WELDING

100 YEARS

JOURNAL AUGUST 2022

WELDING JOURNAL ■ VOLUME 101 NUMBER 8 ■ AUGUST 2022

The Automation
Issue

IN THIS ISSUE: WJ 100TH ANNIVERSARY ■ AUTOMATED WELDING AND SENSOR CONFERENCE

August 2022 | Volume 101 | Number 8

FEATURES
CONTENTS
34 Controlling a 7-Axis Robot for Continuous
Internal Bore Welding
The newest generation of GTAW hot wire clad systems
leverages the latest in robot technology 34
D. Allford, J. Martin, and Z. Freeman

38 The Path toward No-Code Robot

Programming
This article describes several programming methods
and technologies that simplify robot programming and
lead to straightforward operations
J. Leath
38

42 Pulsed Welding & Through-Arm Robots:

What to Know
This process and robot can be combined to improve
productivity and quality
R. Lizotte 42

44 Real-Time Data Tracking during Welding

Operations
The featured software captures welding data for each
joint on a particular structure
M. Pompili
44

DEPARTMENTS
5 Editorial 28 Point of View 62 Section News
6 News of the Industry 30 Product & Print Spotlight 74 Guide to AWS Services
16 Arc-Tist Corner 50 Welder Q&A 75 Personnel
19 Education 411 52 Coming Events 76 Classifieds
20 WJ 100th Anniversary 54 Certification Schedule 76 Advertiser Index
24 Brazing Q&A 55 Society News 224-s WJRS Letters
27 Safety Workbook 58 Tech Topics
CONTENTS
WELDING RESEARCH
SUPPLEMENT
209-s Applying Solidification Theory to Aluminum
Weldability and Consumable Development
Practical examples demonstrate how weldability testing
can be used effectively in aluminum alloy development
for both base metal and filler metal
C. E. Cross
OFFICERS
President W. Richard Polanin
WRP Associates
Vice President Dennis K. Eck
Diversified Services & Solutions LLC
Vice President Michael A. Krupnicki
Airgas USA
Vice President Richard L. Holdren
Welding Consultants LLC/ARC Specialties
Treasurer Carey Chen
CGI Manufacturing Holdings LLC
Executive Director & CEO Gary Konarska II
American Welding Society
DIRECTORS
R. Ashelford (Dist. 13), Rock Valley College
T. Brosio (Dist. 14), Major Tool & Machine
D. E. Clark (Dist. 20), DEClark Welding Engineering PLLC
A. Classens (Dist. 4), A. E. Classens & Associates
J. Davis (Dist. 21), Consultant
K. R. Fogleman (Dist. 16), Consultant
M. Hanson (Dist. 15), Compass Electronics Solutions
R. E. Hilty (Dist. 7), Hilty Sign & Fabrication Co.
T. S. Holt (Dist. 18)
J. Jones (Dist. 17), Harris Products Group
T. Kinnaman (Dist. 1), T. C. Kinnaman Welding Solutions
T. Kostreba (Dist. 10), Erie High School
D. H. Lange (Dist. 12), Northeast Wisconsin Tech. College
T. J. Lienert (Past President), T. J. Lienert Consulting LLC
S. M. McDaniel (Dist. 19), Big Bend Community College
S. Moran (Dist. 3), Philly Shipyard Inc.
C. E. Pepper (Dist. 9), C. E. Pepper & Associates
D. Peterson (Dist. 5), Central Maintenance and Welding
N. Peterson (At Large), Miller Electric Mfg.
August 2022 | Volume 101 | Number 8
On the cover: A close-up view of
uphill hot wire GTAW. (Credit: ARC
Specialties.)
R. Purvis (Dist. 22), Purvis Welding Inspection
S. Raghunathan (At Large), Saudi Aramco
R. W. Roth (Past President), RoMan Manufacturing Inc.
K. Shatell (At Large), Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
L. E. Showalter (At Large), Newport News Shipbuilding
M. M. Skiles (At Large), Consultant
W. J. Sperko (At Large), Sperko Engineering Services
R. H. Stahura (Dist. 6), ESAB Welding & Cutting Products
K. Temme (Dist. 2)
P. I. Temple (Dist. 11), Welding Consultant
J. Thompson (Dist. 8), Consultant
WELDING JOURNAL
Publisher/Editor Annette Alonso
Editorial
Managing Editor Kristin Campbell
Sr. Editor Cindy Weihl
Associate Editor Katie Pacheco
Associate Editor Alexandra Quiñones
Education Editor Roline Pascal
Peer Review Coord. Brenda Flores
Publisher Emeritus Jeff Weber
Design and Production
Managing Editor, Digital and Design Carlos Guzman
Production Manager Zaida Chavez
Assistant Production Manager Brenda Flores
Advertising
Senior Sales Executive Scott Beller
Manager, Sales Operations Lea Owen
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 EDITORIAL

