and RoboPlan, AGCO is setting standards in tractor cab production and demonstrating how Industry 4.0 can be successfully implemented.