What is Robotic Welding?

Robotic welding is a type of welding that uses robots to perform the welding process. The robot is programmed to follow a specific welding pattern, and it is equipped with a welding torch or gun, which is used to melt the metal and join it together. Robotic welding is widely used in the automotive, aerospace, and construction industries, among others.

One of the main advantages of robotic welding is that it is highly efficient and accurate. Robots can work at a faster pace than humans and can perform repetitive tasks with a high degree of precision. This allows for higher productivity and improved quality control.

Another advantage is that it can increase safety as robots can perform tasks in hazardous environments, such as in high-temperature areas or in confined spaces, without putting human workers at risk.

Robotic welding also allows for greater flexibility, as the robots can be reprogrammed to perform different welding tasks and can be easily integrated into existing production lines.

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We are all aware that since machines have entered our daily lives, our lives have become much easier. Their role is extremely important and it can already be said that it is irreplaceable. With the help of robotic tasks, we can produce much faster and more efficiently, which accordingly increases profits and saves us time and costs for direct labor. This also applies to the construction industry and in particular the welding of different metals and structures.

Automation in production has covered four industrial groups in which there is the highest percentage of automation: electrical equipment, components and appliances, computer and electronic products, mechanical engineering and transport equipment.

The fact is that in order to compete, metalworking companies must find ways to increase their productivity, minimize defects, and achieve economical direct labor and raw material costs. A good solution, both for large and small production workshops, is the implementation of automated welding machines.

However, the introduction of a robotic welding cell in an enterprise requires careful planning in advance. This is required the fact that the system must work in an efficient and productive manner for the production process to be profitable.

One of the areas where robots are most used is the assembly of various types of details, parts, or elements. Robotic welding systems are widely used in various manufacturing aspects. They can perform high volume repeatable welding processes.

Automated welding systems provide high work speed and millimeter accuracy, which ensures a correspondingly better production chain. Therefore, it is not surprising that the investment in automated machines in production has a very good return.

85% of production tasks can be automated. The majority of these tasks involve metalworking, machine servicing, and assembly. They are characterized by repeatability and can be performed by simple robotic machines. The forecast is that in 2025 employee productivity will reach 10-30% compared to now. Also, the forecast shows that due to the more widespread use of robots, the cost of labor in manufacturing in 2025. will be on average 16% lower in 25 leading economies than they are now.

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Unfortunately, not all industries and economies will reap the benefits of automated production. This is due to differences in the rate of automation introduced with modern robots. The main factor remains the economic difference between the costs of human labor and the investment and operation of robotic systems, as well as the technical capacity of machines to replace human labor.

What is the application of robotic welding in the industry?

Robotic systems can weld both complex electronic modules and simple elements in furniture or any other industry, doing it with a precision better than humans - achieving up to 0.1mm deviation. Any device that is used by a person and controlled by a main processor can be attached to the head of the welding robot.

A significant advantage for manufacturing is the use of robots instead of humans in positions where operations are performed with large-sized devices. At 100% work speed, a standard robot can have a load capacity of 120 kg, and up to 10 cycles per minute. This undoubtedly increases the productivity of any type of production.

Some of the types of welding are spot welding and robotic welding ( FANUC ) of parts up to 3 meters long and up to 1.5 meters wide, one-sided and two-sided.

Some companies are gradually introducing robotic welding systems into their production. They first start with just one welding cell and subsequently add more until they fully automate the entire welding process.

Advantages of robotic welding

The robotic welding application brings many benefits to businesses and is becoming an increasingly preferred option among manufacturers in the industry.

Robotic welding is a type of welding that uses robots to weld two or more pieces of metal together. There are many advantages of robotic welding over other types of welding, such as manual welding. One advantage of robotic welding is that it is much more accurate than manual welding.

This is because the robot is able to weld the two pieces of metal together in the exact same spot every time. This is important because it means that there will be less waste and less rework. Another advantage of robotic welding is that it is much faster than manual welding.

Robotic Welding: Greater speed

This is the first and main advantage of robotic welding systems over human labor. The machine achieves a result that is equal to that achieved by a highly qualified worker but in a relatively shorter time. Speed is one of the many factors that determine the return on investment in an automated welding system.

