When done properly, mechanical welding can enhance a company’s productivity, thereby improving the firm’s profit margin. However, the core of robotic welding is programming, and manufacturers not well versed in programming can have a hard time with robotic welding.
To program a specific robot, it’s best to be trained on its intricacies by the machine’s OEM. However, it doesn’t hurt to comb the web with regard to the techniques other manufacturers use to program their devices.
Automated welding streamlines the welding cycle, thereby boosting precision and decreasing the time spent on each weld. This makes a welding robot the perfect substitute for manual welders. Robots also prevent manual operators from work-related injuries.
Today many organizations have started adopting mechanized welding, and they have realized its benefits. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the process of mechanized welding and the various kinds of welds that robots can execute in an assembly setting.
The Process of Mechanical Welding
Robots are employed for a myriad of tasks in an assembly setting, and in order to mechanize how these tasks are executed, some aspects have to be modified. The same applies to welding. Again, to mechanize this process some things, have to change.
A robot has an arm that can rotate in three directions straight-lined varieties. It can also move in more directions for tasks with articulating renderings. A wire feeder chaperons the filler cable to the robot as it’s needed for the welding application.
To kick start the procedure, a high-heat torch at the end-effector liquefies the steel. Using robots for such tasks where temperatures rise to the thousands is recommended because it alleviates the risk to manual operators.
Manual operators who are specialists in welding are still required to be monitoring the robot. However, these specialists should be certified by the relevant authorities. This ensures that only trained personnel come into contact with the robots.
These specialists will program the robot by means of a teach pendant. This method uses a program that will move the arm in the required direction. It also modifies the factors required to actualize the weld.
To begin a weld, an operator presses the ignition button found on the control interface. Next, the high-heat torch in the mechanical arm liquefies the metal to combine parts. Depending on the scenario, the wire feeder may release more wire to the torch.
After a weld has been executed, it has to be allowed to cool. During this time, the arm moves the torch to a cleaner which removes any metal splashes, which, if allowed to solidify, are a hassle to remove later on.
The Various Kinds of Mechanical Welding Include:
TIG Welding
TIG welding is appropriate for mechanical welding applications that require high levels of precision. TIG welding, in some cases, is also known as gas tungsten arc welding. In TIG welding, a power-propelled arc travels between the tungsten rod and metal base.
Spot Welding
Some materials are resistant to electrical charges, and this makes them only suited to spot welding. This occurrence is prevalent in the car industry when alloys are being welded to a car’s body panels. To overcome this issue companies, deploy spot welding for most welding tasks.
Arc Welding
Arc welding is perhaps the most well-renowned type of welding. In Arc welding, an electric arc generates temperatures of up to 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which in turn melts the metal. The liquid metal joins the parts, which then cool and harden to form a single fragment.
Resistance Welding
Resistance welding is well-suited for tasks that need heat-treating. Resistance welding can also be a way of reducing costs since it’s cheap. In this process, an electric current move between two metal bases and creates a pool of liquid metal. This liquid metal is responsible for linking metal fragments into a single piece.
Final Thought
To sum it all up, whether or not a business adopts mechanical welding mainly depends on the tasks being executed. However, as illustrated above, mechanical welding takes various forms and therefore is worth considering.