We are now firmly within the age of automation. As a result, the question of robotic vs manual welding is now on the debating table more clearly than ever before.

Which reigns supreme? Robots or human welders?

On one side of the table we have manual welding. The tried and tested method of welding, backed by decades of precedence and the skill and intuition of seasoned craftspeople.

On the other side of the table, we have robotic welding. The newest contender for best welding method. It boasts precision, productivity, and relentless consistency.

Let’s settle this debate once and for all…

Which welding method comes on top?

The 7 Debate Categories to Spark Discussion

As manufacturers, welding is a crucial aspect of many production processes. It can play a major role in determining the quality of your products.

When you look at your process, which categories can you use to compare manual welding with robotic welding?

Here are 7 categories that we’ll be using to compare the two methods:

1. Speed and Efficiency — The speed and efficiency of a welding method determines how productive your welding process can be. It is a crucial category in the debate.
2. Weld Quality — The quality of your welds influences both customer satisfaction and product reliability.
3. Flexibility — The ability to adapt to different projects quickly is important in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
4. Cost — As a significant factor in all business decisions, cost considerations include not only the initial expense but ongoing running costs.
5. Risks — Every production method carries risks, both physical and non-physical. From worker injury to cost of inaction, various risks affect welding.
6. Detail and Precision — It’s important to discuss the level of detail each method can achieve, particularly for products requiring fine details.
7. Problem Detection — Each method will have a different level of ability at detecting and resolving problems. Faster detection means fewer delays in production.

In the debate points below, we will draw from these 7 categories to compare manual and robotic welding.

Manual Welding: Traditional, Reliable and Adaptable

In the arena of welding techniques, manual welding holds its ground as a traditional, reliable, and highly adaptable method.

Let’s start the debate with manual welding’s biggest strength: flexibility.

For flexibility, manual welding certainly outperforms its robotic counterpart. Human welders can seamlessly shift between projects without the need for extensive reconfiguration. This makes manual welding particularly suited to custom orders and one-off jobs.

Humans are adaptable. This is also why manual welding can be better at problem detection. Adapting a robot requires the input of humans.

The cost of manual welding can also be quite low, particularly the upfront cost. Unless you have to hire new welding professionals — which can be costly and difficult given the skills shortage — manual welding is a process that has familiar costs.

It’s true that there are some disadvantages to manual welding. Increased risk of worker injury is certainly something to consider, as well as lower precision and an inconsistent weld quality.

However, manual welding truly excels for custom, artisan welding jobs that would require extensive programming to do with a robot.

Robotic Welding: Efficient, Precise and Consistent

Robotic welding is the “new kid on the block” — the welding method that is set to become a core part of any welding process. It is a force to be reckoned with in the world of manufacturing.

We can’t talk about robotic welding without mentioning its consistency. Robots are extremely consistent, producing the same high-quality welds time and time again. With this consistency comes faster, more precise welds, and a lower cost per weld over the long term.

While robots tend to be less effective at detecting problems on-the-fly than humans, they are also less likely to make errors as they are not subject to tiredness. Robots also don’t need breaks, so can be hugely more productive than manual welding.

It’s true that robots are less flexible than humans. However, this is why robotic welding is so well suited to routine, higher-volume welding tasks.

Using robots for welding also reduces the potential physical risks, as the human worker is no longer operating dangerous welding machinery. This helps to make the workplace a safer environment for all.

The Verdict: Which Welding Method Strikes the Hottest Iron?

The debate points have been made… so which method is best? Manual welding or robotic welding?

Let’s look at each of our 7 debate categories:

1. Speed and Efficiency — Robotic welding has the upper hand with a quicker work rate and higher output. However, this is less valuable on low-volume, custom jobs.
2. Weld Quality — Robots are a clear winner with consistent high-quality welds.
3. Flexibility — Manual welding wins in this category. Human workers can easily shift between projects without reconfiguration.
4. Cost — Let’s call this one a draw. There are many factors that affect the cost of the welding method, including labor costs, machine maintenance costs, and the varying upfront costs of robotic hardware.
5. Risks — There are risks with both methods. However, with robotic welding, the physical safety risks are significantly reduced compared to manual welding.
6. Detail and Precision — Robots tend to be more consistently precise than humans, so robot welding is a strong contender. But, for artisan-type detail, manual welding is usually the better option.
7. Problem Detection — Humans are often better at detecting and responding quickly to problems… however, they are also likely to make more mistakes than robotic welding.

The conclusion? While manual welding offers more flexibility and problem detection, these don’t fully offset the advantages offered by robotic welding.

Which Method Should You Choose?

Ultimately, the decision between manual and robotic welding comes down to your specific manufacturing needs.

If you are producing one-off, custom welds that require artisan levels of skill, manual welding will certainly be your best bet. But, if you have more consistent welding needs, robotic welding is surely a top contender.

As with many business decisions, there is no definitive answer to the debate of robot welding vs manual welding.

But, you can make your robot programming easy by using RoboDK and our Welding Add-in.

Which welding methods do you use in your business? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post The Heated Debate: Robot Welding vs Manual Welding? appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Established in 1915, Yaskawa has continually marked itself as an innovator through its Motoman series of industrial robots. The company has been constantly innovating in large and small ways, from introducing the L10WA in 1983 (the first 6-axis robot to feature an extra wrist) to the new MotoMini, one of the smallest and lightest 6-axis robot in the industry.

In this spotlight on Yaskawa, we’ll look at how you can program Yaskawa robots easily for your chosen application.

The Yaskawa Story: What Sets Yaskawa Robots Apart

Yaskawa has passed some momentous milestones in recent years. In 2015, it celebrated its 100th anniversary and in 2021 they sold their 500,000th robot. With this rising popularity, many more people are using Yaskawa robots for a wide range of applications.

Founded by Daigorou Yasukawa, the company’s story began in 1915 when it began manufacturing three-phase induction motors. Yaskawa’s robotic journey began in the 1960s with the introduction of various robotic products, including MOTO fingers and arms. Their first full electric robot, MOTOMAN-L10, was completed in 1977.

Yaskawa’s core brand values revolve around the principles of quality, profitability, and market satisfaction. The company is committed to using its technologies to improve management efficiency and contribute to social development and human welfare.

What Industries are Yaskawa Robots Used In?

Yaskawa’s industrial robots have found widespread adoption across various sectors, solidifying its position as a global leader.

Within the electrical and electronic manufacturing industry, companies utilize Yaskawa robots throughout the entire production process, from upstream production to downstream testing and shipping. Their smaller robots prove particularly advantageous for manufacturers operating within limited space.

For industries like biomedical and semiconductor manufacturing, Yaskawa provides specific robot solutions that can operate under hygiene control requirements.

Other industries include food production, logistics, and automotive manufacturing.

3 Example Applications for Yaskawa Robots

Whatever application you are looking to deploy, it’s likely a Yaskawa robot exists to help you to achieve it.

Here are 3 example applications from different industries that people are already achieving with Yaskawa robots:

1. Electronics mounting, welding, and painting

In the “3C” industry (Communication, Computer, and Consumer Electronics), robots are involved at almost all stages.

Yaskawa robots are often used in the construction and finishing of circuit boards. This includes assembly of the casings, welding and soldering of metal pieces, and painting of the final product.

A particular challenge for such applications is often space restrictions, which Yaskawa has addressed with a range of small, light robots.

2. Experiment preparation and analysis

In the biomedical manufacturing industry, Yaskawa robotic solutions that operate under strict hygiene controls with high precision.