Higher productivity and accuracy

As most of you will agree, productivity and quality are extremely important in every industry. The use of robots in welding undoubtedly results in greater speed, precision and overall productivity in production. Machines help us achieve consistent cycle times. They have a consistent work process.

With robotic welding, the production process is not interrupted and a better quality of welding is ensured. Robotic welding systems are extremely preferred in cases where a given part has limited or hard-to-reach access. Welding robot manufacturers have come up with a special design to reach smaller areas.

Robotic welding cells ensure high productivity due to the fact that they do not need rest or days off. Robotic welding systems work consistently and thoroughly. They can be moved from one weld to another, making the whole process faster. With the help of robotic welding automation, the manufacturer can save on paying employees and ensuring safety conditions, as well as costs for input materials.

Robotic Welding has Fewer errors at work

No matter whether we use new or second-hand welding machines, they make relatively fewer mistakes compared to humans. Even highly skilled welders sometimes make mistakes. With them, everything is regulated, including the power supply.

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With robotics, a regulated wire feed and greater seam accuracy are achieved. The finished welds have excellent strength and are made in an identical manner.

Robotic Welding Has Less costs

Robotic welding also saves money. Manual welding is expensive and time-consuming, as its proper execution requires special skills and concentration. Such tasks in the industry require highly qualified and well-trained personnel. Therefore, the costs of human labor in this industry are high. The introduction of robotic systems can ease production costs.

Robotic welding systems store a significant amount of energy in their operation. With them, there is less material lost compared to the manual method of operation, which is another important factor affecting the return on investment. On average, 12 to 15 months is an achievable return on investment in robotic welding systems.

In this case, this applies to most businesses, including small companies and those experiencing frequent production changes. In addition, machines do not have breaks, or vacations, which makes production a continuous process and, accordingly, much more profitable for the manufacturer. The saving of materials in automated welding is due to the fact that machines of this type can maintain optimal geometry of the welded joint, which is a common problem in semi-automatic welding and costs money.

Justify that the investment in a robotic welding system is based on how the return can be demonstrated. The return on investment (ROI) can be demonstrated through the achievement of greater productivity as well as higher quality welds.

And achieving high-quality welds saves the manufacturer from carrying out rework, which is often expensive and time-consuming. It is important to mention that after the welding is finished, the welds are cleaned and painted (powder and wet), which requires the investment of machines for this purpose.

The Greater safety of Robotic Welding

Also, manual welding is dangerous to perform and requires safety measures to be taken. Sparks, heat, lightning and smoke make welding a risky task for a person, but no problem for a machine. Through robotic welding, the risk of accidents for employees is avoided, time and resources are saved in ensuring safety conditions and also the cost of the manufactured article is reduced.

Robotic Welding Disadvantages

One of the things that can turn out to be a disadvantage of robotic welding systems is the initial investment in equipment. Of course, the cost of such equipment is high and can prove to be an obstacle for some fledgling small businesses. But no one can deny the long-term benefits of introducing systematized welding systems in production, as they bring long-term benefits.

There are several key factors that are worth considering for those businesses that have already purchased robotic welding systems and wish to upgrade or learn more about the capabilities of their machines. Those shops considering investing in automated welding systems would do well to think about how the return will be calculated.

An option to do this is to compare the current production rate with the potential production rate of a robot welder.

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In this situation, the option of transferring existing manual operations jobs to other parts of the production chain where they could be useful may also be considered. The fact is that up to 75% of the cost of semi-automatic welding is equal to the value of human labor. For example, if this labor is put into other operations to increase productivity, then the return on robotic welding systems will definitely increase.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Robotic welding is a modern technology that uses robots to perform the welding process.

This method is known for its high efficiency, accuracy, safety, and flexibility. It allows for higher productivity and improved quality control, and it can increase safety by performing tasks in hazardous environments without putting human workers at risk.

When considering robotic welding, it's important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks and to consider the specific needs of the project and the available budget and expertise.

Robotic welding can be a great option for certain types of welding projects, but may not be suitable for others.

What is Robotic Welding? | Advantages and Disadvantages of Robotic Welding