9 Points To Consider Before You Automate Welding and Cutting

9 Points to Consider Before You
Automate Welding or Cutting

(With too many examples)
Daniel Allford
President
ARC Specialties
May 26 2020
1 ARC Specialties
Evaluation is the First Step in
Successful Automation
⚫ Can the Part be Welded Automatically?

– If not, Could the Part be Redesigned?
⚫ What Type of Automation is Necessary?
– Dedicated or Flexible? Robot-PLC or CNC?
⚫ Is There a Return on Investment?
– Is there no alternative to automation?
2 ARC Specialties
Can the Part be Welded Automatically?
Automation Evaluation Points
1. Part Size
2. Part Accuracy
3. Weld Acceptance Criteria
4. Weld Process
5. Joint Configuration
6. Material Thickness
7. Production volume
8. Base Material
9. Technical Level of Your Facility
3 ARC Specialties
Automation Evaluation Point #1:
Production Volume
High
Production Level
Medium
Low Dedicated
Flexible Automaton
Automation
Manual (Robot)
4 ARC Specialties
Part Size
⚫ Large or Complex Parts Violate the KISS principal

⚫ Affects Machine Work Envelope
⚫ Affects Weight Capacity
Requirements of Part Positioner
⚫ Large Parts are generally
less accurate
⚫ Large Parts Require
More Programming Time
5 ARC Specialties
Part Accuracy (W/O Adaptive Control)
⚫ Joint positions must be repeatable within 1 wire

diameter
⚫ Accurate clamping points
⚫ Repeatable joint gaps
6 ARC Specialties
Part Accuracy (With Adaptive Control)
⚫ Searchable features are necessary

⚫ Longer Cycle Times
⚫ Longer Programming
Times
⚫ Higher System Cost
and Complexity
7 ARC Specialties
Weld Acceptance Criteria
⚫ Partial Penetration Joints are Preferred

⚫ Partial Length Welds Preferred
⚫ Cosmetic Criteria
⚫ Leak Proof Welds
Difficult
8 ARC Specialties
Welding Process: GMAW (Mig)
⚫ Low Cost
⚫ Tolerant of Misalignment
⚫ Simplicity
⚫ Good Deposition Rate
⚫ Highest Travel Speeds
⚫ Limitations on Alloys
9 ARC Specialties
Welding Process: GTAW (Tig)
⚫ Low Defect Rate
⚫ Added Variable of Wire Positioning
⚫ Wire Feed Must Rotate to
Follow Direction of Travel
⚫ Low Deposition Rate (may
be minimized using Hot Wire
welding technique)
⚫ Tungsten Electrode
Vulnerable to Contamination
10 ARC Specialties
Welding Process:PTAW (Plasma)
⚫ Columnar Arc Minimizes Current Density Variation
and Arc Deflection
⚫ Shrouded Electrode Protected
from Contamination
⚫ Powder Feed Allows Filler
Metal Chemistries Which
Cannot be Made into Wire to
be Welded
⚫ Highest Equipment Cost
⚫ Generally Lower Deposition Rates
11 ARC Specialties
Welding Process:SAW(SubmergedArc)
⚫ Highest deposition rates

⚫ Low Defect Rate
⚫ Thicker Sections Only
⚫ Problems with Slag
Removal
⚫ Flat Positions Only
⚫ Problems Associated with Supplying Flux to
the Arc
12 ARC Specialties
Joint Configuration
⚫ Fillet and Lap Welds are Preferred

⚫ Grooved Butt Joints are Acceptable
⚫ Outside Corners are Difficult to Maintain
Repeatable Joint conditions
⚫ Square Butt Joints Are
Difficult to Locate and
Track
13 ARC Specialties
Material Thickness
⚫ Thin Parts are Generally Inaccurate due to

Flexibility
⚫ Thin Parts are Easily Burned Through
⚫ Thick Parts are Frequently
Inaccurate due to Either
Loose Tolerances or
Production Techniques
14 ARC Specialties
Base Material
⚫ Mild Steel is the Most Forgiving

⚫ HSLA Generally Requires Preheat
⚫ Aluminum Requires Good Part Cleanliness
⚫ Stainless Steel, High Nickel Alloys, Titanium
and any Other Reactive Metal Requires
Special Techniques to Prevent Oxidation
15 ARC Specialties
Technical Capabilities of Your Facility
⚫ Man/Machine Interface Must Fit the Operator

⚫ Is the Machine Setup and Programmed by the
Operator?
⚫ Is the Shop Receptive to Automation?
16 ARC Specialties
Automation Techniques:
Flexible or Dedicated
⚫ Dedicated Automation
– Faster
⚫ Flexible Automation
– Adaptable to a wide range of parts
17 ARC Specialties
Adaptive Control
⚫ Human Override
⚫ Automatic Arc Length Control
⚫ Touch Work
⚫ Through the Arc Tracking
⚫ Laser Stripe Tracking
⚫ Laser Part Mapping
18 ARC Specialties
Controller Options
⚫ PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

