Guest editorial: Welding Automation - Exploring The Force Multiplier - The Manufacturer.com

Guest editorial: Welding Automation - Exploring The Force Multiplier

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Manufacturing News, Source : The Manufacturer US
Zone : Operations and maintenance
Published : 25 Jun 2007 17:19

By Diane Steadham, Thermadyne Automation.
Living in a society where technology is advancing on a daily basis, many industries are faced with the question of whether or not to replace manual labor with machines.

In the welding and fabrication industry several recent advances have been made to allow the transition to automation to occur, but there are several factors that need to be considered first. It is important for anyone wishing to use automation to consider the overall investment when making the decision to convert to automation, and how that investment affects things such as your facility, equipment, training, personnel and support.

The first aspect of the investment that needs to be considered is the facility. It is important to understand that many existing facilities will require changes and improvements to accommodate for welding automation. While incredibly efficient, often times doubling output, both fixed automation and robotics will use more space due to size of machines and the room needed for the flow of raw materials once production increases. There likely will be requirements for additional power sources and ventilation. Additionally, an obvious decision will need to be made on the type of equipment. Will you be using robotics or fixed/hard automation? There may also be an investment of personnel involved. In some instances, workers may need to be trained to operate the automation system and in others, training may not be logical and new employees brought in.

Along with automation comes a multitude of cost saving opportunities. Automation will provide faster setup which will result in less down time and increased production. Since the automated system will be set up for repeatability and will involve less down time, there will be less of an opportunity for outside variables to affect the equipment resulting in longer equipment life and improved consumable usage. The ultimate consistency and repeatability of automation will in most cases prevent a need for human touch up or clean up.

In addition to immediate cost savings, those wishing to transition one or all of their applications to automation usually ask about the payback. While some of the larger weld shops in the industry, specifically the big three automakers, have the ability to begin profiting from automation within a year, most will take one to two full years to see the initial returns. The average shop can expect a return of about $100,000 within two years of replacing one person with automation. A smaller shop could require up to four years and the replacement of 2 persons in order to see that kind of return on their investment, so it is extremely important to consider all the economic factors involved.

The final part of the decision process is to determine whether you will be using fixed/hard automation or robotics. The majority of manufacturers are more than happy to provide a thorough cost analysis including process recommendations and the projected cost for each. If what is needed is a variety of welds and processes, then robotics is more than likely going to be the recommendation. Most robotic cells are capable of storing a variety of programs making them extremely versatile. However, if you wish to replace just a few applications, fixed or hard automation would be the most efficient investment and fixed systems can almost always be customized to fit your specific need. It may also be helpful to look forward to the future as well to determine future costs of parts as well as whether or not you have intentions of adding additional automated applications.

Once a decision is made to automate, it will be time to re-visit earlier steps beginning with the facility. At that point you will need to determine if you have adequate space. There will need to be space for the equipment and also increased space for incoming materials and finished product once the automation increases output.

Despite decreasing the need for manual labor when switching to automation, the effect on personnel is very positive. The addition of automation can provide the opportunity for advancement and technicians could be needed to monitor the automation equipment. There will also be opportunities in training as well. Not only will there need to be trainers hired but the existing employees may have the opportunity to learn more about and how to operate the new technology. The automation systems will also re-engage and involve employees as they work to come up with and test the improved automation processes.

Another extremely important aspect to consider is during the equipment selection process is whether your automation system will be air cooled or water cooled. Duty cycle, amperage, wire size and shielding gases are all important factors in making this decision in order to keep the highest level of safety possible. Any systems with a duty cycle of 80% or above or amperage of higher than 250-300 amps normally will be water cooled. Additional guidelines for water cooled system would be any system using wire sizes larger than 1/16” or high concentration of shielding gasses.

There are several other smaller issues and options to consider once you have made the decision to go with automation. The first is that a wide variety of automated accessories and peripherals are available to help further increase the efficiency of your automation system. A nozzle cleaner, wire trimmer, anti-spatter mist applicator are all available as well as an alignment fixture and TCP verification tool. Each one of these automated accessories helps reduce down time, increase the life of equipment, and enable continuing repeatability.

Next, there are all kinds of specialized technology available to be utilized, especially for robotic systems. The various technologies, which almost all of are tied improving repeatability and production, include nozzle sense, touch sense, tool center point, emergency stop, and compact cables and storage. Of course there are many more as well.

A common concern is that because of the new equipment, a welder may have to bring in a new separate line of consumables. However, if addressed up front, manufacturers can work with you to consolidate as much consumable use as possible such as contact tips, gas diffusers, nozzles and conduit/liners. It will also be important to connect with your robotics manufacturer and welding supplier to increase efficiency in areas such as training, programming, maintenance and process changes.

Finally, you will want to make sure that there is always support in place. Ongoing training for employees will help them be able to handle any issues that may arise and will help them to become more efficient in daily operational tasks. For the instances when issues cannot be handled internally you will want to make sure there is technical support provided by your manufacturer and also be well aware of equipment availability to further help quickly respond to any issues or problems that may come up. Since the whole reason of automating was to increase production, you want to be sure you are prepared to handle any emergency situations in an efficient manor.

By considering the guidelines I have laid out, I hope the automation process has become a little clearer. It is important not to jump in to making decisions such as transitioning to automation without knowing all the facts and details and hopefully you can now make a well informed decision about automation and how it can help advance your business.

Diane Steadham is an Automation Sales Specialist for Thermadyne Automation.

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