Oqton & Valk Welding enter partnership to accelerate production with automated robotic welding

- Oqton is part of Valk Welding's Automatic Robot Programming (ARP) solution for high-mix, low-volume production.
- Valk Welding ARP powered by Oqton enables up to 10x faster programming with up to 4x lower costs compared to traditional manual methods.

Oqton, software provider that helps manufacturers increase innovation and efficiency through intelligent automation of production, and Valk Welding, leaders in flexible welding robot systems, today announced they are joining forces in a transformation of the welding industry. As a result, Oqton's software will become part of Valk Welding's Automatic Robotic Programming (ARP) solution for high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing. The Valk Welding ARP powered by Oqton enables 10x faster programming than traditional offline programming solutions. In addition, automated robotic welding is 3x faster and up to 4x cheaper than manual welding. The new techniques and processes that the companies will jointly develop are intended to optimize the use of automated robotic welding for single piece or small series productions that were previously only economically feasible with manual methods.

The Valk Welding ARP powered by Oqton autonomously generates welding robot programs directly from 3D CAD files, eliminating the need for costly programming. This AI (Artificial Intelligence) solution uses artificial intelligence to refine processes for future parts based on current best working practices. This allows welders to easily use this software without prior knowledge of robots or 3D geometry. The simplicity and ease of use of the Valk Welding ARP powered by Oqton make this an ideal solution for high-mix, low-volume robotic welding.

Mark Forth, General Manager of Industrial Manufacturing at Oqton said, "We are very excited about working with Valk Welding. Together we will help customers take their first steps toward fully automated robotic welding, using ARP powered by Oqton."

Peter Pittomvils, CCO Valk Welding Group, agrees. "Glad to have Oqton in our ARP - Automatic Robot Programming suite. As the market leader in 100% offline programmable welding robots, we are ready to take the leap to the next level! In addition to our own projects, we also support Oqton for all other Panasonic system integrators to also serve their customers with this great solution and our experience."

Every year, more welders retire than new welders join the industry, which is why the need for welding automation is greater than ever. According to the American Welding Society (AWS), the average age of a welder is 57, and the AWS estimates there will be a shortage of 400,000 jobs in the welding industry by 2024. In Europe, the availability of welders is dropping by 2% per year, and that number will only increase in the coming years. The shortage of welders has existed for many years, but the shortage of robotic programmers with welding expertise also underscores the need for an automated solution.

Companies interested in learning more about the Valk Welding ARP powered by Oqton can visit the Oqton and Valk Welding Web sites.