Robotic Welding Is a Strategy,

Not Just a Process
Do you ever feel like Stretch Armstrong? Production demands pull you one way, quality con-
trol pulls you another, the need to generate revenue tugs you in yet another direction, and the
need for labor has us all stretched about as thin as we can go. So now what? Rather than risk
becoming noncompetitive and getting left behind, consider robotic welding. It won’t be long
before the jobs go where the robots are.
More companies than ever are automating portions, if not the entirety, of their welding oper-
ations for many reasons: to address the need for welders, to improve quality, to decrease waste
and rework, and to increase productivity. Some jobs are incompatible with robots, but advancing Kevin Summers
technology lets us weld more products with automated systems. D16 Chair,
Automation Sales
Robotic welding systems close the gap between where manufacturers are today and where
Specialist,
they want/need to be. Expectations are going up, and robots can provide the following: Welding Engineer,
Miller Welding
■ Consistent output — typically 3× manual operations Automation

■ Consistent quality
■ A proven return on investment (ROI)
■ Employee retention by taking over repetitive operations or making jobs easier “Automation
■ Engagement of the new generation of employees provides ROI
for owners and
Automation provides ROI for owners and opportunities for operators to move up the technol-
ogy and competency scale with programs like the AWS Certified Robotic Arc Welding Operator
opportunities
(CRAW-O) and Certified Robotic Arc Welding Technician (CRAW-T). for operators
Strengthening and growing the manufacturing base in North America will include automated to move up the
welding solutions. However, not all companies embarking on the automation journey are suc- technology and
cessful. Robotic welding is a strategy, not just a process.
competency scale
As part of the strategy, evaluate the technology and remember the team behind the robots
and power supplies. Robots are still just tools. Work with a knowledgeable team that understands
with programs like
and teaches you the entire value proposition of robotic welding. Work with trusted advisors who the AWS Certified
have been down this path before. Robotic Arc
Twenty years ago, the challenge for robotic arc welding was having enough parts. Today, the Welding Operator
opportunities are everywhere for high-mix low-volume (HMLV) production. The new challenge
is reducing changeover time to accommodate higher mix and smaller batch size operating
(CRAW-O) and
schedules. Address this with quick-change tooling or larger tool beds to hold families of fixtures. Certified Robotic
Collaborative welding robots, or cobots, also rise to this challenge and address HMLV man- Arc Welding
ufacturing. Cobots are one of the most disruptive technologies in the industry, and they are a Technician
new gateway to automation. (CRAW-T).”
Cobots offer entry into robotic welding at a reasonable investment while mitigating the fear
and risk for first-time users. We often talk about the automation journey as crawl, walk, run.
First, build your team’s confidence and competence, then graduate up the automation scale.
Cobots are easy to incorporate/deploy into a variety of welding applications. While they don’t
offer the same output as a traditional welding robot, they might be right for you at the start.
Then, when you are ready for higher production and want to evolve your welding, you can expand
to a pre-engineered robotic system.
No single path to successful welding automation exists. A well-thought-out plan includes
accurate evaluations with trusted advisors as an excellent way to start your journey. WJ

AUGUST 2022 | 5
 WJ 100 TH
ANNIVERSARY A Look at 60 Years of Robotics

The Welding Journal (WJ) has been reporting on weld-

ing robots since the technology first made its debut on the
world’s stage in the 1960s. Looking back at the magazine’s
more than six decades of coverage on welding robots allows
us to see how this technology, and its popularity, have evolved
with the times.

1960s
Because robotics technology was still in its infancy in the
1960s, the magazine offered little talk of robots during this
time. However, there was one notable mention. The May 1963
issue references a film that features the Versatron 500 P, an
industrial robot — Fig. 1. Preserved on YouTube, the 15-minute
film shows the industrial robot duplicating the actions of
a human wrist by performing multiple tasks (e.g., material Fig. 2 — A UNIMATE industrial robot wields a shovel
handling and electrode sharpening) for different processes during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new
Unimate Inc. facility.
(e.g., resistance spot and seam welding).

The UNIMATE robot made another appearance in a January

1979 WJ article titled “Arc-Welding Times Slashed by Robot
at AiResearch.” The gas metal arc welding (GMAW) robot
was described as creating 18-in.-long welds and completing
projects in less than two hours vs. the six hours needed to
accomplish the same job with manual welding — Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 — A screenshot of a 1960 film featuring an

industrial robot involved in automated spot welding.

