Innovative total solutions for robotic welding

In the current economic situation, where it is often difficult to find suitable people on the labor market, it is more interesting than ever to gather knowledge by cooperating with other companies. They understood this well at DIN Tools, Yaskawa and ESAB. Together, they developed a total solution for robotic welding: efficient, productive, safe and above all simple. This innovative solution includes a cobot, all welding equipment and the necessary software, combined in a small, mobile cell: Weld4Me.

Yaskawa cobot

A Motoman HC 10 cobot with YRC 1000 controls is at the heart of this new development. This is a unique six-axis hybrid robot with a reach of 1.20 m and 10 kg of handling mass, which can be used as a normal industrial robot and as a collaborative robot (cobot). "A cobot is designed to work together with a human operator, placed close to the person in question in a shared workspace without shielding. When welding, however, shielding against welding light must be provided. The operator can guide the robot arm manually, and position the torch manually, making the programming feel very natural, even for people without programming knowledge," says Wim De Smedt, Account Manager Robotics at Yaskawa. The YRC 1000 controller, which is also used with other robots, ensures efficient control of this cobot. A unique feature is the ability to perform welding functions, such as commuting,  tactile search, seam tracking and multi-layer welding, to be performed. After all, these functions are normally only possible with an industrial welding robot and not with a collaborative robot, but the use of the YRC 1000 robot controller and software makes this possible here as well.

A Motoman HC 10 cobot with YRC 1000 controls is at the heart of this new development. This is a six-axis hybrid robot, which can be used as a normal industrial robot and as a collaborative robot. (Image: Independent Light GmbH)

Welding equipment from ESAB

The robot is combined with high-quality welding equipment from ESAB. The global leader in manufacturing welding and cutting equipment and consumables supplies the package from the torch and intermediate package over the power source and welding wire feed. "Thanks to a data log system in the cloud, we can monitor the entire welding project. A failure is signaled immediately and wear and tear on parts is also indicated. Furthermore, the user can also always see, where mobile machines are," says Piet Lankhuijzen of ESAB Netherlands. "We also remain constantly committed to innovation. Thanks to the SAT (Swift Arc Transfer) welding process, the advance speeds are much higher than with ordinary spray arc welding. An additional advantage is the low heat input, which results in less distortion."

The Weld4Me is an innovative mobile total solution from the partners Yaskawa, ESAB and DIN Tools for the robotic welding of smaller workpieces.

Welding Wizard

In order to very easily program the robot, additional software is installed on the YRC1000 controller , the Welding Wizard. This is an intuitive and clear software, which can be learned very quickly by any operator. All necessary parameters can be easily integrated. With this, a simple welding program can be created very quickly without having to be an experienced programmer. If one wants something more, this is also possible because all functions such as tactile search, seam following, multi-layer welding ... are available in the robot control as with an ordinary welding robot.

The robot is combined with ESAB's high-quality welding equipment. The global leader in the production of welding and cutting equipment and consumables supplies the package from the torch and intermediate package over the power source and welding wire feeder

DIN Tools (VSE Technologies) provides a turn-key solution

"DIN Tools, a sister company of VSE Technologies merged cobot, welding equipment and software into a mobile mini-cell, usable in industrial applications," explains Bart Lourdeaux, general manager of DIN Tools and VSE Technologies. "Moreover, the system can be easily calibrated on a three-point basis. After all, this mobile unit will be continuously wheeled from one place to another on the shop floor, which requires smooth and fast calibration so as not to lead to unnecessary loss of time." The cell also comes standard with a small welding table for training or welding small workpieces.

Weld4Me makes debut at Welding Week

"The Weld4Me will soon be launched during Welding Week. Soon the customer will no longer have to purchase the equipment and software separately, but will simply order a total solution for robotic welding of workpieces," the three partners conclude. "In cooperation with a fourth partner, namely SEW, another total solution, a robot in combiniation with an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) will be available. Here the concept is to bring the robot right up to the workpiece, for example for large offshore structures.