Welding Technology

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Welding cobots improving efficiency on the production floor

- May 31, 2024

Marvin Herrera, one of the guest speakers at the conference, was instrumental in introducing cobots to Chicago-based Freedman Seating Co. Marvin Herrera Welding automation is nothing new for Marvin Herrera and Corey Mays, as their jobs have incorporated it in some form or another for years. Their respective workplaces, Freedman Seating Co. and CM Welding & Machine, had traditional robotic cells in place. Both companies have introduced cobots to their respective shop floors over the past few years. It was these experiences that brought them to Ohio State University last October for the American Welding Society’s Welding Automation Expo & Conference. The three-day event featured presentations on how legacy manufacturers can rethink automation, the current and future state of welding, improving efficiency, and welding automation challenges and solutions. Multiple welding equipment and cobot manufacturers were on hand for demonstrations and information. Some attendees also visited

How technology is revolutionizing the welding industry

- May 28, 2024

The welding industry has adopted robots to ensure consistent quality, maximize productivity, and facilitate cladding applications. With the constant evolution of technology and the development of construction and infrastructure, the global market for welding gear is expected to reach over £12 billion by 2026 (over $14.7 billion). Technological advancements in the welding industry can bring a wide range of benefits, transforming the way welding operations are performed. Among many other things, they can increase efficiency, reduce downtime, enhance safety, offer better precision, and improve the quality of welding processes overall. So what are the latest, most innovative tools that are driving the sector forward? Let’s take a look at some of the tech introductions that are already starting to shape the future of the welding industry. Robotics Over the years, more and more sectors have been using robots to facilitate their day-to-day operations. In more recent times, the welding indust

Lasers in the Plastic Industry

- May 27, 2024

Christopher Ogden, founder of Laser Partners UK Limited, based in Sheffield, explores the plastic industry’s hesitancy to introduce laser technology and why it could be something to consider. Key Highlights: The adoption of industrial laser technology has surged since the 1970s, offering multiple applications in the plastics industry including marking, welding, cutting, de-gating, cleaning, and surface texturing. Laser marking allows for fast and precise marking on plastic surfaces, while laser cutting and de-gating offer clean edges without mechanical wear. Laser cleaning presents a promising avenue for industrial cleaning, offering fast and consistent results without damaging the underlying material. Growth in Industrial Laser Uptake The uptake of industrial laser processing since its inception into the mainstream industry in the 1970s has been nothing short of phenomenal, with $5.7BN worth of lasers sold in 2018 and a prediction that this will increase to $14.5BN by 2026. So, what

Guiding metal fabrication’s automation transformation

- May 23, 2024

Texas-based All Metals Fabricating's journey could be summed up in four foundational factors that continue to drive the organization toward its automated future. weiyi zhu / iStock / Getty Images Plus The shop floor at All Metals Fabricating (AMF) began a transformation in 2016. That’s when the custom metal fabricator started diving deep into automation. It already had robotic welding, but in 2016 it made a big leap forward in laser cutting and punching, investing in towers and load/unload systems. Automated bending came next, including a robotic press brake and a panel bender. AMF is just getting started. “You see all these integrated, automated cut-to-bend solutions out there, but I’ve seen them mostly in OEMs. I need to see how it works for a custom fabricator like us. We want to prove that out.” That was Lance Thrailkill, CEO of the Allen, Texas-based, 70-employee operation in the outskirts of Dallas. He and the management team have been leading the automation charge over the

Collaborative robotic welding systems gain traction on the job shop floor

- May 22, 2024

Collaborative robot welding packages are a viable solution for small and medium-sized job shops. They are easy to implement and operate without prior robotic experience and require a lower overall investment. Lincoln Electric The demand for robotic welding systems on small to medium-sized shop floors grows steadily, reflecting the urgency of job shops to make their operations more efficient and competitive in the face of the notoriously tight market for manual welders. This is a relatively new phenomenon. Up until recently, the uptake of robotic welding had been more prevalent in heavy industries. The prevailing perceptions that robots are costly, inflexible, and difficult to program have deterred small-scale companies from investing in the technology. Another principal area of concern has been safety. Like any other piece of machinery, an industrial robot typically operates in an environment safeguarded by barriers, screens, and other protective measures to shield human workers from t

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