FOCUS ON AUTOMATION
“ Can cobots attract more young talent to welding ?”
CWC-mobile cobot welding system with extraction and movable housing for welding large and small components . Equipped with retractable transport rollers , the system can be transported to the component .
By
Fronius International GmbH
Welding remains a vital joining process in the metalworking industry ; it requires in-depth specialist knowledge and skill . Despite the attractive salary , the number of young people taking up this profession continues to decline as it is often regarded as unappealing , harmful to health and dirty . This is where cobots come in ; not only do they make welding more interesting and safe but they also make it more profitable , even for small batch sizes .
Today , there are several types of cobot ( collaborative robot ): mobile individual workstations or fully enclosed one or twostation solutions . A diverse range of technical equipment is available including robot tracks , turn / tilt positioners , automatic extraction systems and safety doors . High-tech welding machines , processes and software solutions for offline programming frequently form part of standard equipment now .
Times have changed and welding is increasingly becoming a high-tech profession . As well as increasing productivity in commercial and industrial enterprises , welding automation will counteract the growing shortage of skilled workers and make the profession cleaner , safer and more appealing . The career ladder for welders is now high and ranges from a welding specialist to an International Welding Engineer ( IWE ).
Benefits of cobot welding systems
Even the best welding professionals cannot produce welds around the clock with a consistent level of quality . Cobots , on the other hand , master this task with ease and guarantee 100 % reproducible , identical welds . Equipped with modern welding machines from Fronius ( such as the TPS 400i CMT or
CWC-mobile welding an excavator bucket ( Fronius product rendering ).
THE COBOT REVOLUTION
Fronius outlines how advanced cobot technology is tackling the shortage of skilled workers .
the Multi-process version iWave 400i AC / DC CMT ), a wide range of metals can be welded . This includes steel , stainless steel , aluminium , copper and titanium . Welding packages such as Low Spatter Control ( LSC ), Pulse Multi- Control ( PMC ) or Cold Metal Transfer ( CMT ) can also be used .
The LSC function produces a modified , low-spatter dip transfer arc with an increased deposition rate . PMC offers an optimised pulsed arc , with stabilisers for penetration and arc length ensuring high welding quality and welding speeds . CMT combines a new type of droplet detachment with a reversing wire motion , whereby the heat input is lower than with a conventional dip transfer arc . This makes the process particularly suitable for thin sheet welding .
“ One of the major advantages of cobot welding systems , especially the Fronius systems , is how easy and intuitive it is to program the welding processes . This makes it much easier to get started with automated welding ,” emphasised Christian Neuhofer , IWS Product Manager , Fronius International .
Simplified programs
To program an industrial robot , you need both welding experience and sound programming skills . However , this is not the case for cobots . With Fronius systems , users simply grab the welding torch , guide it to the starting point , select the right welding torch position and press the ‘ save ’ button on the control handle .
54 | ismr . net | ISMR February 2025