The robotic arm in this system works in unison with the positioner to set up a flat position weld whenever possible. Notice the uniformity of the welds along the joints.
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Automated welding systems offer the potential to increase productivity, improve weld quality, reduce labor and materials costs, mitigate the welder shortage and most importantly increase a company’s overall profitability. These systems can be expensive, but their prices have come down substantially over the past 10 years, and those costs need to be understood within the context of the benefits the system provides. In a globally competitive environment, rather than asking yourself whether you can afford to automate, you might consider asking whether you can afford not to automate.

Automation won’t be right for every plant, however, and choosing the right system for your operation is critical to ensuring a wise investment. Like most purchasing decisions, success in automation depends almost entirely on planning and preparation. The rewards can be significant, but so too can be the cost of making the wrong decision. Below are seven factors that you need to consider when deciding whether and how to automate your welding operations.

1. Why should I automate?
A single automated welding system can perform the welding of up to three employees, often with higher-quality results, and eliminate bottlenecks that occur at the welding stage of the manufacturing process. But that’s not all.

An automated system can lower your cost for consumables by using only as much filler metal as is necessary. It can greatly reduce your scrap and rework rates by improving the visual and mechanical quality of your welds, and reducing or eliminating spatter.

Further, automating your welding can reduce your labor costs, allowing you to reallocate those resources elsewhere in your plant. If you are in an industry where your competition is still welding by hand, investing in an automated system could provide you with a competitive advantage in your customers’ minds.

2. What is the payback?
The benefits of automating can be significant, but those benefits come at a price. Many companies, especially smaller fabricators and those with frequently changing production lines, need to see a payback period of no more than 12-15 months in order to justify the investment. On the other hand, companies that know their production needs will not change for years may be able to justify a longer payback period.

Calculating payback first involves determining your current product cycle times and comparing those results to the potential cycle times of an automated system. For example, if you need to produce X number of parts per week, and an automated system can produce those parts in one-quarter of the time it takes a human operator to complete, you’ve just increased your productivity by 75 percent. Given that approximately 70 percent of a welding operation’s costs are for labor, the chart below shows the labor saving potential of an automated welding system.

Overwelding is a common and costly occurrence in semi-automatic welding. A weld bead that is 1/8-in. larger than necessary can double your filler metal costs. An automated system can reduce your filler metal costs by putting down only as much material as necessary.

Automated systems also use bulk filler metal drums, which can reduce your filler metal costs further by requiring fewer changeovers and yielding bulk purchasing discounts. Using bulk tanks for your shielding gas, another highly recommended step in optimizing your automation capabilities, will further increase your return on investment.