Can Automated Welding Equipment Work with My Application?

Welding is a complex manufacturing process with many different techniques to suit various applications. Manual welding, whether with stick electrode or a wire fed process, continue to be the standard practice, but automated welding is frequently overlooked as an option. Automated welding systems are being increasingly utilized to optimize quality, profitability, and productivity.

What is Automated Welding?

Automatic welding is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of welding equipment and tooling that facilitates continuous welding. The process is frequently used for repeat welding in a factory assembly line or in large scale construction projects such as tank welding or ship fabrication.

Automated welding is done by one machine or a series of machines. In some applications the equipment is installed on the workpiece and the operator runs and monitors the equipment while the weld is completed. In other applications the workpiece is loaded into the machine, the machine positions the piece or torch, and performs the necessary welding. In more sophisticated processes the machine monitors the quality of the joint and ejects the piece when finished.

Automatic welding offers many benefits. An automated system can reduce labor costs by reducing the need for skilled operators and it can simplify work in areas of access restrictions. Automated welding is in general up to 4x faster than manual welding and produces more consistent welds with less consumable waste.

Automatic Welding Applications

There are a variety of automatic welding processes. They can be suitable for a myriad of applications and can be completed by utilizing automatic welding equipment. These applications include:

• Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)- Gas metal arc welding is often used in situations where it is imperative to create a strong and rigid joint, such as parts of a chassis. This form of welding is commonly applied in the construction industry for both structural and non-structural purposes.
• Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)- This is an arc welding technique that implements tungsten electrodes to make the weldment. This is particularly effective for joining thin, nonferrous workpieces. This form of welding is often used in the production of structural frameworks, pipelines, and support structures.
• Plasma welding- This is an arc welding process that utilizes the heat created from a compressed arc between a workpiece and a tungsten non-consumable electrode. This process is used in the electronic, aerospace, and marine industries. It’s often used to weld pipes or tubes comprised of stainless steel or titanium. It’s an excellent choice to repair molds, tools, and dies.
• Laser welding- In laser welding, a laser beam acts as the heat source to join multiple pieces together. Laser welding utilizes focused heat to quickly create strong seams. This welding system is used in the automotive industry as well as the aerospace industry.
• Laser Hybrid Welding- This welding process is a combination of laser beam and arc welding. It’s used for materials that have high thicknesses. This is often used in the shipbuilding, construction machinery production, and vehicle construction industries
• Thin Gauge Arc Welding- This form of welding is used for thin sheet metal. This is a challenging technique because adequate fusion is necessary for a proper weld; however, there are increased dangers of distortion and burn through. This method of welding is applied in a vast array of industries, including exercise equipment, HVAC, automotive, turf care, appliances, sanitation applications, corrosive environment applications, and many more.

Automatic Welding from Gullco International

Gullco International is an industry-leading supplier of automated welding machines. We design and manufacture equipment that improves productivity, reduces the rate of defects, and decreases your overall costs. Or areas of specialty include:

• Weld Automation Equipment
• Welding/Cutting Carriages.
• Custom Automation Solutions
• Weld Height Sensing and Seam Tracking

Gullco has been providing welding solutions for over half a century. We are dedicated to utilizing the latest in automation and mechanization technology to produce superior quality in all of our orbital welding equipment. Please contact us for more information or request a quote.