One type of application in this industry includes the preparation of biological specimens for testing and running of the tests.

By using such robots, the skilled biological researchers can focus on more high-level tasks like analyzing the data gathered during the tests.

3. Flat Panel Display Glass Transporting

Many applications in the semiconductor manufacturing industry are suitable for robotic automation.

One such task involves manufacturing Flat Panel Display (FPD) glass, which companies use to produce computer monitors, smartphones, and televisions.

Robots are an ideal solution for handling and processing of this glass as even small amounts of dust can jeopardize the product quality.

Options for Programming Yaskawa Robots

Whatever application you choose for your Yaskawa robot, it’s important to find a method of programming that helps you to deploy the robot easily and efficiently.

There are 3 main options for programming a Yaskawa robot:

1. Brand Programming Langauge: Inform II — the primary language for programming is Inform II, though Yaskawa also supports some PLC-integrated options. This is the most labor-intensive method.
2. Teach Pendant — A very common method of teaching Yaskawa robots is to use the teach pendant, which involves manually guiding the robot through movements. It is a time-consuming approach.
3. RoboDK — For a more intuitive and graphical approach to programming, supported by a powerful API if you need it, you can also program your Yaskawa robots offline using RoboDK.

Spotlight on 3 Models in the RoboDK Library

The robot library includes an extensive collection of Yaskawa robots models.

At the time of writing, it includes over 90 Yaskawa models, of various types, including 5 and 6 DoF arms, Delta, Scara, and palletizing robots, as well as external axes.

Here are 3 models that you can find in the library:

Robot 1: Yaskawa HC10

The Yaskawa HC10 is a 6-axis robot that is commonly used for arc welding applications. It offers a 10 kg payload, 1.2 m of reach, and a repeatability of 0.1 mm.

This collaborative robot is designed to enhance current production by adding collaborative welding capabilities.

Robot 2: Motoman MPP3

The Motoman MPP3 is a 4-axis Delta robot that balances compact design and operational reach. It has a 1 kg payload, 650 mm of reach, and repeatability of 0.1 mm. It is also on the heavy side at 115 kg weight.

Optimized for primary packaging this robot is ideal for the food industry as it uses an NSF-H1 certified food-grade lubricants and anti-corrosive coating.

Robot 3: Motoman MPL800II

The Motoman MPL800II is a 4-axis palletizing robot arm offering an impressive 800 kg of payload and 3.2 m of reach. The repeatability is 0.5 mm and its weight is 2550 kg.

With its large payload, this is the largest palletizing robot that Yaskawa manufactures.

How to Program Yaskawa Robots Easily with RoboDK

If you want to streamline the deployment process for your Yaskawa industrial robot, it’s worth looking at using RoboDK for your programming.

RoboDK’s rich simulation environment makes it easy to quickly design robot programs and test them before you put the robot into production. The intuitive graphical interface allows you to quickly create robust programs while the API allows you to incorporate any advanced features you want.

To start, download a trial copy of RoboDK from our download page and load up your favorite robot model.

Which Yaskawa model do you use and for which applications? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post Spotlight on… Yaskawa: How to Program Yaskawa Robots Easily appeared first on RoboDK blog.

But programming welding robots can be a challenge, especially when you don’t have experience deploying and using robots.

Enter the new Welding Add-in for RoboDK!

Our new Add-in makes programming your welding task easier than ever before. With a few simple steps, you can set up powerful welding programs by setting a few simple parameters.

Here’s what you can expect from the Welding Add-in and how you can get the most from it…

The Need for Simpler Robotic Welding Programming

According to a US figures, there was a need for around 375,000 welding professionals to fill job openings in 2023. But, finding these professionals is becoming an increasingly tough job for manufacturing companies.

There is a severe shortage of welding talent in many countries right now. We can attribute this to factors such as the aging workforce, deindustrialization, and a preference for knowledge-based work among young adults.

The impact of this shortage is putting a strain on many companies. It leads to longer lead times for work, production problems, and higher manufacturing costs for businesses.

Adding robots to your welding process can help to bridge the gap left by the lower number of human welders. However, the problem is that most welding professionals have little to no experience with robots.

Human expertise is vital for creating an automated welding process. But welders might struggle to work with robots even when they are keen to learn.

This is why easy programming options are so necessary.

7 Key Features of Welding with RoboDK

When combined with RoboDK, the new Add-in offers some valuable features to help you quickly set up a powerful welding task.

Here are 7 key features you can use:

• Welding Simulation — Welding is an extremely common task, particularly in the automotive industry. RoboDK’s capabilities allow you to create precise, technologically adequate and collision-free welding trajectories.
• Component Simulation — RoboDK allows you to load your robot as well as all the other components of your application into the simulation environment. You can also create other shapes with the Shape Add-in.
• Trajectory Planning — The Add-in helps you create collision-free paths between subsequent points in your welding task. You can simply use the collision detector or you can autogenerate new trajectories using our AI planner.
• Predefined Weld Profiles — You can create multiple welding profiles for different welding tasks with predefined modes and visualization settings.
• Add Custom Code Instructions — Making changes to your program to suit your specific setup is very easy when you add custom code instructions.
• Cycle Time Estimation — An extremely useful feature of RoboDK is that it can estimate the cycle time for a particular task, helping you to continuously improve the efficiency of your program.
• Robot Program Generation — While simulation alone can be useful for planning your robot program, the real power of RoboDK comes when you use it to generate your robot program. When it’s set up with your specific robot model, you can do this at the touch of a button.

These features — and many more within RoboDK — offer a robust robot programming interface for your welding tasks. Additionally, RoboDK’s integration with gantry systems from Lucas France enhances its capabilities further.

How to Use the New RoboDK Welding Add-in

To use the RoboDK Welding Add-in, first ensure that you have the core software properly installed and running on your device.

You can get the latest version of RoboDK from our download page

Then complete the following steps to start your welding application:

1. Start by downloading the Add-in for free from our Add-in Marketplace. You can also load it directly in RoboDK by activating the App Loader.
2. Load the necessary models, robots, and tools into your simulation. Remember that you don’t need to include all objects from your robot’s physical environment. Only include those components that will affect the welding task.
3. Set up your tool (TCP) in RoboDK with the welding gun. There are several of these models in the Robot Library, or you can use your own
4. Create toolpaths and use the Welding Add-in to add specific welding commands.
5. Simulate the robot program and identify which aspects of your application needs improvement.
6. Double-check for any collisions that may have been generated using RoboDK’s collision detector.
7. Generate the robot program and send it to your welding robot.
8. Test the generated welding program on your robot. Note any changes you need to make to your program and update them within RoboDK.
9. When you have debugged the program fully, you can put the welding robot into production.
10. Plan to come back to your robot application after some time to see which aspects of the welding task you can improve.

These are just the overall steps to using the Welding Add-in. For a more detailed tutorial, go to our dedicated page on the documentation site

What You Can Expect With the New Add-in

If you are using robotics to improve your welding application, the new Add-in could be a game-changer.

If you are already an experienced user of RoboDK, you can expect to increase your productivity when programming welding tasks. This can help you reduce the time to program a new welding procedure and have more ways to improve existing welding.

If you are new to RoboDK and welding is your first robotic application, the Welding Add-in will help reduce the time and effort you take to get used to robot programming. With this application under your belt, you can then create even more impactful applications.

Which welding tasks would you like to automate? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post RoboDK Welding Add-in: Sparks are Flying with our New Feature appeared first on RoboDK blog.

