New educational center features automated welding, cutting systems

Airgas Great Lakes has opened a new Automation Center in Grand Rapids, Mich. Developed in partnership with Retro Systems, Hypertherm, Motoman, and Miller, the facility adjoins Airgas' 28th Street retail store. The facility's equipment includes a Retro Systems Hornet HD dual-side drive cutting machine equipped with a Hypertherm HyPerformance HPR260XD® plasma system and a robotic welding cell with a Motoman ArcWorld® II-100.

The new space is designed for demonstrations. It accommodates groups of varying sizes, making it suitable for anything from one-on-one discussions with production engineers to technology education sessions with student groups.

"We developed this Automation Center based on our belief that the long-term health of American industrial production is going to require increased levels of automation," said David Clubb, an Airgas automation specialist.

The facility will be used for educational events with increasing frequency, the company states, and is open by appointment for customer visits.