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Even though our customer portfolio includes large enterprises and government institutions e.g GE Energy, NASA, SpaceX, ABB, we are certain that we can provide incremental benefits for small businesses who want to implement welding automation systems.
Implementing welding automation can benefit small businesses tremendously. It can provide everything from improving quality to faster production time, which could improve profitability.
Welding Automation is a process that uses systems consisting of motion devices, welding equipment and sensors to increase the production and performance of welds. It helps many businesses, big or small, specifically with speed and quality and even helps by improving weld consistency and quality by eliminating operator-to-operator variation and factors like fatigue or ergonomics.
In this article, we will further discuss how welding automation can help small businesses and other important steps in switching to welding automation.
Benefits of Taking Advantage of Welding Automation
According to Robotics and Animation News, welding automation can help small business by:
- Productivity with better bottom line profitability
- Improving the quality of your product which helps to reduced weld post-processing, welding repairs, and cut-outs
- Bringing raw material costs down by reducing material wastage
- Working with leaner supervisions
- Allowing trades professionals to spend time on more challenging or less repetitive tasks
Automation is an upfront capital expenditure that brings lower operating costs and in turn, long-term benefits
Six Considerations Before Implementing Automation
Before transitioning to welding automation, there are six important topics to discuss and consider:
1. Identifying Your Goals
2. Justifying Expenses to Ownership
3. Part Design
4. Investment in Welding Safety
5. Part Workflow
6. Supervision and Training
Identifying Your Goals
Making a business decision such as this one requires deep planning and a long thought process.
There are numerous goals businesses could hope to accomplish when investing in automation equipment, so it is very important to identify these beforehand. This will ensure success and money well spent. Robotics and Automation News suggests that a few possible goals could be:
- Increasing throughput
- Improving the quality of your product
- Faster Travel Speeds, or
- Reduced weldment post-processing (blasting, brushing, grinding, etc.) due to lower spatter levels
Although the need for welding operators would still be necessary, automation can reduce the need for strenuous welding work for workers. This alone could result in fewer sick days, and potentially the ability to run longer shifts.
Justifying Expenses to Ownership
Justifying the expenses is another important step when considering welding automation. When looking at the ROI (Return on Investments), fabrication shops need to consider the labor rate of each shop and how much a welding automation implementation might save.
For example, workers require training, breaks, paychecks and even time. With automation you can reduce all mentioned factors. Further, the ratio of machine uptime to downtime for part and fixture changeover is another factor that should be considered.
The software gets entered into the machine and it creates work with much more precision and speed than a human worker can, which is one way these costs can be justified.
For less money and production time, businesses see bigger changes in their operating costs and even their sales. There may be items consumers will order a few weeks before an important deadline and it is very important as a manufacturer to assist in producing that item in a timely manner. This provides a level of service clients will appreciate and would even come back for.
Good quality and good production time is always more likely to bring in old and new customers rather than bad quality and a slow production.
Part Design
Part design plays a key role in successfully using automation. 'Automated welding systems rely on accuracy and repeatability to provide the quality and productivity improvements for which they have been designed,' writes The Fabricator.
Usually automation parts are fit for no-gap or near-no-gap. If there is too much of a variety between parts, the machines will take longer to produce a product and will require more readjustment and even more supervision to ensure it still gets the correct job done. That leads to a counterproductive result. The Fabricator underlines this by pointing out that, 'to achieve these results, the parts you are welding also need to be consistent and repeatable.'
While it seems that investing in automation is best done for high-volume low-variety parts, there is another way to deal with higher varieties without worrying about production or quality.
Assembly quotes Efi Lebel, the CEO of SmartTCP Inc. when speaking out on this issue. 'To deal with high mix, you need a machine with a large, flexible working envelope and many axes to handle a variety of part shapes and sizes.' Having a machine such as the one Lebel spoke of requires a large operation window in order to do a wide variety of parts. Further Lebel argues that adaptive welding can be used to overcome part to part variation.
