Collaborative robot welding systems come of age

The flexibility and ease-of-programming of cobot-based welding systems make them especially well-suited for low-volume/high-mix environments, as well as custom or small-template welding processes. But with high accuracy and repeatability, these systems can also handle long runs with consistent quality. Welding tasks can be programmed in as little as half an hour by workers who have no previous experience, and programs can be saved and reused, saving the expense of trained robot programmers. Lightweight cobot welders can be mounted on tabletops, hung from ceilings or installed into existing welding booths, offering more flexibility than manual welders or traditional fixed robots. Several companies have already announced cobot welding systems.

Introducing SnapWeld

Universal Robots (UR) and ARC Specialties recently announced the first collaborative MIG welding system in the USA. The SnapWeld Collaborative Robot Welding package is a cobot-assisted, interactive welding system that can be deployed in existing manual welding booths, so it eliminates the need for costly new robotic cells. The system is excellent for small job shops that are struggling with the budget, programming and space requirements of traditional welding robots.

The SnapWeld system includes a Profax wire feeder and water-cooled torch for welds up to 600A, along with the UR robot. One of the big advantages of using cobots for a welding application is the ease of programming. SnapWeld was developed with and verified by Universal Robots through the UR+ platform, facilitating direct software integration into the UR programming environment and enabling advanced settings to be easily programmed directly on the robot's teach pendant.

John Martin, Vice President of ARC Specialties, a Certified Systems Integrator of UR robots, comments: "We are getting a lot of requests for integrating Universal Robots in welding booths, so we saw this as a unique opportunity to develop an integrated low-cost system for gas metal arc welding (GMAW) applications that no one else in the market is currently offering."

Settings include features such as wire-feed speed and burn-back time, gas-flow time, and crater-fill time, with instant feedback on welding volts and amps. The result is a fully integrated, low-cost system for gas metal arc welding (GMAW) applications that is excellent for low-volume/high-mix shops. Once a path is taught, SnapWeld moves along the defined path and welds only at specified stitch areas.

CoWelder cobot welding system

Available from Migatronic in Denmark, the CoWelder cobot welding system includes a UR5 or UR10 robot, depending on payload and reach requirements, along with a Migatronic power source, start/stop safety box, and Migatronic welding torch and torch holder.

The system fits on a tabletop, making it excellent for even small workshops, with simple set-up and programming for significant savings over traditional complex robotic systems. The robotic welder ensures uniformity in series production, but it is so fast and easy to reprogram that it provides value even for small batches. For high-mix situations, shops can build a library of programs for different workpieces and easily switch among them during a workday.

Migatronic customer Sebastian Jacobsen, Project Manager at Jyden Bur A/S, Denmark, says: "We can program new workpieces in no time. It really only takes 30 minutes for us to program a new workpiece and a few seconds to recall already stored programs. I do not think it can get any easier."

Speaking of productivity gains, Jens Christian Lgsgaard, General Manager of MVI Maskinfabrik in Denmark, states: "Our time saved per workpiece is about 50 per cent. We produce from ten to 1000 workpieces at a time. Our efficiency gains are 30 to 40 per cent owing to the easy switching between programs and welded workpieces. And this is just the beginning."

As integrators look to provide high-ROI automation systems, welding is a clear target. And integrators around the world are looking first to UR for the cobots to power their collaborative welding systems. Additional systems have been announced by the Dutch integrator Cobot Automation and USA-based Scott Automation (parent company of RobotWorx).

Follow the link for more information about Universal Robots and welding packages.