Categories
Welding

6 Benefits of Robotic Welding

Automated welding offers several advantages to businesses, including reduced costs and higher return on investment. This article discusses the many benefits of robotic welding and how it can help your business. 

What are the Benefits of Robotic Welding?

1. Increased Productivity

A welding robot welding in an automotive space

Compared to manual welding, robotic welding systems can achieve faster results. 

It can improve productivity as the robotic systems get the job done quickly. You don’t have to wait hours when you have robots working—the cycle time is lesser, which means you can get more things done. 

Whether you have acquired new or used robots, the output is still the same as long as the purchased robotic welding systems are functional and in good working order or when you hire the right company to help you with fulfillment. Most importantly, robot arms don’t get tired. There’s no need for breaks.

You can have welding robots work as many hours as possible if you have several projects that need to get done. No one has to take vacations or sick leaves. If you’re flexible or have some people who can supervise, your robotic welding systems can work 24/7. 

2. Reduced Mistakes

A blue welding robot welding a large metal piece

With manual welding, it’s possible to make mistakes. 

Robotic systems, on the other hand, are designed to work effectively and efficiently. So long as the machines are well maintained and in good working condition, they make fewer to no mistakes. 

The weld quality will be exceptional with industrial robots. You don’t have to worry about manual welders’ common mistakes, such as choosing the wrong wires or the size gun or using the incorrect voltage. These mistakes are reduced significantly, which in return benefits your company. 

3. Consistency

A yellow welding robot working on an assembly line

Welding processes are used in several industries such as construction and automotive. 

Before the process can begin, a welding method is chosen. The base metals and equipment are prepped, measured, and positioned. Also, the welder has to be certified, prepared, and trained. They need to adhere to the standard procedures to ensure consistency and also avoid contamination. 

When the worker fails to do proper shielding, the result could be weak or porous. You can significantly reduce or completely avoid the problems associated with manual welding when you automate the process. 

With robotic arms helping, you know that the output is always consistent. You won’t have to worry about other issues or contamination. Robotic automation ensures high-quality output and consistency all of the time. 

4. Safety and Cost Savings

A technician programming a robotic welding machine

When it comes to welding, safety is the topmost priority. 

Welding injuries can occur when the workers don’t take the proper precautions, such as wearing safety glasses, safety boots, welding helmets, and hearing protection. When the welder isn’t careful, they could lose their hearing or eyesight and suffer general burns. 

It’s essential to keep all the laborers safe, or the company may pay for the medical bills or other damages if the laborer isn’t insured. You can avoid all these when with the robotic welding process. Robot arms don’t get hurt, and you won’t have to pay for insurance when you have people working for you. Over time, it can add to massive savings on your part. 

Keep in mind that running a business means reducing all the expenses wherever possible to maximize your profit. A higher return of investment is entirely possible with automated welding.

The cost to acquire robots may be higher, but it’s cost-effective in the long run. So long as you know how to maintain your robots properly, they should work efficiently for many years, helping you generate more revenue for your business. 

5. Robots Can Start Immediately

Robotic enigineers working on programming a welding robot

Whether you’re a startup or an established business, it’s essential to have a good hiring process in place to ensure that you have the right people in your team. 

Welding requires the right skill and concentration — you can’t hire anyone for this. They need to have the training and experience for them to work efficiently and effectively. Also, you will, of course, need to pay for labor. 

You can save time when you have robots working for you. There’s no need to spend weeks or months looking for more people to help you finish projects if you’re an established company. 

No more labor costs too, which is one of the benefits of robotic welding. Most importantly, you don’t have to wait for them to get started. Robots can begin working on your project at any time—no need for training or hiring process. Robots are already designed to do their job the best way possible. 

6. High-Quality Output

CNC robotic mig welding steel parts

 

When the workers are not highly trained or experienced, they may make mistakes or even injure themselves. Major defects can include hot and cold cracking, blowholes, penetration defects, or iron contamination. 

Before starting the process, welders need to do some preparation, take extra precautions, store and handle metal the right way, choose the right gun and electrodes, etc. If they fail, the output may not be that exceptional. 

With automated welding, the output will be of top-notch quality if you have the best robots in the market. In return, you get repeat clients.

Invest in Robotic Welding

robotic welding machine

Because of increased productivity and improved quality, you can complete more projects in less time. In return, your business can generate more revenue. 

If you want to drive more revenue, we suggest investing in robotic welding. And that’s where Glenn Metalcraft comes in. 

We can provide both manual and robotic welding services to our clients. Our team can handle small to large volumes of projects. We have been helping businesses for several years and still counting. 

One of our top priorities is to provide the best welding solutions to businesses. Get in touch with us today to request an estimate for your next robotic welding project.

Categories
Welding

Introduction to Robotic Welding

From the first time a caveman made a tool, humans’ daily lives changed from manufacturing. Take a look at everything around you right now.

