Advancements have allowed robotics
and laser technology to be used for
precise welding and cutting
W
hen industrial robotics were
originally conceived, they were
designed to use hydraulic actu-
ators and vacuum tubes. While functional,
the applications for these robots were
limited. As technology progressed, the
use of hydraulics eventually gave way
to faster and more precise electric servo
motors. Similarly, vacuum tubes were
replaced by transistors and microcom-
puters. And the various devices used to
record the robot’s physical position have
evolved into resolvers and encoders.
As various robot manufacturers ramped
up production, improvements to speed,
precision and reliability continued to
ramp up as well. Lighter and more rigid
castings were used. These, along with
higher precision gear boxes and servo
motors, have allowed robots to continue
to shrink in size, handle larger payloads
and have a smaller footprint on the
manufacturing floor. Applications where
hard automation used to be the only
solution now have robotic solutions.
Fanuc robots performing laser guided
dual arc welding.
For instance, in the automotive industry,
hard automation was used exclusively to
move parts of the vehicle or the entire
vehicle from one line to another or from
one station to another. Now, robots can
lift the entire vehicle and reposition it
as needed. This solution is considerably
more cost effective than hard automation
and very easy to adapt to model changes
or multiple models on the same
production line.
All of these robotic advancements help
increase productivity, decrease cost of
ownership and reduce capital expense
while also improving the useful life of
the machine.