Bulgaria-based hydraulic-cylinder manufacturer Kyashif has increased its productivity, thanks to a direct-drive rotary-friction welding machine manufactured by Halesowen-based Thompson.

Kyashif chose the PR-series model equipped with a KUKA robot to speed up the process of joining pre-chromed plated piston rods to rod end connectors at its facility in Dzhebel.

The Thompson machine also met the company’s requirements for a compact manufacturing cell that could fit in an area on the shopfloor where space was limited.

Colin Nicholls, Thompson’s European sales manager, said: “Many of Kyashif’s potential customers were asking for a friction-welded quality joint rather than the alternative arc-welding method, because new alloy metals are more suited to the friction welding process.

Kyashif’s owners are delighted that output has been improved, especially with the addition of the robot for the part loading/unloading operation. They are also impressed by the machine’s ability to accommodate a wide variety of component sizes.”

A number of Thompson machines have been supplied to customers in the automotive, construction machine and mineral exploration industries in recent months. They are produced in Halesowen and are typically designed to join components such as hydraulic cylinders and piston rods, oil drill pipes and truck axles.