At RoboDK, we have long celebrated the advantages of robot welding. Robots can help counteract many common challenges of welding, including skills shortages, weld quality, and consistency.

With the right robot and programming software, you can move to an automated welding process even if you have little to no robotics knowledge. But there are various decisions you need to make, including what type of robot welding you are using.

Let’s look at why we would use robot welding and explore some common types.

Where Are We At With Robotic Welding?

Over the years, robotic welding has undergone significant advancements both in technology and demand. It has been propelled from simplistic, repetitive welding tasks to complex, high-precision operations.

From the development of sophisticated robot sensors and algorithms to easy-to-use programming options that reduce barriers to entry, robot welding is now more accessible than ever.

A huge driver for robot welding is the presence of skills shortages within the job market. This is becoming a significant problem across the world.

Countries are implementing radical changes to combat the shortage, including refocusing goals of STEM education and investing in apprenticeships. However, these are longer term solutions.

Robots offer an immediate and powerful approach to combat welder shortages. They help you get the most from your existing skilled welders.

Benefits of Robotic Welding Over Manual

Robotic welding also brings many benefits over entirely manual welding.

Some benefits include:

• Improved weld quality — Robots can produce higher-quality welds than human as you can program the weld pattern exactly.
• Safer working — Welding can be a dangerous task for human workers. Moving it to a robot reduces the chances of danger for workers.
• Flexibility — With an intuitive programming interface, you can easily reprogram your robot for any new task.
• Consistent welds — A robot will reproduce the same weld pattern every time, making it more consistent than a human welder.
• Better use of talent — With only a few skilled welders on your team, you can use robots to scale your welding operation with a surprisingly short training time

With such benefits, it’s well worth finding out if robotic welding could work for you!

8 Common Types of Robot Welding You Might Use

There are various types of robotic welding, each suited to slightly different applications or setups.

Which you choose will depend on your specific needs. However, you can program all of them using RoboDK.

With the right robot and programming software, you can transition to an automated welding process even if you have little to no knowledge of robotics. However, there are various decisions you need to make, including what type of robot welding you are using. Offline Programming (OLP) is considered the best option for complex modern welding projects.

Let’s explore why robot welding is beneficial and delve into some common types.

1. Resistance Spot Welding

Resistance welding involves passing a strong electric current through two pieces of metal. This heats and melts the metal, forging the two pieces together.

Resistance spot welding, specifically, involves welding individual spots instead of a continuous line of weld. You would use a spot welding tool as the robot’s end effector.

2. Laser Welding

Laser welding uses a concentrated beam of high-energy light to melt and fuse the materials together. This method is highly precise and can be used to weld small, complex parts.

Robotic laser welding is often used in industries like electronics and medical device manufacturing.

3. Hybrid Laser Welding

Hybrid laser welding combines laser light welding with arc welding. This method provides the deeper penetration of the laser welding with the superior gap bridging abilities of arc welding.

Robotic systems for hybrid laser welding are particularly useful for applications that provide high production speed and accuracy.

4. Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

Shielded metal arc welding, or stick welding, uses a flux-coated electrode to create the weld. This method is known for its versatility and can be used on a variety of metals and alloys.

Robots using SMAW can benefit from adding image recognition to detect and repair cracks in the material.

5. Gas Tungsten Arc or Tungsten Inert Gas Welding (GTAW/TIG)

A highly common welding process, GTAW or TIG welding, uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode and a shielding gas to produce the weld. This method is known for producing high-quality, clean welds with an excellent aesthetic finish.

Robotic welding of this type is often used where weld quality is critical, such as aerospace and nuclear power plants.

6. Thin Gauge Arc Welding

Thin gauge arc welding is typically used for welding thin sheets of metal. This can introduce challenges, as thinner material requires a delicate approach.

When programming your robot welding, it may be a good idea to do extra physical testing to ensure the thin material doesn’t warp.

7. Plasma Welding

Plasma welding uses a constricted arc or plasma jet to melt the metal, creating a more focused, controlled weld. [It is related to TIG welding].

In the robotic tool, an electric arc forms between a tungsten electrode and the material, with a plasma gas to stabilize the arc and prevent oxidation.

8. Metal Inert or Active Gas (MIG/MAG) Welding

Finally, MIG or MAG welding are forms of gas metal arc welding that use continuously fed wire and a shielding gas.

Robotic MIG/MAG welding offers speed, efficiency, and adaptability, making it widely used across industries.

How to Program Robot Welding More Easily

Robotic welding has become an essential tool in various manufacturing industries. However, proper programming plays a pivotal role in ensuring its success. Let’s see some key considerations for programming robot welding more easily.

• Choosing the Right Robot and Software: Before you start programming, it’s essential to select the appropriate robot and programming software for your welding application. Ensure that the robot you choose meets the specific requirements of your welding project.
• Offline Programming (OLP): Consider using Offline Programming (OLP) for complex modern welding projects. OLP allows you to program and simulate your robot’s movements and welding tasks in a virtual environment, reducing the risk of errors during actual welding operations.
• Welding Cobots: In addition to OLP, welding cobots (collaborative robots) can simplify welding for end-users. These robots can work alongside human operators, offering increased flexibility and ease of use.
• Feedback and Synergic Functions: Modern welding sources provide valuable feedback on the welding process. They incorporate “synergic” functions that ensure stable weld quality. This feedback mechanism helps maintain consistent and high-quality welds, reducing the need for constant adjustments.
• Precise Calibration: Achieving the highest accuracy in weld position is crucial. Precise calibration of the welding cell and the use of machine vision systems can help ensure that your robot welds with exceptional accuracy

A good place to start is with a programming environment that supports robotic welding. Read more in our article The Simple Way to Flawless Robot Welding

What types of robot welding would you like to use? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post 9 Types of Robot Welding: A Breakdown of Common Types appeared first on RoboDK blog.

The robot has helped you to improve the consistency of your welding operations, reduced the time that welding technicians spend on routine tasks, and improved your productivity.

But, you want to improve the robot’s operation even more.

Is it possible to make a welding robot more efficient? More productive? More consistent?

The simple answer is: Yes!

There are many ways you can update your welding robot to continue to improve its operation throughout its life.

How to Achieve Continuous Improvement With a Welding Robot

When people first start using robotic automation, they are usually looking for a “quick win.” They want to deploy an application that will give a rapid Return on Investment and will make a clear difference to their business.

This might have been what you were looking for when you first began using robotic welding.

But, some people make the mistake of stopping after their welding application is operational. The robot has already “showed its worth” so they don’t feel the need to improve its operation too much.

But, they are missing out.

As with any manufacturing process, it is a good idea to practice continuous improvement with your robot cells. Always be looking for ways to make the robot’s operation slightly better.

Robots are very adaptable so it is comparatively easy to tweak their performance without impacting too much on their productivity. For example, you can make changes to the robot’s programming offline and then upload those changes to the robot only when they are ready.

10 Tricks to Achieve the Best Results with Robotic Welding

There are dozens of tricks you can apply to improve your robot welding cell.

Here are 10 effective improvements that you might want to consider:

1. Automated Nozzle Cleaning

One problem with welding is that it can be a messy process. Although the welding operation itself is already automated, people might still need to clean the torch to avoid the buildup of material.

For this reason, some welding experts recommend adding an automated nozzle cleaner to your setup as a first improvement. This reduces the amount of human contact needed and improves productivity.

2. Cable Management

Some of the improvements you can make will help you to reduce the required maintenance and repairs to the robot welding cell. One way to do this is to ensure that your cable management is up to scratch.

