FandMmag.com |

"Necessity is the mother of invention" is a saying as old as humanity, but it's just as applicable in these trying times today as when it was first uttered.

Think about it. As Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements in the automotive industry continue to rise, welding aluminum is a necessity that is increasing in importance, especially as the welding workforce of skilled operators and welding engineers is diminishing. Aerospace and medical are other industries that benefit from the precise welds only a robot, as a necessity, can consistently perform.

For these reasons, most welding experts agree that coupling advanced technology with arc welding processes is the "mother of invention" necessary to remain competitive. "Intense competition and more stringent quality standards generate pressure to work faster, smarter and more efficiently," says Geoff Lipnevicius, the engineering manager of the Automation Division for Lincoln Electric (Cleveland, OH).

This is why Lincoln Electric partnered with FANUC Robotics America Inc. (Rochester Hills, MI) to create the ARC Mate 100iC/Power Wave® i400, an automated arc-welding platform that addresses growing safety, environmental and economic concerns with high-speed welding performance for lighter, stronger components using high-strength and/or challenging coated materials. It also eliminates processes and reduces the number of steps involved in creating parts.

The time and cost saved from eliminating processes and improving quality via robotic welding really add up when one adds the 3D vision of the built-in iRVision® ready-to-use robotic vision package. "Anything you’re going to weld or join together is usually a formed or fabricated part," explains Michael Sharpe, the director of engineering for materials joining/arc welding and laser for FANUC. "Formed or fabricated parts must be trimmed by either mechanical cutting (a trim die or laser) or some other pre-process operation before joining the parts. This is critical because the weld path must be on the actual joint of the metal interface."

"This system is unique because the integrated vision allows the robot to basically sense for variance to safely eliminate the pre-process operation. If a manufacturer once trimmed for a perfect fit, he may now eliminate trimming and still get good weld quality because the weld is on the correct location from part to part."

"As part of the whole intelligent robot system for arc welding, vision senses displacement in the part and the joint," notes Sharpe. "Creating the actual weld programs can either be taught using the control pendant or created off-line using proprietary software with an integrated cable design. Operating a robot system still requires operator expertise to understand what material is being joined, think through the setup, and decide what weld filler wire and gas to use."

To leverage this expertise with automation, the 100iC approaches arc welding from a fresh perspective. "This new, evolutionary design builds the robot around the process, rather than adapting the process to the robot," adds Sharpe. Compared to traditional dress packages mounted externally on the robot arm, the dress package in the 100iC internal routing follows the motion range of the robot, simplifying programming and eliminating any worries of bending, snagging or breaking cables.

This platform increases acceleration 15 percent for higher motion performance, a 10 kg payload (67 percent more than before) and a slimmer forearm. With the robot base reduced in size by 15 percent, reach is maximized in confined areas. Multiple robots can be installed in close proximity to save valuable floor space.

The platform pipeline communicates via ArcLink over Ethernet (ArcLink® XT). "We examined Ethernet vs. USB," says Lipnevicius. "Testing concluded that Ethernet was faster and more reliable." The intelligence in the system leads to even more autonomy. Once the weld path is created it can be stored in a repository like a PC and shared among other similar robots, processes or applications.

Every ARC Mate welding robot has a 50 mm through-hole for applications ranging from water-cooled torches to high-amperage torches, wire-brakes and sensors. The through-hole interface at the wrist is identical with the one at the wire feeder. The differences are in the reach, the stroke and the payload, which depend upon the wrist sizing. The AutoDrive™ 4R90 wire feeder is a compact yet rugged package that maximizes robot acceleration performance and throughput.

But the necessity doesn’t stop there. With robotic welding's continued growth in popularity largely due to the critical shortage of skilled labor, these same two companies created the Robotic Education Cell, an instructional cell for educational institutions, training departments and other facilities to teach robotic programming related to gas metal arc welding (GMAW).

This cell gives students a foundation in robotic welding basics and more sophisticated technologies to prepare them for industries ranging from building and construction to shipbuilding, manufacturing and oil field services.

"The future of welding lies in motivating students to learn the trade and the newest technologies," states Lipnevicius. "This cell incorporates robotics into welding education programs, providing real-world knowledge that easily integrates on the job – not only in manufacturing, but other welding-intensive industries as well."