Welding automation can help offset the skilled welder shortage while improving both productivity and safety. While some welding jobs can be completely automated, that’s often not the case for many tasks. However, as welding automation systems are rapidly improving, and becoming more commonly used, we will likely see welding automation ingrained in everyday welding tasks, even in small welding shops.
JINHUA HARDFACING Product Page
Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of welding automation and how your business could benefit from automation solutions, including cobotic welding.
It’s easy to picture a production facility with tens or hundreds of robotic arms making welds on an assembly line, but, welding automation doesn’t refer to only welding robots, even if they are often crucial for automation.
Welding automation systems include welding positioners that allow easy access to oddly shaped parts, welding manipulators that maximize efficiency, turning rolls for pipe rotation, growing line systems for producing large tubular elements, and others. You can see a whole range of Red-D-Arc weld automation systems that can make many welding jobs significantly more productive and cost-effective.
Fully-automated welding is commonly employed in mass fabrication, like in the automotive industry. Fully-autonomous systems do everything — machines load and unload parts to and from the weld cell, control the fixtures, complete the weld, and inspect the quality. Usually, complete automation doesn’t require much human involvement.
These systems are often expensive, large-scale, and employed for repetitive welds. However, the future may see more industries transition to fully-automated welding. As artificial intelligence advances and fully-automated welding systems become more flexible, they may pose the best solution to worker shortages and maximum ROI and productivity.
Semi-automated welding significantly reduces human interaction with the welding process. However, operators are still needed, and it’s often an advantage if they are trained welders. These systems are usually more affordable than fully-automated setups. In addition, semi-automated welding is more flexible, requires a lower up-front investment, and introduces less equipment to your work environment.
The future may see a rise in semi-automated welding, especially in small and medium-sized welding businesses. These systems can significantly improve the productivity of a welding operator. As a result, semi-automation can solve the challenges of worker shortages because one operator can complete more welds with higher efficiency.
Automating your welding processes has numerous benefits that can improve your ROI and productivity with fewer skilled operators. The essential benefits of welding automation are:
In a way, you could say that the “future” of welding automation is already here. Solutions like collaborative robots, commonly known as cobots, have already proved fruitful in the current environment. You don’t necessarily need to fully automate your welding production, especially if you are a small or medium welding business.
This is where cobot welding systems stand out. They are cost-effective, easy to get up and running, and work along with your workforce. So, you don’t need to completely transition from manual labor to large-scale, expensive, permanently fixed, fully-autonomous welding cells. In addition, cobots are more flexible than hard automated systems and significantly reduce the safety hazards present with common industrial robots since they are designed to be used collaboratively with workers.
The BotX robotic welding system addresses the skilled labor shortage through short or long-term rental, lease or purchase of an advanced, easy-to-use automated welding robot. Our innovative, on-demand model allows you to quickly scale up or down your welding operation using the BotX, which is hard to achieve with manual welding. BotX can weld complex parts in minutes, provide real-time monitoring and production data, and comes with 24/7 support. Your welding team can be up and running in hours with BotX because our automation specialists will be with you every step of the way to tailor the experience to your needs.
Cobots are designed to amplify the production rate of your welders by working with them. As a result, your welders (or trained BotX operators) can get more work done faster. You can’t quickly hire more welders to bid on a large project. But you can rent a BotX from Red-D-Arc and amplify your production rate and bid with confidence. That’s the power of weld automation.
The future of welding automation will need to address the ever-decreasing availability of skilled welders and the ever-increasing need for faster and higher-quality production. However, there likely won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution. Depending on the industry and business scale, the future may utilize cobot systems or fully automated, large-scale automation.
Another issue stifling automation progress is the cost of these systems. That’s why innovative solutions like renting or leasing these machines are crucial. Pay as you go lets you immediately have net gains as you bid on projects that were previously beyond your reach because you didn’t have the necessary workforce.
Having the flexibility to bid on various projects and upscale/downscale your production is a competitive advantage that can make you stand out from other welding contractors. With the scarce welding force, it’s hard to run your business and jump from project to project with the confidence that you can do everything smoothly. But, the flexible, scalable, and collaborative welding automation systems can help your welding business stay ahead of the curve.