⚫ PC (Personal Computer)
⚫ CNC (Computer Numerical
Control)
⚫ Robot
19 ARC Specialties
Cost Justification
⚫ Lower Overhead
⚫ Increased Arc On Time
⚫ Increased Part Acceptance
⚫ Remove the Welder from a
Hazardous Environment
20 ARC Specialties
Example 1:
Suspension Shackle
√ Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
√ Weld Acceptance Criteria
√ Weld Process
√ Joint Configuration
√ Material Thickness
√ Production volume
√ Base Material
√ Technical Level of Facility
Solution: Robotic GMAW no
adaptive control
21 ARC Specialties
Example 2:
Thermal Couple Well
√ Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
√ Base Material
X Technical Level of Facility
Solution: PLC GTAW with
simple interface
22 ARC Specialties
Example 2:
Thermal Couple Well
23 ARC Specialties
Example 2:
Thermal Couple Well
24 ARC Specialties
Example 3:
Roll Formed Beam Seam Welder
X Part Size
√ Weld Process
X Material Thickness
√ Base Material
Solution: PLC FCAW Metal
Core Integrated clamping,
automatic part length
compensation & torch
25 ARC Specialties positioning
Example 3:
Roll Formed Beam Seam Welder
26 ARC Specialties
Example 4:
Aluminum Armor Plate Welder
X Part Size
X Weld Acceptance Criteria
X Weld Process
X Joint Configuration
X Production volume
X Base Material
Solution: PLC Buried Arc
GMAW Human override
of final trajectory
27 ARC Specialties
Example 4:
Aluminum Armor Plate Welder
28 ARC Specialties
Example 4:
Armor Plate Welder
29 ARC Specialties
Example 5:
Hot Tap on Radioactive Smoke Stack
X Part Size
X Weld Process
X Production volume
√ Base Material
Solution: Tele-operated
GTAW and Plasma Cut
30 ARC Specialties
Example 6:
Rock Bit Journal Bearing Weld
√ Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
X Base Material
Solution: CNC PTAW
Powder Feed. Auto
torch height, manual
31 ARC Specialties centerline correction
Example 6:
32 ARC Specialties
Example 6:
Option II
Greater functionality
requiring higher
technical expertise
Solution: Robotic Dual

Torch PTAW Automatic
loading, automatic
torch height
33 ARC Specialties
Example 6:
34 ARC Specialties
Example 8:
Battery Case Welder
√ Part Size
X Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
√ Base Material
Solution: GTAW with laser
based adaptive torch
path
35 ARC Specialties
Example 8:
Battery Case Welder
36 ARC Specialties
Example 9:
Bore Cladding of Oil Field Valves
X Part Size
X Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
XJoint Configuration
X Base Material
Solution: PLC GTAW Hot
Wire. Quick code
37 system
ARC Specialties
Example 9:
Bore Cladding of Oil Field Valves
38 ARC Specialties
Example 10:Aluminum He3 Tubes
√ Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
X Base Material
Solution: PLC GTAW Dual
Torch Autogenous AC
39 ARC Specialties
Example 10:Aluminum He3 Tubes
40 ARC Specialties
Example 11: Automatic Submerged
Arc Casing Welder
X Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
√ Weld Process
XJoint Configuration
√ Base Material
Solution: PLC SAW with
tactile tracking of weld
41 groove
ARC Specialties
Example 11: Automatic Submerged
Arc Casing Welder
42 ARC Specialties
Example 12:
Oil Well Tool Joint Hard facing
GMA with Tungsten Carbide
√ Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
X Base Material
Solution: PLC GMAW with
Carbide feed. Full auto
43 ARC Specialties dedicated machine
Example 12:
GMA with Tungsten Carbide
44 ARC Specialties
Example 13:
Removal Using Plasma Gouging
√ Part Size
√ Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
√ Base Material
Solution: PLC Plasma
Gouging. Auto profile
following
45 ARC Specialties
Example 13:
Removal Using Plasma Gouging
46 ARC Specialties
Example 14:
Rebuilding Blow Out Preventers
X Part Size
X Part Accuracy
X Weld Process
X Base Material
Solution: CNC PTA with
powder feed. Laser
"Blow Out Preventer" by Ed Schipul -
tracking replaced by
47 ARC Specialties joystick
Example 14:
Rebuilding Blow Out Preventers
48 ARC Specialties
Example 15:
Oil Screen Resistance Welder
X Part Size
X Part Accuracy
√ Weld Process
√ Base Material
Solution: CNC Mid
frequency resistance
cross wire welding 100
welds per second!
49 ARC Specialties
Example 15:
50 ARC Specialties
Example 15:
51 ARC Specialties
Example 16:
Fire Sprinkler Welding & Cutting
X Part Size
X Part Accuracy
√ Weld Process
√ Base Material
Solution: Robotic Welding &
Cutting with Magazine
feed
52 ARC Specialties
Example 16:
Fire Sprinkler Welding & Cutting
53 ARC Specialties
Example 17:
Centralizer Welder
X Part Size
X Part Accuracy
√ Weld Process
√ Base Material
Solution: PLC GMAW With 4
torches and separate
weld and loan station to
replace robot
54 ARC Specialties
Example 17:
Centralizer Welder
55 ARC Specialties
Evaluation of Arc Welding
Automation Projects
Thanks for Attending!
56 ARC Specialties

9 Points To Consider Before You Automate Welding and Cutting

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9 Points to Consider Before You

Automate Welding or Cutting

⚫ Can the Part be Welded Automatically?

⚫ Large or Complex Parts Violate the KISS principal

⚫ Joint positions must be repeatable within 1 wire

⚫ Searchable features are necessary

⚫ Partial Penetration Joints are Preferred

⚫ Highest deposition rates

⚫ Fillet and Lap Welds are Preferred

⚫ Thin Parts are Generally Inaccurate due to

⚫ Mild Steel is the Most Forgiving

⚫ Man/Machine Interface Must Fit the Operator

⚫ PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

Solution: Robotic Dual

Thanks for Attending!

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