1970s
As robotic welding began to gain more traction in the
1970s, particularly in the automotive industry, the WJ also
upped its coverage on the novel technology. In the Febru-
ary 1977 issue, the magazine highlighted a groundbreaking Fig. 3 — A UNIMATE industrial robot performs GMAW.
ceremony for a new plant addition at Unimate Inc., Danbury,
Conn., a producer of UNIMATE welding robots — Fig. 2.
S. J. Polcyn, the company’s vice president of operations at 1980s
the time, was quoted as saying, “The expansion reflects con-
tinuing growth in worldwide acceptance of industrial robots, Welding robots burst onto the manufacturing scene, and
for increasing productivity and relieving men of harsh and the pages of the WJ, in the 1980s. During this period, the
unpleasant jobs.” magazine published many articles and columns describing

20 | WELDING JOURNAL
welding robots as precise instruments capable of vision, touch
sensing, and coordinated motion — Fig. 4. The 1980s also saw
robotic spot welding cement itself as a mainstay for automo-
tive assembly lines, and robotic arc welding became more
widely used in both large and small manufacturing plants. The
increased demand for welding robots was especially notice-
able in the numerous ads promoting the technology — Fig. 5.
Fig. 4 — A photo from the May 1988 WJ shows how
repeatability is facilitated via a touch-sensing
device. Pictured is robotic arc welding of an aerial
lift truck component.
Despite their many advantages, welding robots at this time
were not the easiest to use. A news piece titled “Rocketdyne
Robotizes Welding of Shuttle Manifold” in the April 1988 WJ’s
Metalworking Press Notes column states, “One 20-in. joint
required almost five hours of robot manipulation before the
final program could be entered into the controller.” It was
also reported that the robot operators had to take a course
to learn how to use and program the robot.
Fig. 5 — This January 1988 WJ ad by GMF Robotics
features a six-axis arc welding robot designed for
fabrication shops.
1990s
Skimming through the pages of the WJ in the 1990s,
it becomes evident that the benefits of welding robots
had become common knowledge throughout many
industries. Coverage during this time focused on advance-
ments in motion control, which helped make robots more
functional and productive. Recurring topics included con-
trollers, teach pendants, easy-to-use interfaces, offline
programming software, and increased arm reach and
payload capabilities — Fig. 6. The 1990s WJs also increased
its coverage of robotic laser beam welding.
Additionally, during this time, the WJ ran several articles
that touched upon welders’ fears about industrial robots
replacing them in the workplace. For example, in an August
1995 WJ article titled “Robots Assure Quality for Auto Seat
Manufacturer,” the operations manager for Johnson Controls
Inc. (JCI), Vincennes, Ind., admitted that workers initially felt
concerned when the company installed a robotic welding
system: “But it didn’t take them long to understand that by
reducing labor costs and increasing production rates, JCI
could handle more projects,” he said. “More work means
more profit and job security. We need our qualified operators
to run the [robotic] systems.”
Fig. 6 — The July 1995 WJ showcases three workers
using a teach pendant to complete programming for
their company’s robots.
2000s
In the 2000s, it was not uncommon to come upon a column
or article in the WJ describing robots as an affordable, lighter,
and more compact solution for fast, high-quality, repeatable
welding. With robots becoming more ubiquitous than ever,
this time period saw increased coverage given to alternative
and hybrid robotic welding systems, which facilitated the
joining of new diverse materials for lightweighting — Fig. 7.
AUGUST 2022 | 21
 and What It Isn’t,” “The Need for Artificial Intelligence in the
Age of Industry 4.0,” “The Benefits IoT Brings to Equipment
Maintenance,” and “Budgets, Training, and Beyond: Gaining
Success with Robotic Welding.” Also playing an important
role in Industry 4.0 are collaborative robots (cobots), which
enable humans and robots to work side by side. Images of
cobots are peppered throughout many WJ magazines in the
2010s — Fig. 8.

2020s and Beyond

Fig. 7 — The January 2005 WJ depicts a robotic

hybrid system combining Nd:YAG laser welding with
GMAW. (Photo courtesy of Fronius International
GmbH.)

The 2000s WJs also revealed that more welding students

were getting in on the robot action as more educational insti-
tutions began to embrace welding robots in their programs.
For example, the June 2005 WJ article titled “Available:
Ready-to-Work Welding Technicians and Engineers” men-
tions the arc welding robot at Ferris State University, Big
Rapids, Mich., which is used to give students hands-on
training in robot programming.