If you are the only local contractor who bids with faster completion times and/or with a favorable price, you can lead the way as a preferred welding business. That’s what the future of welding automation must provide to the welding businesses dealing with labor shortages and a demanding market.
Eventually, having automated welding systems running alongside manual labor may become a standard operative practice even in small welding shops. So, it’s wise to think about the future today. No industry is impervious to change. And adaptability is one of the essential tools at your disposal in an ever-changing industry like welding and fabrication.
A common fear among welders is that automation will replace them. While some industries and large-scale production can be fully automated, the whole industry won’t become fully autonomous in any perceivable future. Instead, the future is far more likely to use flexible cobots, like the BotX™ cobot welding system, to amplify the skills and expertise of the welders. The best way to handle any fears is to remind your welding team that robots need the knowledge that they have in order to be used and that they are meant to be used as their tool, not to replace them.
However, as the demand for skilled labor grows, welding robots will have to pick up the pace. As a result, innovative solutions like the BotX cobot do provide a more accessible barrier to entry so that a trained BotX operator (not necessarily a welder) can easily use the cobot to produce quality welds.
Red-D-Arc has a fleet of over 45,000 units of welding and cutting equipment strategically located in over 70 rental centers throughout the USA, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and Netherlands. Our weld automation specialists can work collaboratively with you to help you automate your welding business no matter the scale.
It may not always be cost-effective to purchase your welding tools, and this includes automation equipment. Sometimes you’ll need a welding power source or a cobot for one job only, or its use won’t cover the ongoing maintenance cost. In addition, as the industry changes, so are the required welding equipment features. Therefore, for some businesses, owning expensive equipment can become an investment into a depreciating asset.
Welding automation has been a hot topic lately, but for a good reason. It’s a way to help your welders produce more while eliminating or minimising weld defects and rework.
Welding automation helps improve weld quality and productivity. That’s a win-win across the board. However, welding automation systems are often specialised for specific applications, requiring a thoughtful approach when picking the right systems for your shop.
Welding automation can be full or partial. For most shops, semi-automated and mechanised welding systems provide the most benefits. Empowering your welders with tools like welding tractors, positioners, or orbital welding systems helps them produce more and repeatedly achieve exceptional weld quality.
For the most part, automated welding systems ensure maximum accuracy and repeatability of the welding process. However, automation is also highly beneficial for one-off jobs because it can drastically improve weld quality and conformity to welding standards and customer specifications.
You’ll hardly find a welding product today that doesn’t require at least some form of mechanisation/automation during production. Pipes, tubes, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, sheet metal fabrication, ships, aeroplanes, cars, bridges, structural members of buildings, wall and deck panels, and many other welding jobs require some form of automation.
Are you interested in learning more about welding manipulators for sale? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
While you could do it all manually, the production would be too expensive and time-consuming.
If an automated system reduces rework, it also reduces the business bottlenecks, allowing a streamlined production process.
What happens if the weld on a pressure vessel has a defect? The inspector, welder, metallurgist, engineer, and even salespeople must get involved more than necessary. The true cost of a weld defect is hard to estimate, but project delays can drag on, especially with new work coming into the shop. That’s why getting it right the first time is better for everyone, and automated systems help you do just that!
Welding positioners can turn and tilt the welded part, automating the part rotation and movement during the welding process. When combined with manual or automated welding, positioners can significantly improve weld uniformity.
Positioner capacity can range from 50 kg to hundreds of tons. Besides welding, they are used for nondestructive testing, cutting, cladding, grinding, weld polishing, and other allied processes.
The most suitable application for welding positioners and turntables is pipe welding or anything round. With precise rotation speed control and a stationary welding head, you can get a perfect heat input and an outstanding weld every time, part after part. It also makes it easier to quote parts as you can quickly develop the feel for how long it takes to weld with it.
Welding positioners are also highly beneficial for cobot integrations. Cobots are a transformative technology that can significantly boost productivity and quality. But, pairing a cobot with a positioner can additionally improve results. For example, ProArc PT-150P is a system designed for cobot application, integrating cobots with the rotational power of positioners. Imagine welding structural supports on a cylinder and having to manually rotate the part each time. That leaves lots of room for error. Instead, use the ProArc PT-150 to harness the power of the cobot fully for all cylindrical welding tasks.