If your robot’s cables are the wrong length (too long or too short) or have been incorrectly routed along the robot’s arm, this can cause damage to them over time.

3. Efficient Gas Management

Gas is an essential part of many robotic welding cells. It is also an area where you can make some small-but-significant improvements to your welding efficiency.

There are now various options for monitoring and automating welding gas management. These can ensure that only the right amount of gas is being used at any given time.

4. Tracking and Data Analysis

Big data is becoming a game-changer in modern manufacturing. There are now more ways than ever to track, analyze, and use the data about your welding robot to continuously improve its operation.

There are many aspects of your robot cell that you could track, all the way from power and wire consumption to the distance traveled by the robot. The most important thing is that you actually use this data to make improvements to your cell.

5. Robotics Training

Your welding technicians and other people will be much better placed to help you improve your welding robot if they have undergone some robotics training.

There are various ways that robotics can help to reduce training time for welding, some of which we listed in our previous article.

6. Wire and Other Consumable Choices

As well as gas, which we have already mentioned, there are a few consumables in welding, including wire and contact tips. You can improve your cell’s operation by choosing the right consumables.

One important consideration with robotic welding is that the robot will keep the welder active for longer than a human would. As a result, it may burn through consumables much faster. You should choose consumables that allow you to optimize this.

7. Wire Feeding

A related improvement is how you use your wire. In particular, the rate at which you feed the wire through the welder will affect the quality of the weld and the amount of buildup on the tip, which will affect the amount of cleaning required.

Over time, you can gradually optimize the wire usage in your robot welding cell more accurately than you could with a human welder.

8. Improved Cell Inputs

Unlike human welders, robots can’t adapt to unexpected changes. If a part arrives at the robot and it is not prepared exactly the right way, the robot will either perform a bad weld or will not be able to operate at all.

You can improve the operation of the welding robot by optimizing the input to the cell.

9. Quick Change Automation

The more time that the robot is actively welding parts, the better its productivity. You can thus further increase your robot’s productivity by reducing the time it takes to move a new workpiece in front of the robot.

One way to move parts in front of the robot quickly is to use an external axis or workpiece positioner, as we discussed in a previous article.

10. Optimized Programming for Downtime

Many of the above improvements are associated with the hardware of robotic welding. However, you can make huge incremental improvements by choosing the right programming system.

To make any change to your robot cell, the robot will need to be non-operational at the time you make the changes. This downtime is sometimes the reason that people choose not to improve their welding robot even when there are improvements that they can make.

But, with offline programming, you can significantly reduce the downtime that happens when you make changes.

There really is no reason not to continuously improve your welding robot.

What aspects of your welding robot would you like to improve? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.

The post 10 Tricks to Achieve the Best Results with Robotic Welding appeared first on RoboDK blog.

But, you might be wondering if spot welding is really the best robotics application for you and your business.

Your current spot welding operation is probably working okay. You have skilled welders who are capable of producing quality welds at reasonably high consistency.

Even so, you want to know the possibilities of robotic automation. Could a robot help you to reduce your defects and reworks?

You are probably aware that there are many benefits using robotic automation. A welding robot can help to reduce your cycle times, cut the costs of your welding operations, and achieve a more consistent throughput.

But, one of the greatest benefits of a spot welding robot is that it consistently improves the quality of the weld in a way that no skilled welder can ever hope to match.

There are several common welding defects that can be eliminated by using a robot for spot welding.

Common Spot Welding Defects and Problems

Welding technicians are professionals with specific skills. Welding is a difficult task and it can take years to reach a high level of competency as a welder.

However, even the most experienced welder will produce defects sometimes. This is only natural.

Common defects that can occur with spot welding include:

• Splattering of welded material caused by loose metal that was burned by the heat of the welder.
• Indentations or cracks in the metal.
• Asymmetrical spot weld marks.

Many people just accept that welding defects will always be a part of the manufacturing process. With manual welding, there will always be that human factor that adds an element of unpredictability.

Sure, we think, we can improve the consistency of other operations in our process. We can employ CNC machines for precise machining tasks and 3D printers for precise additive manufacturing. However, we assume that welding will always remain more of an art than a science.

But, spot welding can be improved just like any other operation.

How Robotics Helps Bring Automation to Spot Welding

As you are likely aware, spot welding is a form of resistance welding that involves two copper electrodes. These electrodes are clamped onto the two pieces of metal that need to be joined together. Then, a current passes through the electrodes to melt the metal together.

Robotic spot welding involves exactly the same process. You will need a special spot welding tool at the wrist of the robot as an end effector.

The shape of the spot welding tool is a two-fingered clamp, with one electrode on each tip.

Robots are uniquely capable of spot welding in a way that would be almost impossible with other forms of automation. Their dexterity allows them to reach the workpiece from any orientation, which is necessary to orient the tool to the exact location.

Spot welding robots are common in the automotive industry, for example to weld the chassis of cars.

5 Welding Problems That a Robot Can Eliminate

There are various problems that can occur with manual spot welding. You will not be able to completely eliminate all of them with a robot. However, there are a few that you can eliminate when you move to robotic spot welding.

Here are 5 examples of welding problems that a robot can often eliminate:

1. Insufficient force — You must apply enough force to the workpiece. If not, the weld will not be strong enough.
2. Excessive force — Too much force on the workpiece can cause sticking and splashing, resulting in a bad quality weld.
3. Insufficient squeeze time — The workpiece must be squeezed for enough time for the material to melt, otherwise the weld will not be of sufficient strength.
4. Insufficient hold time — After the squeeze time, the electrode must be held in position while the weld solidifies before it is released. Otherwise, the weld may move and cause a defect.
5. Insufficient edge distance — If the weld is held too close to the edge of the workpiece, the flash can escape and jeopardize the quality of the weld.

All of these problems can occur with manual welding. Even if the welder achieves a quality weld most of the time, slight variations in their grasp on the tool or positioning of the electrodes can lead to a defect or inconsistent weld.

What Makes Robotic Spot Welding More Consistent

There are several factors that contribute to the higher consistency of robotic spot welds when compared to manual welding.

These factors include:

Precise positioning — The robot will always create the welding spots in exactly the same location. This helps to avoid issues like asymmetrical weld marks. Also, the welds on every workpiece will be consistent.

Consistent weld time — Inconsistencies in welding marks are often caused by the different lengths of time that the welding tool is held onto the workpiece. A robot will always maintain the same weld time.

Consistent welding force — Another cause of inconsistency is the force with which the tool is held to the workpiece. Spot welding end effectors are designed to provide a consistent force with the electrodes aligned in perfect parallel alignment.

Precise electrical current/energy — The current flowing across the electrodes will have a large effect on the quality of the weld. You can set it manually in many spot welding machines and your robot can control it precisely.

All these factors combine to mean that a spot welding robot will be more consistent than a human welder.

Start Programming Your Spot Welding Robot Today

If you think that robotic spot welding might be a good application for your business, you can get started right away.

With RoboDK you can create and program your welding task before you have even purchased the robot and spot welding tool. You can test out the application and decide exactly how you will integrate it into your operations.

For more information, read our guide The Simple Way to Flawless Robot Welding or check out our spot welding example.

What spot welding defects would you like to eliminate? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.

The post Spot Welding Robots Can Eliminate These Common Defects appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Let’s say that you’ve got a task you want to automate. You know that you want to use an industrial robot but you’re not sure which brand or model is the best for you. How do you choose between the many different models on the market?