2010s
The 2010s heralded the rise of Industry 4.0, and the WJ
was there to capture it with articles that discuss how real-
time data, automation, interconnectivity (Internet of Things
[IoT]), and machine learning are reshaping the welding indus-
try. The May 2019 issue recognized the significance of this
subject with the following articles: “Industry 4.0: What It Is,

Fig. 9 — This cobot was utilized by Montana-based

MT Solar, a solar mounting equipment manufacturer,
to free staff from repetitive tasks and help the
company conquer labor shortages.

The COVID-19 pandemic and labor shortages motivated

many companies to turn to robots to meet demands. The
WJ recorded the welding industry’s increased implemen-
tation of robots with articles like “Cobot Welding Offers the
Spark to Overcome Labor Shortages” (October 2020, Fig.
9), “Industry Perspectives” (January 2021), “Welding’s Arc
toward Change” (May 2022), and more. Coverage so far in
the 2020s indicates that robots have become a staple of
manufacturing and will continue to be a key technology for
the welding industry in the coming years. WJ
Fig. 8 — Humans and robots are shown working
together in this photo from the May 2018 WJ. (Photo
KATIE PACHECO (kpacheco@aws.org) is associate editor of the
courtesy of KUKA.)
Welding Journal.

22 | WELDING JOURNAL
 FEATURE BY JOSH LEATH

The Path toward

NO-CODE ROBOT
PROGRAMMING
User-friendly programming methods
and smart technologies are making
robots more accessible

