Automatic welding - how to integrate welding robots into an existing production line?

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

TL;DR:

• Automation ensures repeatability and higher quality of welds
• Works can work 24/7, which contributes to faster delivery times
• Even in small and medium-sized companies increases production flexibility
• Key is the proper preparation of processes and training of the team
• Integration with ERP/MES systems allows full production monitoring

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Why is automatic welding becoming so popular?
• Key steps in integrating welding robots into an existing line
  • Process audit and requirements analysis
  • Choosing the right equipment
  • Robotic workstation design and software integration
  • Testing, optimisation and training of the team
• Examples of the use of automatic welding in practice
• How to assess the cost-effectiveness of automatic welding?
• The most common challenges and mistakes during implementation
• Solutions offered by Michale Automatics
• Practical conclusions and recommendations
• Summary
• FAQ

Introduction

Automated welding, also increasingly referred to as welding robotisation, has rapidly become one of the most widely implemented solutions in industry. It speeds up production processes, guarantees reproducible weld quality and helps reduce labour costs associated with inefficient manual tasks. Today, with many companies seeking to automate and optimise processes, integrating robotic welding into an existing production line is becoming one of the key steps in the development of industrial enterprises.

In this article, you will learn the most important aspects of welding robot integration, including: how to prepare for implementation, the benefits of automated welding and how to carry out the entire process step by step. We will also mention why Michale Automatyka - the official distributor of SIASUN robots - pays so much attention to standardisation and customer cooperation. After reading the article, you will have a clear understanding of whether and how such an implementation can support increased productivity and lower production costs in your company.

Why is automatic welding becoming so popular?

Automated welding - which includes robotised arc welding (MIG/MAG, TIG), plasma or hybrid welding - has been gaining ground over the years in industries such as automotive, metallurgy, aerospace and many other production sectors. Among the many advantages of this technology, the following come to the fore:

1. Repeatability and quality
   The fully automated process ensures that the appearance and performance of the weld is consistent. Even a small deviation can result in the rejection of an entire batch of semi-finished or finished product. With human labour, such quality differences can occur due to fatigue, lack of focus or technical limitations. The robot is able to work continuously with repeatable accuracy, effectively minimising the number of rejects.
2. Increasing productivity
   The move to automated welding speeds up the production cycle significantly. Robots can even carry out welding processes 24/7, reducing downtime and providing the opportunity to deliver orders within shorter timescales.
3. Reducing labour costs
   In an era of staff shortages and rising employee wages, robotic welding can be the perfect answer to reducing operating costs. While the initial investment in a robot and other automation components can be significant, over the following months and years, the significant savings can exceed even the boldest initial assumptions.
4. Improving worker safety
   The welding process always involves some risk, such as exposure to harmful UV radiation, high temperatures or the possibility of contact with heated metal. Automation makes workers less exposed to direct exposure to these factors, thus improving the overall safety level in the plant.
5. Ease of integration with other systems
   Welding robot manufacturers - including SIASUN, whose robots are distributed by Michale Automatika - are offering increasingly sophisticated tools for integration with ERP, MES or vision systems. This makes it possible to track and report on the status of production in real time, as well as intelligently adapting the welding process to multiple variables.

Key steps in integrating welding robots into an existing line

Integrating automated welding is not just about connecting the robot itself to a power source or control station. To fully exploit the potential of robotisation, it is necessary to approach the project methodically and to analyse a number of technical, financial or organisational issues.

Process audit and requirements analysis

The first step is a sound review of production processes, including those not directly involving welding. Questions need to be answered:

• Which welding parameters (type, material thickness, weld types) are crucial for the company?
• Is the current welding process sufficiently well described and measurable?
• Are the parts to be welded fairly homogeneous, or are they made up of short series where flexibility is most important?
• What level of precision does the final product require?

Equally important will be an analysis of how - and if at all - the robot can be plugged into the existing production line. It is not always necessary to completely redesign the factory layout. Often, it is sufficient to design the electrical and mechanical plan so as to introduce the robot as a 'welding station' at a suitable point in the process line. At Michale Automatika, we generally carry out such work on the basis of 3D concepts and production demand analyses.