We have a directory of hundreds of robot models from dozens of brands. We often need to select an appropriate model for client projects or just for making a tutorial.

How do we select between all the different robots?

One of the first properties we’ll look at when choosing a robot is its “reach.” This fundamental robot property affects almost every other aspect of the application design.

For example, the robot’s reach will determine:

• How big your workpiece can be.
• Whether or not you need to use an external axis.
• Where you can position the robot on your workfloor.
• And all the other decisions after these…

But, what is a robot’s reach and how do you determine the best one? Let’s find out.

View the full page interactive app here.

What is a Robot’s Reach?

As the name suggests, the robot’s “reach” is a measure of how far the robotic arm can reach when it’s completely outstretched. In other words, it defines the limits of the robot’s workspace.

It’s important to note that the reach is only a rough measure of the robot’s workspace. It is very common for a robot to have more reach in one direction than another, which isn’t reflected in the parameter. However, the reach does give us a general idea of the size of the robot and its kinematic capabilities. This is why it is a useful first parameter to use when picking a robot model.

The reach is determined by various physical factors about the robot, including:

• The length of its links.
• The overall size of the robot.
• The range of the joints (joints with low movement range can have low reach even if the robot is large).

Which Robots Have the Biggest and Smallest Reach?

If you are going to pick a reach value that suits the needs of your task, you first need to know the upper and lower limits.

In the past, there was a reasonably small variation between the sizes of industrial robots. These days, however, there is a massive range. You can now find robots that are so small they can fit on the palm of your hand and robots so big that they can lift up a 1.5-ton car. Hundreds of robot models are in our Robot Library for use with RoboDK.

Biggest Reach: Fanuc M-2000iA/1700L

The largest robot (at the time of writing) in our Library is the giant M-2000iA from Fanuc.

Its properties are:

• Reach: 4683 mm
• Payload: 1700 kg
• Weight: 12500 kg
• Repeatability: 0.270 mm

At over 4 meters and 12 tons, this robot at the largest end of the scale is best suited to huge tasks involving very heavy, large payloads.

Smallest Reach: Mecademic Meca 500 R3

The smallest robot (at the time of writing) in our Library is the tiny Meca 500 from Mecademic.

Its properties are:

• Reach: 330 mm
• Payload: 0.5 kg
• Weight: 4.5 kg
• Repeatability: 0.005 mm

At the smallest end of the scale, with a reach of only a few hundred millimeters, this tiny robot is targeted at desktop applications. This small size also allows it to be very precise — it has the lowest repeatability value for a 6 DoF robot at the time of writing.

Check Out Our Industrial Robot Reach Tool

We have an interactive tool that shows “Industrial Robot Arms by Reach.” With it, you can quickly jump to the reach that is most suitable for your task from a selection of all the robots in our library.

5 Steps for Picking the Best Reach for Your Task

With all the many options for robot models, what’s the best way to decide which reach is most suitable for your task?

Here is a 5-step selection process that you can use:

1. Determine the Task Needs

First, look at the task that you want to automate and clearly outline what is required to carry it out.

Decide the layout of the robotic cell and work out which route your products will take through it. From this information, you can then start to get an idea about the properties that are required to achieve the task with a robot, including its required reach.

2. Pick the Important Specifications

Not all robot specifications will be important for your task. For example, pick-and-place tasks generally don’t require high precision so the robot’s repeatability is not so important. If space is limited or workpieces are large, the size of the robot (reflected in its reach) will be vital.

3. Look for a Suitable Robot

Determine rough values for the robot’s key specifications as needed for the task (i.e. reach, payload, weight, and repeatability) and list them in order of importance. Then, pick a robot with the required reach by using our Reach Tool.

Remember, the reach required for your task is not going to be exactly the same as the robot’s reach. It’s almost always a good strategy to have a robot with more reach than you need because many robots are less dextrous at the edges of their workspace.

4. Find Similar Robots

When you have found a suitable robot, look at robots with similar specifications.

There are two ways you can do this:

1. Use our interactive Robot Comparison Chart to compare different properties.
2. Use the filters in our Robot Library to find robots with similar properties.

5. Compare and Decide

You will probably end up with a few robots which are suitable for your task. A good way to compare them is to try them out inside RoboDK.

Build a virtual mock-up of your task and test a few different robots. You should soon start to get a feel for which robot suits the needs of your task the best.

Any questions about a robot’s reach? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or in the RoboDK Forum.

The post What’s the Best Reach for an Industrial Robot? appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Welding, screwing, clamping, gluing… there are many different ways to join different materials together. Although automated machining (e.g. CNC milling) has been around for decades, most joining tasks have traditionally required human workers.

But, things are changing. You can now achieve a huge variety of joining tasks with a robot.

Here are 11 great ways to join material with a robot, plus a tip about how you can use your favorite method with offline programming.

1. Roller Hemmings

Hemming is a joining method which is widely used in the automotive industry. It involves running a roller around the edge of two sheets of formed material. This roller applies a consistent pressure which bends the edge of one sheet of material over another.

There are a range of tool options available for robotic hemming from various different suppliers. In March 2019, for example, Comau announced a revolutionary new robot tool — the Smart Hemmer. This follows on from their previous RHevo hemmer and is targeted at lightweight and electric vehicle manufacturing.

2. Traditional Welding

Of course, we can’t talk about joining materials without mentioning welding. Traditional welding methods (e.g. arc welding, spot welding) are very common. Welding works by heating two metallic materials, usually with gas or electricity, which melts the material together. Sometimes a filler material is melted at the same time to avoid gaps.

Robotic welding is widespread. As the Robotics Industry Association (RIA) states “there are dozens of robotic welding processes out there.”

It is very easy to use robots for welding and there are many benefits, including more consistent weld quality, better use of skilled workers, and higher productivity. See our article The Simple Way to Flawless Robot Welding for more.

3. Laser Welding

A related method is laser welding. Like traditional welding, it involves melting two metallic materials together. However, this time the melting is achieved by use of a laser.

One advantage of this method is that it provides high-accuracy and can be used in high-volume applications. This makes it particularly suitable for robotics. Other advantages include the low heat of the laser, the high strength of the resulting welds, and the ability to handle complex joins.

4. Stir Welding

Despite the name, stir welding (or friction welding) is quite a different method of joining materials than traditional welding. For one thing, it doesn’t melt the material.

The process uses a flat, spinning tool which is pressed into the surface of the two pieces of material along the join. The resulting friction causes the materials to soften and mesh together. As it doesn’t require melting the material, it can be used with non-metallic materials, like plastic.

From a robotic control perspective, stir welding is somewhat similar to robotic incremental forming, a process which forms sheet material by bending via applying constant pressure.

5. Nuts and Bolts

The previous methods all join the materials together by deforming them, either through melting or bending. However, you can also join materials with mechanical fastenings. A typical method is with nuts and bolts.

Although is very easy for us humans to attach a nut to a bolt by hand, this can be quite a tough task to achieve robotically. After drilling the hole, the task involves delicate assembly motions to thread the bolt onto the nut, requiring both nut and bolt to be held in place to tighten them.

One solution is to only use the robot for the task of tightening either the bolt or nut and use a nutrunner tool.

6. Riveting

Rivets provide a permanent mechnanical fastening between two materials. The rivet is inserted into holes in both materials and a riveting tool deforms the rivet to clamp the two materials together.

There are various tools available for robotic riveting. Tools like Robo-Rivet are compatible with a selection of different rivet types. Some riveting tools are “self-piercing” so don’t even require a hole to be drilled.