Robot suppliers and integrators continue

to provide programming options that help
ease the robot learning curve.
(Image courtesy of Wandelbots.)
Fig. 1 — Intuitive graphic interfaces and advanced technologies, like the pictured TracePen, are facilitating robot
programming. (Image courtesy of Wandelbots.)
To address employment gaps, customer demands, and
ongoing disruptions, companies are implementing inno-
vative tools, including highly capable robots, to improve
operational efficiency and product quality. As supply chain
challenges persist and manufacturers scramble to meet
stringent demands with tighter constraints, the concept of
fast, flexible, and easy programming is at the forefront of
wider robotic integration.
This is why robot suppliers and integrators have continued
to provide programming options that help ease the robot
learning curve for their customers. Intuitive system capabil-
ities for robots and turnkey solutions are being developed
at an incredible rate, expanding application potential while
simplifying the programming process. As a result, a variety
of user-friendly yet robust programming methods and smart
technologies that facilitate a nontraditional approach toward
low- to no-code robot programming are available.
Feature-Rich Software Applications
Improved graphical interfaces with simple menu struc-
tures, touch screen capability, and familiar device offerings,
such as icon-driven programming, are boosting user confi-
dence and opening the door to a no-code future. To facilitate
the robot learning curve, robot suppliers and third-party
developers are promoting flexible development platforms
and specialty application modules that allow programming
without the use of code script.
Industry’s move toward making robots more user friendly
through hands-on, icon-driven programming can be seen
with Wandelbots’ TracePen, a handheld input wand that uti-
lizes artificial intelligence (AI). Shaped like a welding torch,
the wand traces program points to allow easy command of
robot movement and reduces programming time from hours
to minutes — Fig. 1. Its sensors triangulate using three emit-
ters placed around the work envelope to capture the data
required. It can mark single points or complex paths where
tool velocity is marked. The wand’s application also enables
simple path adjustments, visual skill editing, full-stack appli-
cations, and fast editing.
For welding, easy-to-use pendant
applications, such as Yaskawa’s Universal
Weldcom Interface (UWI), help maximize
user control while simplifying access to
powerful tools.
From offering storage options for welding settings to vary-
ing shielding gas usage, pendant applications allow users to
AUGUST 2022 | 39
 gain control of any welding process or parameter, including
voltage, amperage, and wire feed speed.
Pendant applications can also be coupled with sophis-
ticated power source technology that expands access to
new welding methods. For example, the UWI pendant
application provides access to advanced waveforms and
processes developed by the power supply manufacturer.
To ensure high-quality welds, these processes are matched
for welding certain metals, and sometimes proprietary filler
metals, that have specific shielding gas requirements. Addi-
tional features that can be manipulated by the UWI through
the teach pendant include TouchSense and Dual Pulse. The
former offers the ability to find a workpiece using voltage
through the wire, while the latter can call up two waveforms
and alternate between them to provide aesthetics similar
to gas tungsten arc welding on any brand of power supply.
Robotic Offline Programming
Integral for timely deployment of many applications, offline
programming (OLP) continues to permeate the industry —
Fig. 2. Using a 3D representation of a robotic workcell or
production line that visually demonstrates how a robot moves
along a programmed path, cutting-edge software applica-
tions make OLP a reality for a variety of robot brands. Similar
to computer-aided design (CAD) software, these PC-based
virtual platforms enable users to design, test, and adjust a
robot program before implementation. For welding tasks,
platforms by Delfoi and OCTOPUZ® facilitate accurate weld
production. Additionally, suites such as Hypertherm’s Robot-
master ® offer plugins for additive manufacturing.
However, users need to be mindful when using OLP because
parts can deviate from a drawing or CAD model and intro-
duce the potential need for additional welding technologies.
The utilization of welding technologies in tandem with OLP
can help overcome differences between the simulated envi-
ronment and the production floor. From innovative sensor
technology for optimized control of welding parameters and
40 | WELDING JOURNAL
robotic motion to high-speed joint finding and weld-joint
tracking peripherals, multiple tools can be implemented.
Cobots and Precision Hand-Guided
Teaching
Expected to grow by 40% over the next six years (Ref.
1), cobots that are inherently safe by design and capable of
working with or in close proximity to humans are increasingly
being used for palletizing, machine tending, and welding.
For welding applications, lightweight cobots installed on
modular welding tables or mobile carts can be easily wheeled
up to large, heavy workpieces or placed beside existing
welding stations to supplement manual labor. Often fea-
turing precision hand-guided teaching, these cobots can
also facilitate programming and lead to fast implementation
of a robot system. Using a pendant application can further
assist manufacturers by giving them greater control of any
compatible power source brand.
Robot Operating System
Accelerating the use of adaptable and intuitive robotic
systems is the Robot Operating System (ROS), a royalty-free
open-source repository for robotic applications. It provides
a state-of-the-art mix of algorithms, drivers, functions, soft-
ware, and more. The ROS is now available in its second edition
(ROS 2). Its compilation of feature-rich tools is seen by some
as the glue that holds advanced technology together because
it can improve a myriad of complex applications. Using many
of the same core components, tools, and libraries as the orig-
inal, ROS 2 was built from the ground up to solve a multitude
of challenges, including security concerns.
It is advantageous to make a robot compatible for a vari-
ety of unstructured environment applications in a timely
and cost-effective manner. As a result, a growing number
of robot manufacturers are providing the ability to use this
Fig. 2 — OLP enables
fast, accurate
programming for
collaborative robot
(cobot) applications.
(Image courtesy of
Mach Machines,
Delfoi’s North
American partner.)
technology on their robots. A robust communication driver
provides robot users the option to create add-ons and inte-
grate perception sensors. This allows for modifications that
help expand functionality to include more advanced tasks,
especially for manipulation and navigation.
Machine Learning and AI
Advances in AI, simulation, and modular hardware are con-
tributing to greater robot dexterity. Furthermore, machine
learning algorithms, such as artificial deep neural networks,
are enabling complex robot skills. Unlike traditional program-
ming, these algorithms are not programmed, and they are
trained for specific jobs to provide good examples of task
outcomes.
Complementing the industry shift toward low- or no-code
programming are machine learning solutions like those
offered by Path Robotics Inc. Packaged as a complete
workcell, the patented systems use a proprietary version
of AI software to determine part shape and joint loca-
tions. Helping users recognize what can be welded and
how, the systems are suited for a variety of tasks, includ-
ing multipass welding, which is often needed for heavier
parts. These solutions also provide a quality-assurance
analysis on performance.
To reduce the roadblocks associated with implement-
ing robots and machine learning solutions, Path Robotics
offers Robotics as a Service (RaaS) and Welding as a Service
(WaaS) options. An operating expense (OpEx), pay-as-you-go
concept, these services allow manufacturers to acquire a
complete welding workcell via a 12-month subscription
model. This helps business leaders conserve cash for other
capital improvements while mitigating risks.
Conclusion
Although the task being performed will typically dictate
the type of programming that will work best, it can be helpful
to understand the many simplified approaches available.
As manufacturers adopt more robotic arms, the use of AI,
intuitive programming, and other Industry 4.0 technologies
will continue to assist the path toward no-code programming
for optimized production. WJ
Reference
1. Fortune Business Insights. 2020. Collaborative Robots Market
Size, Share & Covid-19 Impact Analysis. fortunebusinessinsights.
com/industry-reports/collaborative-robots-market-101692
JOSH LEATH ( joshua.leath@motoman.com) is the senior product
manager of welding at Yaskawa America Inc., Motoman Robotics
Division, Miamisburg, Ohio.
AUGUST 2022 | 41