Cobot welding solutions for SME
Cobots present a wide range of benefits for SMEs looking to automate their welding processes. They offer an accessible solution that can enhance operational efficiency, improve flexibility, and drive productivity across various industries. For businesses aiming to stay competitive, cobots provide a modern, adaptable approach to automation with significant advantages.
Precision
Welding cobots ensure precise, consistent welds by maintaining control over key parameters like speed and angle, reducing human error. They work continuously without fatigue, leading to fewer defects, lower rework rates, and improved product quality, especially in high-demand industries.
Safety
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Productivity
Cobots work round the clock, speeding up repetitive tasks while maintaining accuracy. Their easy setup and fast reconfiguration reduce downtime, resulting in higher throughput and optimized workflows, which boosts overall productivity and lowers operating costs.
Flexibility
Cobots are compact, easy to program, and can be quickly deployed or redeployed across different tasks and locations within the factory. This flexibility makes them ideal for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking for scalable automation solutions without the need for specialized infrastructure.
Cobots provide cost-effective automation for SMEs, with lower upfront costs compared to traditional robots and minimal setup requirements. They are affordable to implement and have reduced operating costs, including lower energy consumption and maintenance. Their ability to work 24/7 ensures increased productivity, allowing SMEs to handle more work and complete tasks faster.
Cobots are easy to program and can be quickly re-deployed for different tasks, offering the flexibility SMEs need to adapt to changing production demands. They reduce reliance on skilled labor, which is scarce and expensive, while maintaining high-quality welds, minimizing rework and waste.In summary, cobots offer fast ROI through their efficiency, flexibility, and ability to handle repetitive tasks, making them an ideal solution for SMEs looking to improve productivity and reduce costs in welding operations.
For SMEs seeking to adopt welding automation, careful planning and consideration of specific factors are key to ensuring a smooth transition and maximizing the benefits of cobot technology.
#1 Assess the Need for Automation
Identify Repetitive Tasks: SMEs should start by identifying repetitive, time-consuming, or error-prone welding tasks ideal for cobot automation, freeing up human welders for more complex work.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Weigh the initial investment against long-term savings. Consider labor cost reduction, improved efficiency, and fewer defects due to consistent cobot welding quality
#2 Plan Integration
Workspace Evaluation: Cobots require less space and fewer barriers, ideal for SMEs. Design a safe, efficient workspace alongside human workers.
Compatibility: Ensure the cobot integrates easily with existing welding equipment to avoid disruptions.
#3 Ensure Compliance and Safety
Safety Protocols: Cobots have safety features like force-limiting sensors. Ensure compliance with ISO/TS 15066 for safe human-robot collaboration.
Risk Assessment and Standards: Assess welding environment risks and ensure adherence to relevant certifications and standards.
#4 Training and Programming
Operator Training: Although user-friendly, cobots require training. Upskill operators with intuitive programming tools, easing the transition and boosting competence.
#5 Understand Scalability and Future Needs
Planning for Growth: Ensure your cobot solution scales with growing demands. Cobots allow SMEs to expand automation without major infrastructure changes.
Expandability: Check if your cobot can adapt to new technologies, welding methods, and materials as business needs evolve.
The ABB GoFa™ cobot is designed for flexibility and ease of use. Its lead-through programming feature allows operators to guide the robot manually, making it easy to set up without requiring advanced technical skills. This helps reduce programming time and ensures quick deployment for welding processes. In addition, the Wizard Easy Programming tool simplifies task creation, enabling users to program or modify welding operations really fast.
Additionally, ABB’s Easy Teach Device, which is part of the Cobot Arc Welding Package allows for faster and more precise teaching of tasks. A simple welding can be achieved within 30 seconds in programming the cobot with your hands on it only!
The GoFa™'s compact footprint and lightweight design allow for deployment in various workspace configurations, including tight areas with limited room. Despite its small size, the GoFa™ is equipped with advanced safety features, including intelligent sensors that halt operation if contact with a human is detected. These features allow the cobot to operate often without the need for safety cages, ensuring safe collaboration between robots and human workers. Its reliability, quality and superior performances will satisfy the most demanding customers and will perfectly fit the heaviest and most precise processes
Moreover, ABB’s ArcWelding software [IH4] provides a comprehensive set of tools to enhance the precision and efficiency of automated welding tasks. It includes both the Arc Welding Standard and Arc Welding Premium packages. The Arc Welding Standard offers essential features such as standard welding commands, interfacing with the welding power source, robot motion synchronization with the welding process, and error handling, along with weaving patterns for more intricate welds. For more advanced requirements, the Arc Welding Premium adds specialized tools like Arc Seam Tracking, MultiPass, Adaptive Fill, and Bullseye, which is an automatic tool for calibrating the welding TCP and torch angle.
The OmniVance™ Collaborative Arc Welding Cell by ABB is a comprehensive turnkey solution, plug-and-produce. It includes all the necessary hardware and software, providing an immediate setup for arc welding. The modular design ensures quick installation, reducing setup time and investment costs. Additionally, ABB’s RobotStudio® software allows virtual testing prior to deployment, optimizing system performance and minimizing interruptions.
A crucial element of this system is the function package, which includes an Easy Teach Device and software. This package allows operators to quickly program welding tasks without the need for intensive training and coding, enabling rapid reconfiguration for short production runs or custom orders.
The Arc Welding Cell comes with full CE safety certification and integrates advanced safety features to ensure secure operation during the welding process. Although cobots enable lead-through programming, safety barriers are still required—not due to the cobot’s movements, but because of the inherent risks of the welding process itself.
Additionally, it integrates with the ArcWelding PowerPac and FlexArc® software, simplifying programming, reducing downtime, and enabling real-time performance monitoring, ensuring continuous improvements and data-driven decision-making.
Reduced labor costs
OmniVance™ reduces the need for skilled welders. This allows businesses to shift workers to more valuable tasks, improving efficiency.
Improved quality and consistency
Automated control ensures precise, consistent welds, minimizing defects and rework while enhancing overall product quality.
Faster return on investment (ROI)
With quick setup and lower labor costs, OmniVance™ delivers rapid ROI, boosting production efficiency and reducing waste, making it an affordable solution for SMEs.