7. Nailing

A nail-gun is a common hand tool in joinery. It’s also a good tool for robotic operation as it only requires the robot to position the tool and activate the gun.

Tools like the Yaskawa Simple Nailer can insert many nails per minute for building wooden pallets. However, you can also use robots for smaller, tabletop nailing applications. For example, this test application uses a UR robot with a standard nail-gun — in it, the gun is operated manually but all the user needs to do now is rig up the tool’s button electronically for a completely automated setup.

8. Screwing

Screws are a quick and easy mechanical fastener, with the benefit that they can be easily removed. Screwing is also a simple task to achieve with a robot. The tools are magnetized so the screws remain attached to the screwdriver tip until they are screwed in place.

Robotic screwing tools are often used in conjunction with automatic screw feeders. These supply one screw at a time to the robot. See this example with a UR collaborative robot and this one from FANUC for a high-speed electronic assembly application.

9. Glue Adhesive

We’ve now covered bending, melting, and mechanical fastening. The final type of process for joining materials is to use some sort of adhesive. The adhesive is applied to one or both of the materials and then they are stuck together.

Gluing is an easy task for robotics as it basically just involves following a line. Gluing tools provide a constant stream of adhesive that can be matched with the speed of the robot to provide a consistent bead size, which is efficient and cost-effective.

10. Soldering

Soldering is similar to some of the welding techniques mentioned at the start of this article. The main difference is that the filler material (the solder) has a lower melting point than the surrounding metal so the process doesn’t damage the material.

Soldering tools are often used with robots within the electronics industry, where components are soldered to circuit boards.

11. Your Preferred Method

As you can see, there are a huge variety of different tools that you could choose to join different materials together with a robot. I’ve listed 10 methods, but for each of these methods there are many robot-compatible tools available on the market.

Once you’ve picked your preferred tool and method, you can easily add it to RoboDK and start programming your application with offline programming.

For instructions, see our article The 5 Minute Guide to Use Any End Effector with RoboDK

What method of joining materials would you like to use with a robot? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or in the RoboDK Forum.

The post 11 Ways to Join Different Materials With a Robot appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Imagine you are using a robot to weld a line with an arc welding tool. The workpiece is large and the weld line is almost as long as the robot’s entire reachable workspace. You program the start and end points into the robot. Then, you instruct it to weld a straight line between those two points.

You press start on the robot program. The robot moves to the start position. The welding tool fires up. The robot begins to weld along the line.

At first, everything seems to be going well. The robot follows a perfectly straight line along the edge of the workpiece.

But then, in the middle of the line, it all goes wrong. The robot suddenly slows down, almost to a halt. One of its joints spins around 180 degrees while the tip of the weld tool stays static.

A large pool of weld gathers beneath it. Then, the robot starts to move again and continues the line.

The workpiece is ruined. It is left with an unsightly blob of weld in the middle of the line.

What happened? It was all going so well!

The culprit was… a singularity.

Singularities are a nuisance for robot programmers. Here are 5 tips for avoiding them in robot welding.

Tip 1: Learn the Basics of Robot Singularities

The definition of a singularity — in mathematical terms — is that an equation “tends to infinity.” When we’re dealing with physical systems (which robots are) this means that the math is trying to describe something which is impossible in the real world.

Singularities can turn up in many systems: the center of black holes theoretically have infinite density; the tip of a water droplet is theoretically infinitely thin; and our welding robot theoretically needs to move infinitely fast when it reaches that dodgy point in the middle of the weld line.

In the case of robot programming, singularities usually turn up in one of two ways:

1. Infinite velocity and acceleration — To complete the move, one or more of the robot joints would have to move at infinite velocity. This is the case in the example I just described. When one of the robot’s joints reaches its limit, it must turn 180 degrees to continue moving in the same direction. In order to keep the weld tool moving at a constant velocity, the motor in the joint would have to spin infinitely fast.
2. Infinite stiffness — The robot moves into a position where one of the actuators would have to become infinitely stiff to hold the robot’s position. As this is impossible, the robot gets stuck until it is moved to a better position. This often shows up in robots that use linear actuators, such as Stewart Platforms, where the platform literally collapses upon reaching a singularity (as shown in the video below).

Tip 2: Identify the Type of Singularity

Most welding tasks are completed by 6R robots (with 6 revolute joints). There are 3 types of singularity which can affect such robots. It is helpful to identify what type of singularity you are dealing with.

Each type is defined by which of the joints it affects:

1. Wrist singularities — The Z axes of the robot’s wrist joints (joints 4 and 6) align. This makes one of the joints try to spin 180 degrees infinitely fast.
2. Shoulder singularities — The Z axis of the robot’s shoulder joint (joint 1) aligns with either the robot’s base or joint 4. As a result, the affected joints try to spin 180 degrees infinitely fast.
3. Elbow singularities — The robot reaches too far to the edge of its workspace, causing the center of its wrist to lie on the same plane as its elbow joints (joints 2 and 3). This causes the robot to get stuck.

Carefully consider the placement of your weld lines in the robot’s workspace. Avoid passing the weld tool through points which would cause the robot to enter these singularities.

Tip 3: Use the Right Programming Solution

Singularities are not easy to spot in your robot code. It’s very normal not to notice them until you download your program to the robot and it behaves strangely. By then, however, you have already taken the robot out of production to reprogram it.

But, it doesn’t have to be like this. You can detect singularities very easily by using the right programming solution in the first place.

RoboDK has automatic singularity detection. It will not let you program the robot to move through a singularity. Instead, it will give you a helpful warning which tells you that the move would have been a problem.

For example, I programmed the example welding scenario into RoboDK and it told me: “Movement is not possible. Joint 5 crosses 0 degrees. This is a singularity and is not allowed for a linear move.”

Problem solved!

Tip 4: Only Restrict What Must Be Restricted

Sometimes, it seems like there is no way to make a weld line without hitting a singularity. You try moving the whole weld job to another part of the robot workspace but, for some reason, there is still a singularity issue.

In such circumstances, the issue is often that you have restricted the robot too much. For example, the orientation of the weld tool may be set to be exactly the same along the whole weld. The software then struggles to avoid the singularity while keeping this strict orientation.

Some types of welding (e.g. arc welding) allow for a little bit of leeway in the orientation of the tool. With RoboDK, you can instruct the program to give the solver some freedom to rotate the tool if necessary. See the Optimization Parameters section of the documentation for instructions on how to do this.

Tip 5: Ask for Help If You Need It

One of the most frustrating things about singularity problems is that they can be difficult to solve, especially if you have only recently started using robots for your welding tasks.

When you’re stuck with a problem, the best thing to do is reach out for help.

Where should you ask for help? In the RoboDK forum!

Our forum is the best place to solve your welding singularity issues. Just post a question in the general forum and we can help you out.

Sign up to the forum here.

The post 5 Tips to Avoid Singularity Problems in Robot Welding appeared first on RoboDK blog.

The construction industry is one of the rising opportunities for robotic automation. There are now robots at many stages throughout the entire construction lifecycle, from robots that can 3D print entire concrete houses to robots which can demolish buildings autonomously.

However, although automation is on the rise, the construction industry is still suffering from a lack of skilled workforce in some key areas. One of these shortages is the manufacturing of steel rebar.

A Norwegian startup named Rebartek is looking to change all that with their RoboDK-powered rebar manufacturing process.

