How To Maximize Productivity With A Welding Cobot

A well-designed cobot with an intuitive interface can dramatically raise welding productivity when working on high-mix, low-volume parts. Cobots don't experience fatigue, get sick, or produce inconsistent welds. Instead, they are reliable tools that weld precisely as instructed.

However, cobots work with the welder, not independently. So, following best practices maximizes their output and production quality. 

Improved welding time means faster production. But, improved weld quality translates to less rework, which is often even more important. When you tackle both, you skyrocket productivity. 

Rework can cost more than the part is worth or, at the very least, reduce the profit from the welded part. So, rushing manual welding doesn't make sense. But cobots are inherently faster, and they can consistently produce excellent welds. 

How do you maximize the use of cobots? Let's explore the nitty-gritty of getting the most out of a cobot system.

Keeping The Cobot Running As Much As Possible

Ideally, your cobot should run 24/7 or during your business hours. However, the more arc-on time the cobot has, the more it can boost your productivity. Depending on the application, even a few hours of daily cobot welding can significantly improve shop productivity.

The two most impactful drivers of cobot activity are the part availability for the operator and the operator's presence.

Highly intuitive and simple-to-learn cobot systems, like the ESAB Cobot, solve the issue of operator availability. With a good cobot system, anybody on the shop floor can jump in and use the cobot once a qualified welder sets up the welding parameters. So, in case of the welder's absence, the cobot keeps producing.

Cobots can boost productivity even when welding just 10-part batches. But, when you do larger batches, like 50-200 pieces, the operator should have a steady flow of ready-to-weld parts. Cobots weld quickly and can do multiple pieces at once on the table. So, the operator should have the parts ready at all times to avoid the cobot sitting idly. This is where quality upstream management can significantly improve your success with cobots.

Scaling The Effectiveness Of Your Experienced Welders

An experienced and qualified welder can significantly increase their output using cobots. Since a cobot repeatedly does as instructed, a skilled welder can do multiple tasks simultaneously. Manually, they can only work on one task at a time. But if they manage one or multiple cobots while welding manually at the same time, the application of their knowledge and experience gets scaled.

Many exceptional welders live and work all around us. Almost every shop has at least one welder who can solve nearly any welding problem. But, we are all human and limited in how much we can perform. Without tools, we could hardly scale our abilities. The angle grinder drastically boosts metal grinding compared to using a hand file. The same can be said for cobots. They scale the application of knowledge of the best welders on your team.  

Of course, depending on the part complexity, a single person might not always be able to operate on multiple cobots. However, an experienced welder can set the weld parameters, while a less experienced welder or someone else in the shop can handle part loading/unloading. 

You can use a cobot in many creative ways to boost productivity. Learn more in our free guide Find Out if You're Ready For A Welding Cobot In Your Shop designed to help you get started with a cobot.

Use A Longer Reach Cobot When Applicable

"Standard" welding cobots are often sized similarly to the ESAB Cobot UR10e. These cobot systems have a small footprint and provide an excellent platform for boosting the shop's output.

However, cobots with a higher reach, like the ESAB Cobot UR20 [Link to article "UR20 welding"], can significantly improve your shop's productivity, flexibility, versatility, and safety. 

With a longer-reach cobot, you can set more fixtures and parts for welding at once, allowing the cobot to run longer unattended. This is perfect for using a cobot in manufacturing, where your welder needs to work on something manually as well. They can do both tasks at once—set the cobot to weld large-volume parts while working on a weld that requires a human touch. Likewise, the operator can use the extended reach to split the table into two sections. The cobot can weld on one side of the table while the welder loads/unloads the part on the other side. Once the cobot is done, they can switch sides.

Shops can also reduce their downtime with a higher reach cobot. Instead of pausing the cobot while you rotate or move big parts, a larger cobot can weld them without your intervention. 

How To Ensure Consistent Cobot Weld Quality

Getting consistent weld quality from your cobot comes down to using quality fixtures and ensuring the parts have a uniform weld preparation. Achieving consistent production quality has one of the most significant impacts on cobot welding price, ROI, and intangible benefits like repeat customers and gaining a good reputation carved in stone.

Your jigs and fixtures shouldn't provide any room for inconsistent part placement. Since the cobot always repeats the same torch movement, the part must be positioned exactly the same every time. 

Weld preparation is critical to achieve consistent weld quality. Your upstream cutting and beveling procedures should produce relatively uniform results to repeatedly achieve excellent weld quality. Uneven bevel angles, distorted edges, variable land thickness, inconsistent weld area cleanliness, cross-contamination with other materials (i.e., mild steel to stainless or aluminum), and similar weld preparation issues can lead to inconsistent quality and weld defects, just as it would with manual welding.

The advantage of cobots lies in their ability to always produce the same results. With consistent weld preparation, the chances of having defects in the batch are slim to none. The same cannot be said for manual welding. The welder can't manipulate the torch precisely the same way for each weld. This is especially true when you account for fatigue, as humans can't weld large batches without losing some of their focus. So, you can save significant resources on rework by focusing on quality upstream practices and harnessing the cobot's strengths.

Are You Ready For A Welding Cobot?

Cobot welding systems are designed to solve the global welder shortage by scaling the output of your existing welders. If you struggle to meet the demand, the cobots may be the solution. They are designed for welders, not programmers. Unlike traditional robots, cobots excel in high-mix, low-volume applications and can be programmed in mere minutes.

Download our free checklist guide to learn if a cobot is a good fit for your shop.