Production and manufacturing are responsible for all you see that does not exist in nature. From the chairs we sit in at our desks to the cars we drive, robotic welding has touched many of these items.

At GMI, we’ve invested heavily in our robotic welding automation equipment and our personnel for several years. From handling heavy parts to improving our speed and safety rates to welding as consistently and efficiently as possible, our automation team has continued to impact our customer base. Contact us for information about our robotic welding services.

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Manufacturing Through The Ages

Originally, items were made by hand by individuals. Then in later centuries, by craftsmen in their small shops. Once the Industrial Revolution began in the 18th century, production moved out of those small shops and began in large factories.

When Eli Whitney invented the mechanized assembly line in 1797, manufacturing took off! Eli Whitney is the founder of the concept of interchangeable parts, which significantly increased the manufacturing process. Now, products could be manufactured in a continuous fashion versus assembled one-by-one.

One of the key processes in manufacturing metal items is welding. Welding is the process of joining two pieces of metal using heat and pressure. Welding has been around since the man’s early days. Egyptians developed pressure welding techniques as far back as 3000 B.C.

It wasn’t until the 1860s that Henry Wilde, using the electric sources available, patented the first form of electric welding.

The early- to mid-twentieth century was concerned with developing new, different, more advanced welding processes such as metal spinning. This time gave birth to arc welding, flux-cored welding, electron beam welding, and others.

While the process of welding puts humans in hazardous environments with extreme heat and toxic fumes, this application is necessary for manufacturing. For decades humans were put in danger at factories to meet manufacturing demands.

Then, in 1962, everything changed again. Enter robotics.

That year, General Motors started using the first industrial robot in their automobile factory – the ANIMATE, developed by George Devol and Joseph Engelberger. The ANIMATE performed spot welding on automobiles on the assembly line.

During the 1960s and 1970s, other robot manufacturers like FANUC, KUKA, and Motoman came on the scene. It did take some time before robotics became mainstream in the manufacturing industry.

Not until the 1980s did Robotic welding accelerate. It was then other automotive companies followed G.M.’s lead and started using robots for welding. Finally, industries began to understand the advantages of robotic welding, and the industry only grew from there.

By 2005, over 60,000 robotic welding machines were working throughout North America, mainly in the U.S. While some companies may have scoffed at the high price tag on automation, costs are decreasing as more and more companies switch to robotic welding automation.

With man’s fascination with metals and manufacturing, it is easy to see why robotic welding is the way of the future. It has offered significant advantages in the manufacturing industry for several reasons.

intro-to-robotic-welding-2

Advantages Of Robotic Welding

You can segment the automated welding and cutting market into very specific categories. With this, our robots have gotten faster, stronger, reliable, easier to program, and cost-effective.

Robot welders create high-quality, precise welds. They also boost productivity on an assembly line. These robots save manufacturers money through:

  • labor costs because of their speed,
  • their ability to work without breaks,
  • and their reduction in errors.

Also, they raise any shop’s safety level by getting human workers out of hazardous welding environments, away from the extreme heat and the toxic fumes.

Robotic Welding Jobs 

While welders are no longer in danger, robots still need humans to program and function. And while manual welding may become less popular, humans will always be an important part of the welding and manufacturing process.

The titles may have changed slightly, but the humans who work with welding robots have many positions to fill:

  • Assembly Robotics Engineer
  • Robotic Weld Team Member
  • Robotic Technician
  • Robotics Engineer
  • Applications Engineer
  • Applications Technician
  • …and more!

robotic-welding-jobs

Robots Answering The Need

Manufacturing production is experiencing its sharpest increase since June 2012. As such, the awareness and usage of robotic automation have reached new heights. Manufacturers are taking advantage of the economic climate by investing in capital equipment to increase quality and productivity.

Driven by the increase in demand and labor shortages, manufacturers are looking to reduce time to market and the costs associated with production. This void, along with more affordable and capable robots, has fueled a greater level of intensity within the manufacturing sector for buying robots.

As a result, robotic automation has soared in recent years.

One of the main uses of robots in robotic welding is to increase efficiency, productivity, and, most importantly, safety in manufacturing. Welding is a tricky business because it is always associated with heat, flames, smoke, and radiation. It is a good idea to use robots for these dangerous tasks.

Robotic welding came into existence nearly a quarter of a century ago. Robotic automation is useful in various manufacturing industries. To take an example from everyday life, check with your car manufacturer to see how it was produced—likely using an assembly line technique using robots with long spider-like arms quickly moving and joining parts together to create your vehicle.

At GMI, we’ve invested heavily in our robotic welding automation equipment and our personnel for several years. From handling heavy parts to improving our speed and safety rates to welding as consistently and efficiently as possible, our automation team has continued to impact our customer base. Contact us for information about our robotic welding services.