Rebar Manufacturing: A Process Crying Out for Robots

Skills shortages (aka skills gaps) occur when there are not enough trained people in the wider jobs market to fill certain positions in an industry. The construction industry is full of them. For example, according to a 2016 study of one US county 38 out of 41 construction jobs had a skills gap caused by a lack of graduates with the required skills to fill key positions.

“Rebar” is a vital component in many modern buildings. It consists of steel bars or mesh which is added to concrete to improve the structure’s strength. Concrete is very strong under compression forces, but will crack under tensile stress. Rebar adds the necessary tensile strength.

Rebar manufacturing is still mostly a manual process. According to Rebartek, 99% of rebar manufacture is performed by hand. This is especially a problem as there are shortages of rebar workers across the world. In a 2013 study, researchers in Ball State University found that “Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers” had received one of the top 5 highest pay rises within the construction sector in just 3 years. Such pay rises are often a sign of a skills shortage, as businesses have to increase the wages for hard-to-fill jobs.

Robots are an increasingly good solution to filling skills gaps. This is exactly what startup Rebartek aims to achieve.

Meet Rebartek

Max Trommer, CEO of Rebartek, has some impressive experience in the construction industry. He told us:

“I have been working on construction sites for the last 15 years. On my last project, a major bridge construction, we were prefabricating rebar cages manually. I asked myself, could we use robots for this?”

Rebartek uses industrial robots to manufacture high-quality rebar cages at short notice. This automated approach provides a great deal of scalability. According to Rebartek, they are the first company in the world to do this.

But, bringing a new technology to a well-established task is not always easy. New robotic-based solutions often require a pioneering mindset. Thankfully, Trommer has plenty of experience.

Before founding Rebartek, Max Trommer was no stranger to introducing new technologies to the construction industry. He had already developed web apps to improve the workflow of road construction projects and rolled out new project management software to established construction businesses.

With his team, Trommer hopes that his robotic solution will make waves in rebar manufacture.

How Rebartek Uses RoboDK

Trommer explained the whole process to us:

“The raw materials are delivered as straight  ~12m long bars or as rebar wound-up on coils. First, each rebar goes into a bending machine that straightens, bends and cuts it into the specified shapes. Robots then preassemble those into “cages”.

The team’s solution is based around two KUKA manipulators. One robot uses a welding tool and the other has a customized gripper.

The two tasks that the robots carry out are:

1. Pick and place — The gripper robot picks up individual lengths of rebar and places them in the support frame. In this video, for example, they are using short lengths of rebar and welding them into a square lattice pattern. When the weld is complete, the robot picks up the cage using a custom attachment at the top of the gripper.
2. Welding — The other robot uses a welding tool to join the pieces of rebar. As we discussed in a previous article, robot welding has some great advantages over traditional welding and is easier to achieve than many people think.

Working in tandem, the two robots are able to achieve a potentially continuous output of prefabricated rebar cages with consistent weld quality. The team can also customize the cage design to meet the needs of their clients and use a workflow tailored to their client’s needs.

The benefits, as Trommer explained to us, are huge:

“Our tests show that cage installation saves 90% labour and time on-site compared to in-situ installation on the critical path.”

With RoboDK, the team found it easy to program their robots to work together seamlessly. Its offline programming means that they can tackle small series projects, which is a typical challenge in the construction industry.

The Top 3 Reasons Rebartek Chose RoboDK

What was it about RoboDK that made it the best choice for Rebartek? One deciding factor was its extensive library of robot models

Trommer told us:

“RoboDK enabled us to first simulate the process without investing in expensive hardware or software. It also has a good User Interface.”

The team’s top reasons for choosing RoboDK were:

1. It’s easy to learn — We think that RoboDK is one of the easiest offline programming solutions to learn, and it seems that Rebartek agrees with us. They thought that our documentation was pretty good; it helped them to get up and running easily (they also gave us some pointers to improve it even further, which we always appreciate. Let us know in the forum if you have suggestions of your own.)
2. It has enormous flexibility through the API — The RoboDK API allows for a huge flexibility in robot projects. Although many of our users stick to its graphical interface, it is only when you start programming with the API that you can appreciate the real power of RoboDK. Rebartek has big plans for their solution so this was vital.
3. It’s manufacturer agnostic — Unlike many offline programming solutions, RoboDK is not tied down to any particular robot manufacturer. This was a big benefit for Rebartek as it allowed them to properly assess their solution with a UR robot before investing in two large KUKA robots. For more information, see our article Will Offline Programming Work With My Robot? 

What’s Next for Rebartek

Max Trommer and his team have a very promising business model already. But, they are not going stop there.

Rebartek has some big plans for their future. He told us:

“Our vision is to fully automate the rebar prefabrication process off-site. We are developing artificial intelligence for that. Now that we have verified the concept, RoboDK’s API now enables us to automate our programming processes.”

Is AI-powered automation the future of rebar manufacturing? Rebartek is trying their best to make that happen. They might even help to solve the skills gap.

The post This Startup is Tackling the Construction Industry Skills Gap appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Which tool should you use for your robotic application?

In many ways, the tool (aka end effector) is the most important part of your robotic setup. It’s the “business end” of the robot, the part that actually performs the task. People spend ages discussing the benefits of different robot models when they should really be deciding which end effector is best for them.

There are many, many, many end effectors to choose from. Hundreds, if not thousands. This is great because it means that you can pick the tool which is best suited to your task. However, there’s a problem. Because there are so many end effectors, it’s almost impossible to find one which works with your robot out-of-the-box.

To use any tool, you will need to integrate it yourself with the robot’s programming.

How Tools Work With Offline Programming

Offline programming is a perfect solution to improve the performance of your robot cell. It saves you time, which in turn saves money. But, it is sometimes tricky to use end effectors with the offline programming software provided by your robot’s manufacturer.

You would have to be very lucky to find an offline programming software which includes your tool by default. It’s much more likely that you will have to create the end effector model yourself.

RoboDK solves this by making it easy to create new end effectors. Very easy! (see the end of this article for some details on how to make your own end effector). The Robot Library also comes stocked with a range of end effectors, which suit the needs of many of our users.

The Top 10 Tools for Offline Programmed Robots

Although there are many types of end effector on the market, some are more popular than others. Here are the top 10 tools which people use in RoboDK, along with details of which ones are included in the Robot Library at the time of writing.

1. Fingered Gripper

By far the most popular robot tools are fingered grippers. These usually have 2 or 3 fingers and are used to grasp objects and/or other tools.

The Robot library includes a generic two-fingered gripper, plus the Robotiq 2F-85 and 2F-140 grippers.

2. Vacuum Gripper

Vacuum grippers pick up objects using pneumatics, rather than fingers. This makes them suitable for grasping delicate objects because they do not apply squeezing forces.

You can find a generic vacuum gripper in the Conveyor Simulation demo which comes provided with RoboDK.

3. Weld Gun

Welding is an increasingly popular task for robots, as we discussed in our previous article The Simple Way to Flawless Robot Welding. There are different types of welding guns, including single-electrode arc welding guns, and double-electrode spot welding guns.

The Robot Library includes a generic weld gun and a Daihen FD B4. You can also see spot welding in action on our examples page.

4. Paint Gun

Robot painting is one of the classic applications in industrial automation. Think of the robots which spray paint car chassis.

The Robot Library includes a generic paint gun, which could also be used in place of some inspection probes.

5. Pencil

A pencil is perhaps an unusual tool in industrial robots, but it’s definitely popular for hobby and consumer applications. Robot art is a fun application which really grabs people’s attention — as the RoboDK programmed KUKA did in Munich Town Center.

