Page 38 - MetalForming February 2019

Welding Well
By Justin Craft
Seven Basic Tips
for Implementing a Robotic-Welding Cell
Robotic welding can significantly improve your manufacturing operation’s productivity and weld quality, saving time and money spent making fixes and improving processes, so long as you know and practice the basics. From choosing the right welding wire to establishing a proper tool center point, many variables play a role in opti- mizing robotic-welding cells.
The following tips for setting up a cell help establish repeatable and con- sistent process, resulting in quality welds, reduced rework and maximized investment.
1. Use Proper Weld Settings
Factors such as wire size and mate- rial thickness determine proper weld settings. Some welding power sources offer technology that allows welders to input the wire size and material thickness, with the machine suggesting recommended parameters for the application.
Without this technology, finding the correct parameters involves trial-and- error. Sometimes the robot manufac- turer, welding-power source manufac- turer or system integrator can assist in choosing and testing specific materials to provide a starting point for the prop- er welding parameters.
2. Choose the Right Wire
The choice of filler metal for a robot- ic-welding system can impact produc- tivity, weld quality and overall invest-
Justin Craft provides field technical support at Bernard and Tregaskiss, specializing in robotic welding applications with prior experience in the Tier 1 automotive manu- facturing world.
Justin Craft
Bernard and Tregakiss Justin.Craft@bernardwelds.com
ment. Material type and thickness, as well as the expected outcomes for the welded part, are important considera- tions when selecting the wire. Welding-equip- ment and filler-metal manufacturers often offer charts to help match welding wire to process needs.
While solid wire has
been the industry sta-
dard in robotic welding
for many years, metal-
cored wire provides an alternative that offers productivity and quality improvements in some applications, particularly in the manufacture of heavy equipment and automotive exhaust systems, chassis and wheels. However, each wire type offers pros and cons for certain applications.
3. Consider the Gun and Consumables
Robotic-welding guns and consum- ables, including the nozzle, contact tip and gas diffuser, greatly impact per- formance. The right combination reduces unplanned downtime and improves overall cell efficiency.
Robotic-welding systems, typically operating at higher duty cycles than semiautomatic welding applications, may utilize transfer modes known to be especially harsh on gun consum- ables. As a result, use of more heat- resistant, heavy-duty consumables, such as chrome zirconium contact tips, or tips designed for pulsed-welding processes.
Verify that the welding gun’s duty- cycle and amperage ratings meet appli- cation requirements. To avoid excessive wear and premature failure, the gun should not rub against any part of the
Welding consumables, including the noz- zle, contact tip and gas diffuser, have a huge impact on performance in the robot- ic-welding cell. Consider using heavy-duty consumables that are more heat-resistant than standard-duty consumables.
system or another robot in multi-robot applications.
Also, ensure proper installation of consumables. Improper or loose con- nections produce more electrical resist- ance and heat, causing faster consum- able wear with premature failures. Another common failure in robotic welding: improper liner installation. Always follow the manufacturer’s direc- tions for liner installation and cut
From choosing the right welding wire to establishing a prop- er tool center point, many variables play a role in optimizing robotic-welding cells to produce the best results.
36 MetalForming/February 2019
www.metalformingmagazine.com