Turning rolls and welding rotators are perfect for weld automation on heavy pressure vessels, smaller tanks, and pipes. It’s dangerous and counterproductive to rotate large pressure vessels manually or using a forklift or similar equipment. The fastest and safest way is using turning rolls. They have multiple PU roller wheels that come in contact with the vessel’s sides and rotate it for welding or NDT.
Welding rotators can also be used for spraying as they allow controlled rotation. So, you can treat the vessel uniformly and safely access its entire surface.
Column and boom welding manipulators are the cornerstone of welding automation. They quite literally hold the welding head static or travel along the joint instead of you doing it manually.
It’s the welder’s job to use the column and boom equipment to produce sound welds, but eliminating the manual welding action drastically boosts productivity and quality.
You can use the manipulator to hold the welding head while the positioner rotates the welded piece or use a travelling beam to move the welding head over a stationary part. Large vessels and towers are usually welded using rotators and a manipulator. The vessel is rotated while the welding manipulator holds the welding head, producing a uniform weld along the circumference.
These systems can also be used for weld cladding to overlay pipes and other equipment with corrosion-resistant alloys.
We have a large selection of various welding manipulators that can be fitted to almost any industrial application.
Welding tractors carry the welding torch/head along the tracks you install to follow the joint. Tractors and carriages are the best solution for highly accurate welding and cutting of large components like storage tanks, ship hulls, and large structural steel members.
These systems are also portable, making them a perfect choice for automating welding/cutting tasks on site.
Tracks can be linear or curved to fully accommodate the weld/cut path. These systems can have excellent traction on horizontal, vertical, concave, and convex components, making them highly versatile. If you plan to weld large components made from thick steel, consider automating the process with welding tractors. Advanced tractors, like theGullco motorised systems, also give you control over the oscillation speed, width, and dwells. We stock many Gullco systems, including the Gullco KAT, for easy welding and cutting.
Orbital welding systems dramatically improve productivity, quality, and weld uniformity compared to manual pipe welding. Even the best manual pipe welder can’t consistently match the quality of orbital welding equipment.
However, the biggest benefit is just how easy it is to weld pipes with orbital welding equipment. Not only does it require far less skill, but it puts significantly less strain on the operator. Manual pipe and tube welding can be very exhausting as you hold your body in awkward and uncomfortable positions for hours on end. Orbital welding makes the job much less tiring, letting you produce perfect welds all day long.
Orbital welding applications range from petrochemical to food and pharmaceutical. If the job involves significant amounts of pipe welding, orbital is almost always the way to go.
If you are welding extra large diameter pipes, you can use a welding tractor with a circular track system to achieve a similar setup as with the orbital welding equipment.
Like orbital welding, welding lathes produce circumferential welds on pipes. However, the working principle is different. The welding lathe rotates the pipe while the welding head is stationary. You can use a single or multiple welding torches, making these systems versatile for small to medium-sized cylindrical parts.
Welding lathes are used for vacuum vessels, nuclear, defence, aerospace, and many other industries where weld precision is critical. We have an extensive line of welding lathes that can fit almost any application, including lathes from ProArc.
Longitudinal arc seam welders are designed to make seam welds on storage tanks and pipes. They can produce welds with almost absolute precision and eliminate rework. Repairing a weld defect on equipment with thick walls can be very costly, making seam welders an indispensable tool for shops considering offering seam welding services.
We also provide resistance seam welders that work differently than arc welding equipment. For example, the PEI PFT resistance welder for seam welding has circular electrodes that clamp and roll two sheet metals between them, causing them to fuse due to the resistance of the current flow. They are a perfect choice for automating the production of gas tanks, vessel pipes, tubes, air-tight equipment, and other products made from sheet metal.
Westermans International has a large stock of used and new welding and cutting equipment for automated and manual applications. Everything from plasma and gas profile cutting systems to submerged arc welders, positioners, manipulators, and welding power sources. We provide individual, modular, and bespoke automatic welding solutions to help you fix specific production challenges.
For more Hardfacing Welding Wireinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.