Choosing the right equipment

The matching of the welding equipment (power sources, torch type or cooling systems) and the robot itself (most standards are six-axis robots with payloads of a few to several tens of kilograms) should be dictated by the specifics of the production. For example, if a company spoils itself in the construction of steel tanks with a diameter of more than 1 m, the robot's reach and kinematics characteristics must be particularly well suited.

Even a minor mismatch can cause significant complications: the need to install swivels, difficulty in getting the torch into hard-to-reach areas, or conflict between the tool and the workpiece itself. For this reason, it is advisable to work with trusted integrators who can help select the right components. Michale Automatika - using SIASUN's extensive range of robots - is able to match a specific robot model to a company's project requirements.

Robotic workstation design and software integration

In order to make automatic welding fully functional, the selection of equipment alone is not enough. It is necessary to design and build a workstation taking into account, among other things:

• Security systems (guards, curtains, possible fencing);
• Positioners and rotary tables (if required);
• Consistent control and communication between the robot, welder and other peripherals;
• Integrated measurement system (e.g. vision system or laser sensors for geometric tracking of the workpiece).

The integration of welding robots into the ERP/MES system is often forgotten. However, this is extremely important for the fast and efficient flow of production data (e.g. on material consumption, quality deviations). A vision system, on the other hand, can be used to recognise and position workpieces or to verify the correctness of a weld "on the fly".

Testing, optimisation and training of the team

Before automatic welding becomes a mainstay of production, meticulous testing of the newly built station is required: from a general safety assessment, to weld quality checks, to simulation of various scenarios (e.g. when the cooling system shuts down or when the torch fails). Practice shows that such procedures avoid many costly errors and increase the overall efficiency of the project.

No less important is the training of employees. Even the most advanced robot will not solve all the problems if the operators or maintenance technicians are not knowledgeable:

• How do you programme robot paths?
• How to choose welding parameters (current, arc types, etc.)?
• How to deal with possible emergency alarms and burner maintenance?

Michale Automation attaches great importance to this stage. We know from experience that stable cooperation on the human-robot line translates into higher production quality.

Examples of the use of automatic welding in practice

Automotive industry - faster production of steel components

An example that is often cited is the automotive industry. Components such as wishbones, load-bearing beams, exhaust systems or seat supports have to be manufactured with high repeatability and precision. With high production volumes, the welding robot is indispensable - it enables cycle times to be significantly reduced, thereby increasing plant productivity.

Metallurgical industry - GMAW (MIG/MAG) and multi-axis robots

In steelworks or structural manufacturing companies, a robot can be set up at the laser cutting machines so that it takes over the parts and performs the necessary support welds. In this way, the steel sheet is cut, pre-bent and then advanced automatically welded in one process line. Adequate synchronisation reduces the risk of downtime and minimises the need to store semi-finished products.

Small series and flexibility in medium-sized companies

Automatic welding is not just the domain of large corporations. It is also increasingly appreciated by medium-sized and smaller companies, where flexibility and quick line changeovers are key. Modern welding robots allow the saving of a number of programmes and parameters, so that one day you can weld a series of steel parts and the next afternoon you can devote the next afternoon to aluminium parts - of course, while maintaining the appropriate technological requirements (for example, the selection of the right gas, wire and torch).

How to assess the cost-effectiveness of automatic welding?

The cost-effectiveness of automated welding depends largely on the scale of production, labour costs and the level of automation in a given plant. One tool that facilitates the calculation of profitability is the ROI (Return on Investment) calculator. In the welding industry, it takes into account, among other things:

• Cost of purchasing and integrating the robot (e.g. robot arm, control system, welder, tooling).
• The number of man-hours spent so far on welding processes and possible repair of deficiencies.
• The extent of any missing or defective welds in the manual process.
• Expected service life of the robotic installation (including service costs).

If you want to check the return on investment of robotic welding in your plant, it is worth reaching out to special tools or consultancy services. For example, the following is available on our website ROI calculator for welding robotisation. It will give you a rough idea of how long such a project can take to pay for itself.

The most common challenges and mistakes during implementation

Despite a number of benefits, the introduction of robotic welding is not without pitfalls. It is worth preparing for them in advance.