We have two pencils in the Robot Library: one generic and one which is held by a two-fingered gripper. You could probably use these for incremental forming too, as the tool shape is quite similar.

6. Machining Spindle

We’ve been talking a lot about robotic machining over the past few months, and with good reason — it removes some of the most difficult problems of traditional industrial machining.

If you want to use robotic machining, you’ll need a machining spindle! This attaches the machining bit to the end of the robot arm.

The Robot Library includes a Spintech spindle and a Teknomotor C3140C.

7. Assembly Tools

Many of the tasks in robotic assembly can be achieved with a simple gripper. However, tightening nuts and bolts is tricky. Nutrunners allow you to accurately tighten bolts to a specific torque.

The Robot Library includes an Atlas Copco electric nutrunner.

8. Extruder

An extruder allows you to 3D print materials. A common method is to melt plastic in the heated extruder and feed it onto the printing bed. Our users have used RoboDK’s dedicated 3D printing wizard to print a wide range of materials, from concrete to food.

The Robot Library includes a generic extruder.

9. Calibration Tool

Accurate calibration is the key to success with offline programming, as we explained in the article Is Offline Programming Really Accurate? One method involves following a calibration tool with a tracking sensor.

The Robot Library includes a generic calibration tool as well as two API laser trackers, a Creaform C-Track, and a FARO laser tracker.

10. Your Custom Tool

You don’t need to limit yourself to the tools listed in this article. RoboDK allows you to quickly and easily create your own tool to use in your offline program.

There are two ways you can create a tool in RoboDK:

1. Create an “Empty Tool” — For most robot applications, you only ever need to know the position and orientation of the tool’s tip. The empty tool creates a reference frame and attaches it to the robot wrist. The tool is “invisible” but it serves its purpose.
2. Load your own CAD file — If you want a visual model of the tool, you just have to load a 3D model of it into the software as a CAD file (e.g. STL, STEP). Attach the model to the robot and RoboDK will automatically turn it into a tool — though you will probably have to adjust the tool’s reference frame to align it properly.

It really is that easy to make your own tool with offline programming! It even works with a completely custom-built end effector.

What end effectors do you use with your robot? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or in the RoboDK Forum.

The post The Top 10 Tools for Offline Programmed Robots appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Training welders is a bottleneck for many manufacturers. There is a long-standing shortage of skilled welders in the market and there are not enough trainees to fill the gap. Welding training has been a critical issue for some years.

Robot welding is a great option to reduce the strain on your skilled welders, as we explained in a previous article.

But, it takes time to train your team to use a robot. This can make it hard to get started.

How can you reduce the training time for robot welding? In this article, we introduce some of our best time-saving tips.

How Robot Welding Saves Training Time

There are several advantages of using a robot for welding, including higher productivity, product quality, and efficiency. We explained these advantages in more detail in our article The Simple Way to Flawless Robot Welding. However, robot welding can also help you to save training time.

You see, it takes time to train a skilled welder — between 2 to 8 months. If your business is suffering from a lack of skilled welding candidates, one way is to train up members of your own team. Training helps to overcome the lack of welders in the job market because it means that you don’t have to rely on finding new employees. However, training can be a drain both in terms of time and budget.

A robot has the potential to reduce this training time. Robot welders can be trained to complete the more routine welds, allowing your skilled welders to focus on more complex welds. This means you don’t have to train as many new welders for those boring, routine welds.

The 2 Ways to Save on Training Time With a Robot Welder

There are two distinct ways that you can reduce training time when deploying your first robot welder. Each requires a slightly different approach:

1. Efficiently train your team to operate the robot. This reduces the time it takes to train your employees.
2. Use a programming system which makes it easy to program the robot. This reduces the time it takes to “train” the robot for the welding task.

In the next two sections, I’ll tackle each of these individually.

How to Efficiently Train Your Team to Use the Robot

The first time you introduce a robot to a new task, you need to train your team to use the robot. If some members of your team are already experienced with robots this will save some time. However, it’s likely that some members of the team will need to be trained from scratch.

Here are five steps to efficiently train your team in robotics.

Step 1: Pick a Programming Method That’s Easy to Learn

You can drastically reduce the training time by picking the right programming method from the start. Robot programming can be intuitively simple or it can be blindingly complex. A good way to judge a programming system is to watch videos of a robot being programmed for a welding task. If the system looks easy to use, it will probably be easy for your team to learn.

Step 2: Be Clear About the Benefits of the Robot

If your team doesn’t see the benefits of using the robot for welding, they may be resistant to it. Welders on your team may worry that the robot will steal their jobs. Make it clear to everyone that the robot is there to assist your skilled welders, not replace them. Reassure people that nobody will lose their job to the robot. When the team is enthusiastic to learn, training will be more effective.

Step 3: Pick a Clear, Specific Welding Task

Don’t try to do too much too soon. Pick a clear, defined welding task for your first robotic application. Although robots can be used for complex welding operations, you will see more success by selecting a simple task and building your team’s skills gradually by increasing weld complexity for future projects.

Step 4: Aim for Cross Pollination of Skills

The best way to save training time is also a great way to improve training quality: cross-pollination of skills. Get your team to teach your team. This is especially effective with robot welding. The skilled welders on your team will have a lot to teach your robot programmers. Your robot programmers can also teach programming skills to the welders to improve the efficiency of the welding tasks.

Step 5: Have a Training Plan

Planning your training goals is one of the best ways to ensure an efficient training program. A good plan will ensure that you only train your team in the skills which are actually necessary to complete the specific welding task that you decided in Step 3.

How to Save Time When Programming the Robot

You can also save training time by following best practices when programming your welding robot.  Efficient programming makes it easier to train your team and ensures that time spent “training” the robot is kept to a minimum.

Here are 5 tips for efficient robot programming.

Tip 1: Use Offline Programming

Offline programming is a great way to save programming time. We discussed this in the article 10 Excellent Ways to Save Time With Offline Programming.

Tip 2: Use Programming Wizards

Do you want to know the secret to quick and easy robot programming? Programming wizards! These are specially designed software tools which assist programming of particular tasks, including welding.

RoboDK has two programming wizards which can be used for welding: The Curve Follow wizard for arc welding and Point Follow wizard for spot welding.

Check out this example video of the Point Follow wizard being used for a spot welding task.

Tip 3: Use Reference Frames

One of the advantages of robots is that they have a large reachable workspace. This means you can move the welding job around the workspace without having to move the robot itself. However, this flexibility can cause problems if you have to reprogram all the robot’s movements every time you change the position of the job.

You can avoid such lengthy reprogramming by associating each welding task with a frame reference. Whenever you want to move the job, you just need to move one single frame instead of every point in the program.

Tip 4: Check Your Reachability

A surefire way to slow down programming is to try to carry out a weld which the robot cannot reach. Make sure all the points of the weld are in the robot’s reachable workspace.

This is simple using RoboDK which provides a graphical representation of the robot’s end effector and allows you to see immediately if the weld falls within the robot’s workspace.

Tip 5: Test the Program

Test, test, test. It really is the best way to ensure your robot programming goes quickly and smoothly. When you thoroughly test your robot program, you will reduce the time it takes to debug.

Robot welding has the potential to really improve your use of the skilled welders on your team. Just make sure that you have a clear training plan, a clear welding task, and you follow our programming tips. That way, you can be sure that your robot training will be efficient and successful!

What concerns do you have about robot welding? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

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