AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
An eye on automation
This is where collaborative robots , or cobots , take their cue …
Automated welding has existed for several decades although , for a long time , it was available only for specific use cases . For example , robots were created to help weld the inside of ships in the 1980s . Today , automation is widely used by welders . According to the International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ), welding applications represented almost one in five of all new robot installations in 2021 , with most uses in the automotive industry .
But , with so much nuance required on the job , tackling the skills ’ shortage by completely replacing humans with automated welding machines is not the answer . The industry needs a collaborative approach where welders work alongside smaller , cost-effective collaborative robots ( cobots ) to help augment welders ’ productivity and solve the skills ’ shortage .
Cobot welding solutions
Olympus Technologies Ltd , one of Universal Robots ’ UK partners , helps manufacturing companies to deploy robotics . With new collaborative welding robots going into commission every month , it has helped companies like Storth Machinery ( an agricultural management company ) to develop and build easy-to-use robotic welding solutions .
As Adam Swallow , Director and Co-Owner , Olympus Technologies , commented : ” Working with Storth Machinery and Universal Robots , we created a turnkey robotic welding solution that was fully operational within two months and the results speak for themselves . Not only did Storth double productivity , but two skilled welders were released onto higher value welding processes . The two cobot solutions
Raymath , a sheet-metal fabricator in Ohio , has deployed THG Automation ’ s systems for TIG and MIG welding with UR10e cobots . The company also has two ProCobot cells with a UR10e cobot for tending Hurco CNC machines .
Above and right : Welding in the 1900s ( images :
U . S . National Archives and Records Administration ).
that we designed have taken on basic welding tasks , such as producing scraper parts , and their qualified welders have been reallocated to specialist fabrication jobs with much higher margins . Retention is better and the team is able to focus on much more interesting work .”
After all , welding is not just about meeting production demand : manufacturing requires creativity and problem-solving skills to create quality output .
A DIY Vectis Cobot Welding Tool powered by a Universal Robots UR10e collaborative robot at MT Solar .
Even with widely available technology in place , cobot welding has only started to become more widespread in the last five years . Delayed adoption is partly a matter of awareness and partly due to the highly skilled nature of welding . It ’ s arguably harder to see the role of automation in a craft such as welding than in some other manufacturing activities ( such as lifting , packing and dispensing ). In reality , a cobot is just a tool , similar to an artist and their brush . It completes repetitive tasks , rather than taking over the artistic element of the role .
Tackling today ’ s challenges
With the demand for high-mix and lowvolume metalwork rising , and a growing shortage of skilled workers , manufacturers should put collaborative welding at the forefront of their sector ’ s evolution . With accessible technology in place , the trade will be well placed to meet future challenges head-on .
In the face of an ageing workforce and low numbers of new trainees entering the profession , welders have an opportunity to shape the future of the industry with cobot technology . Not only can automation empower welders to make more of their art , it can also improve job satisfaction . By removing the repetitive and dangerous parts , skilled tradespeople can get on with the task at hand .
By easing the physical strain and monotony of certain welding work , cobots could also help to tackle workforce shortages by keeping experienced welders working for longer and bringing in younger talent that is excited by the prospect of using collaborative technology . n
ISMR September 2023 | ismr . net | 43