Investment in Welding Safety
Although using these automation solutions eliminates a wide variety of worker related injuries, there are still programs and practices that should be used throughout the workplace. Investing in these programs ensures the safety of those workers who must supervise and sometimes aid these machines. Some of the injuries workers could face are:
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- Burns,
- Electric Shock,
- Fires and,
- Respiratory issues.
The potential risk of respiratory issues stems from the extremely fine dust particles that fill the air when engaging in e.g. MIG & FCAW welding. Providing an environment that will prevent workers from developing occupation-related lung diseases is critical. In addition to making sure you are providing a properly ventilated work environment that uses effective fume extraction equipment, Kemppi insists that, 'the use of respiratory protection equipment is critical.'
Putting investments towards the adequate fume extraction systems can create a much safer and even cleaner workspace. Having the proper tools for workers to access will not only ensure the safety of workers but also increase productivity and decrease the number of lawsuits a company could face.
Part Workflow
Managing part workflow is essential to productivity, and even safety, within the workplace. When the part workflow is properly managed, these automations are able to work at full productivity and allow for almost perfect products.
This is similar to balancing production and training. To reach full potential, accuracy, and productivity, that balance is always important to find.
Supervision and Training
Similar to the importance of having the proper technology, having the correct workers and supervision is just as important.
If an unqualified worker is hired or a worker receives incorrect training, it could result in disastrous events when it comes to both safety and productivity. According to The Fabricator, it is very important to find a worker who:
- Understands welding mechanics,
- Is open to learning how to use new technology,
- Is a proficient computer user.
- Is adaptive to new processes and ways of working,
- Is eager and excited to take ownership of a piece of equipment,
- Is a strong leader who can manage change,
- Is supportive of other workers throughout the transition, and
- Is bold enough to seek out the hardest tasks and rise to the challenges associated with new technology.
While there are many advantages to using automation, the need for humans is still required to ensure a successful workplace.
Closing Thoughts
Before committing to the transition from manual welding to welding automation, it is very important to remember the steps to take:
- Identify your Goals - Make sure to discuss what you wish to accomplish in using welding automation
- Justify Expenses - Is making the change worth it? Be clear as to how will it change current company expenses
- Part Design - Keep in mind that investing in automation is best done for high-volume low-variety parts
.
However, dealing with higher variations can be possible with a large operation window in order to do a wide variety of parts
- Invest in Welding Safety - Protect all workers with the proper tools and equipment they may need to help maintain a clean and safe working environment
- Part Workflow - Find the perfect balance to reach the full potential of all equipment and machinery
- Supervision & Training - Hire qualified workers in order to assist these machines with the process
Technology can always pose great pros and cons in life. As you consider implementing welding automation, remember the specific information discussed in this article when deciding whether or not it is the correct path when it comes to your business.
Are you interested on how LJ Welding is helping industry leading enterprises implementing welding automation solutions? Read our lates blog post on how LJ addressed GE Healthcare's key challenges of weld quality and rework issues with a fully automated custom solution.
How could LJ help you to implement an automated welding solution?
Contact us today!
It is a well-known fact that positioning equipment can assist welders in maneuvering and welding large assemblies. What might not be so well-known is that many small assemblies also can be mechanically positioned to provide the welder with the same benefits.
The principles of positioning are the same for all weldments, large or small. The base product is affixed to the positioning equipment and then maneuvered by mechanical means into a position that allows the most effective welding and assembly. As parts or subassemblies are added, the entire weldment is moved to allow easy access to weld joints.
A properly positioned weldment, regardless of the size, reduces welder fatigue, increases safety, improves weld quality, and saves on production floor space. By moving the weldment using mechanical means and positioning the welding area into a comfortable range, welders are not forced to weld out of position or in an uncomfortable position.
Safety is improved when the weldment is anchored to a suitable positioning device. Cranes, chains, slings, and other nonrigid methods of moving a part might create uncontrolled motion, which can be dangerous. With the help of a positioner, welders don't have to maneuver themselves underneath a possibly heavy weldment, reducing the risk of injury from falling sparks, slag, or parts.
While many welders are qualified to do overhead and vertical welding, downhand welds often require less training, allowing new welders to produce quality welds. Gravity helps the welder in a downhill weld, resulting in equal legs on fillet welds, smoother bead surface, and reduced cleanup and rework times.