1. Underestimation of costs and implementation time
   It is often heard that robotic welding is 'just buying a robot arm and a welding machine'. Unfortunately, it is very important to integrate and create appropriate welding stations. The implementation plan must take into account, among other things, tooling costs, possible construction work in the factory, operator training costs or an extended testing phase.
2. Omission of health and safety upgrades
   Automatic welding, despite appearances, also requires extensive safety systems. In the past, there were cases of stations being left open with nothing but a warning barrier. Nowadays, the standards are much stricter: you have to take into account curtain lights, locking in case the safety gates are opened, or proper extraction of welding gases and fumes.
3. Failure to fully involve the team in the process
   Welding infrastructure is a complex part of the line, and welding robotisation is changing the way fitters, quality controllers and operators work in other parts of the plant. So it is worth building team awareness of the changes from the outset and making sure employees know why the integration of a welding robot is so important.
4. Station maintenance too infrequent
   The condition and cleanliness of the welding torch, the cooling control or the replacement of small consumable parts have a huge impact on the quality and efficiency of the entire process. It is worth taking care of regular maintenance and professional service support. We encourage you to make use of our services service and maintenance of postsThis is particularly important in the case of intensive robot operation, which often extends to three shifts a day.

Solutions offered by Michale Automatics

Michale Automation has specialised for years in the construction of machines and production lines, including the implementation of automatic welding. We are also an official distributor of SIASUN robots. As a result, our proposals range from design to integration and long-term maintenance.

In practice, this means that the customer receives comprehensive support: from initial technical assumptions and simulations, through construction and bench configuration, to staff training. The high reliability and versatility of our solutions allows us to fulfil orders even under difficult industry conditions (e.g. short production batches or materials with large thickness ranges).

Of particular interest is our offer of welding robotisation. We tailor each project to the specific characteristics of the company: we focus on ergonomics, ease of changeover and high availability of the workstation in the production cycle.

Practical conclusions and recommendations

• Start with an audit - carefully analyse your company's processes to know which areas (and specific products) are worth robotising first.
• Run simulations - In many modern platforms, it is possible to prepare a virtual model of the production line and check real cycle times.
• Plan your security system - automated welding requires stringent standards to be met, as the robot and hot parts are in the same working area.
• Ensure training - operators and maintenance departments need to know how to really exploit the potential of modern welding machines and robots.
• Bet on service - Regular inspection and maintenance are essential to fully maintain the precision and safety of the process.
• Bet on integration with IT systems - if an ERP or MES system is already in place in the plant, it is worth incorporating the data from the welding robots into production reports and analyses.

Summary

Automatic welding is an extremely promising solution in today's industrial plants. The integration of welding robots into an existing production line makes it possible to improve quality and production efficiency, as well as to manage labour costs and safety more easily. However, proper planning of the implementation process determines whether the investment will bring the expected return and exploit the full potential of the technology.

If you are considering a specific project, we encourage you to also take a look at our robotisation services in other areasto gain a broader perspective on how robots can help in various stages of production. At Michale Automatika, we will be happy to answer additional questions, show you specific case studies and offer tailored solutions.

So is it worth investing in automated welding? For many businesses, it is an opportunity to move to the next level of efficiency. We hope that, after this article, you already know how to go about the whole integration process and what to pay special attention to. If you would like more details, please do not hesitate to contact us - together we will find the most advantageous configuration, taking into account your business goals and the specifics of your industry.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more articles on automation and robotics - welding is just the beginning!

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FAQ

How long does it take to implement automatic welding?
Implementation time depends on the scale and complexity of the project. Small, simple systems can be up and running in as little as a few weeks, more complex lines require several months for proper integration.

Will automated welding work well for short production runs?
Yes. Today's welding robots have the ability to quickly changeover and save multiple programmes. This allows companies running smaller, varied batches to make effective use of robotisation.

What skills does a welding robot operator need to have?
The operator should be familiar with basic path programming and welding parameters (MIG/MAG, TIG, etc.). Knowledge of health and safety and torch maintenance is also useful. Robot implementation companies, such as Michale Automatics, usually offer comprehensive training.

Is a health and safety upgrade necessary with robotic welding?
Definitely yes. The area in which the robot operates and the high temperature and welding radiation require appropriate guards, curtains and safety interlocks, in accordance with current standards.