By combining a positioner with a welding power source and a torch stand, a welder can perform semiautomatic welding that is productive and ergonomically friendly. The positioner holds the part and maneuvers it under a stationary torch. This torch can be fitted with a weaving device to allow oscillation to fill large gaps or V-grooves. Consistent speed and torch position improve the quality of
the weld with greater repeatability. By using a communication cable between the integrated positioner and a welding power supply, the operator only needs to signal a start through a foot pedal or a start button, and the welding cycle will continue until the signal is automatically sent that it has completed. This method, typically used on a circumferential weld, can incorporate dwell times to
create a puddle and fill the crater. The completed part is removed and another is started.
Regardless of the size of the weldment, welders should keep these five suggestions in mind when selecting, operating, and maintaining a positioner.
1. Remember the COG
Selecting the right positioning device for the job involves accounting not only for the weight and size of the weldment, but also for the center of gravity (COG) and how far it is from the positioning device. COG is the point at which the weldment balances on all axes equally. As the distance increases from the device, more torque is applied to the positioner. The COG changes as the welder
adds material and parts to the positioner, so these changes must be taken into account.
The table rotates by a variable-speed electric motor and can be hand- or foot-controlled. The positioner motor and control should be selected based on the size and speed that are required to perform the desired welding operation.
The positioner manufacturer's specifications will guide the motor and control choice. It's important for welders to check the specifications for both horizontal and vertical loading to make sure capacity is adequate to handle the weldment. The positioner should be able to withstand the largest possible load.
2. Attach Weldment Correctly
How a weldment is attached to a positioning device is as important as the positioner itself, because this is the point where separation would naturally occur. Production fixtures are designed for a specific application performed repeatedly. This type of fixture is mounted permanently to the positioner, and its specific shape allows for easy part alignment.
Round parts often are attached by a three-jaw chuck. The part must not pull away from the jaws when the part extends from the table. Also, the part may expand or contract from the heating and cooling that occur during and after the welding process, which can change the grip that the chuck has on the workpiece.
Fixtures and chucks add weight and distance from the faceplate, which needs to be considered when sizing the positioning device. While the weight of a weldment applies torque to the device, the distance that weight is applied multiplies the torque by the increase in distance. For example, a 50-lb. weldment that is 3 inches away from the face of the positioning table creates 12.5 ft.-lbs. of
torque in the vertical position. If the distance is increased to 6 in., the torque increases to 25 ft.-lbs. at the mounting surface. The increased torque may require a larger-capacity machine.
Many positioners have slots that allow the workpiece to be bolted to the face. Welding the part to the positioner is often a good way to prevent shear forces from sliding the part as it is maneuvered. Any of these methods, whether stand-alone or combined, will work if applied properly.
3. Use Turning Rolls for Cylinders
If a weldment is cylindrical, it is eligible to be rolled. Small turning rolls'powered or idler type'can rotate a pipe or vessel to enable downhand welds. The power rolls provide steady rotation, producing an even circumferential weld. Idler rolls are not powered but can be added in series to support longer pipes and vessels. Often these are used for adding flanges to pipe ends and connecting
pipes and ends to vessels.
The combination of a roller-type pipe stand and a vertical-faced table positioner provides stability and safety when a round part is extended outward. When the rollers provide two points of contact, the weight is distributed evenly, and the COG can be supported.
4. Keep It Flat
Even with small positioning equipment it is important that the unit be mounted to a flat, even surface to prevent it from tipping. If mounting holes are provided, they should be used to secure the positioner to a stable surface to prevent tipping when or if it encounters an unexpected force. A positioner mounted to a workbench or stand must be secured as well.
5. Connect Ground Current to the Positioner
During welding, a ground current should be connected to the positioner itself. The ground current transfers from the table and into the chassis, which eliminates having to remove and replace a welding clamp continuously. Without proper grounding, electrical parts can be damaged and substandard weld deposits made.
The positioner should be compatible with the electric current produced by the welding process. Also, all ground cables must be secured tightly by removing any paint before bolting to the carriage.
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