Welding robot composition and working principle
Welding robots, as a key technology in the automation of the welding process, represent the direction of upgrading the welding industry. By replacing manual welding with robots, welding accuracy and efficiency can be significantly improved, while reducing production costs and optimizing the working environment. This advanced welding method has been recognized and adopted by many manufacturing companies as the preferred solution to improve productivity and product quality. With the advancement of technology, more and more manufacturers are welding robot transformation project as a key step to enhance competitiveness.

1. The structural composition of the welding robot
The use of robots for welding, there is a robot is not enough, but also must be equipped with peripheral equipment. Conventional arc welding robot switcher consists of 5 parts.
A: robot body, generally servo motor-driven 6-axis articulated operator, which consists of drivers, transmission mechanisms, mechanical arms, joints, and internal sensors. Its task is to accurately ensure the required position, attitude and motion trajectory of the robot end (welding torch).
B: Robot control cabinet, which is the nerve center of the robot switcher, including computer hardware, software and some special circuits, is responsible for processing all the information and controlling all the actions of the robot during its operation.
C:Welding power switcher, including welding power supply, special welding torch and so on.
D:Welding sensors and switcher safety protection facilities.
E: welding fixture.
For small batches of many varieties, volume or quality of larger products, according to its workpiece weld space distribution, the use of simple welding robot operation station or welding machine and robot combination of robot operation station. In order to apply to the “many varieties, small batches” of the flexible production. For the small size of the workpiece, easy to transport. And large batches, varieties and specifications of products. The welding process is subdivided, the use of robots and welding machines combined with the production line, combined with modular welding fixtures and rapid mold process to achieve low investment, high efficiency and low-cost automation purposes.

2. The working principle of the welding robot
Welding robot is guided by the user robot, in accordance with the actual task step by step operation once, the robot in the guidance process automatically memorize the position of each action of the teaching, attitude, movement parameters, welding parameters, and automatically generate a continuous execution of all the operations of the program. After completing the demonstration, just give the robot a start command, the robot will accurately according to the demonstration of action, step by step to complete all the operations, the actual demonstration and reproduction.
Welding robots are divided into two categories: arc welding robots and electric welding robots. Arc welding robots can be applied in all arc welding, cutting technology and similar industrial methods. The most commonly used ranges are fusion electrode reactive gas shielded welding (CO2 welding, MAG welding) of structural and chrome-nickel steels, fusion electrode inert gas shielded welding (MIC welding) of aluminum and special alloys, inert gas shielded welding of chrome-nickel steels and aluminum, and submerged arc welding. A complete arc welding robot system should include a robot manipulator, a control system, a welding device, and a weldment clamping device. The clamping device has two sets of rotary tables that can be rotated into the working range of the robot.

3. The welding robot's first field
With the continuous development of the industrial market, welding robots gradually replace the traditional welding, rapid development in various fields, welding robot development is rapid thanks to its high level of automation, can improve the welding production efficiency of enterprises, welding robots in the construction, automotive and automotive parts manufacturing, steel structure, shipbuilding, electronic information manufacturing industry, rail transportation industry, and the energy industry, and other fields are widely used.
Welding robots are the most widely used in the field of automotive vehicles and parts, more than 75% of the welding work is completed by intelligent welding robots, greatly improving the automation rate of the production line. In terms of accuracy, the new generation of intelligent welding robots have achieved a repeat positioning accuracy of +0.05mm, which is 60% higher than the accuracy of traditional manual welding.

Welding robots are used in the automobile manufacturing industry to weld parts such as chassis, body, and exhaust pipes. Spot welding robots are mainly used to weld car bodies and doors, and the use of resistance spot welding technology better applies to the needs of the diversified development of the automotive industry, which can realize the welding production of multiple models at one station, greatly improving production efficiency and welding quality.

4. The core technical difficulties and problems
In the field of welding, the large-scale application of robots does face a high degree of non-standardization challenges. As the object of welding operations is usually parts with complex structure and shape, the welding path and process parameters between these parts may be different, which requires welding robots to have strong adaptability and flexibility.
Intelligent welding is not only a matter of robot hardware, but also a challenge of software and algorithms. The breakthrough of welding model and 3D vision technology is the key to realize intelligent welding. By recognizing the exact position and shape of the workpiece through a high-precision 3D vision system, combined with advanced welding path planning algorithms, the robot can autonomously plan a suitable welding path. Such a system can greatly reduce the reliance on manual instruction and improve the welding efficiency in small batch and diverse production scenarios.
Under the current technology development trend, integration and intelligence is an important direction for the development of robot technology. For the welding field, this requires not only the progress of the robot hardware itself, but also the deep integration of welding process, control system and artificial intelligence technology. Only in this way can we realize the intelligence and automation of welding production, so as to improve production efficiency and product quality and reduce production costs.
The construction of welding models requires the integration of CAD, CAM, NC and other industrial software algorithms, and relies on the accumulation of a large amount of data to optimize the model to adapt to different welding needs. Research in this field requires not only deep knowledge of welding processes, but also interdisciplinary technical support, including materials science, mechanics, computer science, etc. Constructing an accurate welding model is very complicated due to the numerous variables in the welding process, such as welding speed, current, voltage, welding material, etc.

The application of 3D vision technology in welding is equally challenging. It needs to be able to accurately recognize and track the position and attitude of the workpiece during the welding process so that the robot can adjust the welding path in real time. Since welding operations are usually carried out in a high-temperature, arc-light and fume environment, all these factors can have an impact on the performance of the 3D vision system. In addition, the domestic 3D industrial vision market is still in the early stages of development, and the industrial chain is not mature enough, requiring a large amount of data to iterate and optimize the algorithms.

As Chinese manufacturers continue to break through these technical difficulties, the emergence of teach-free intelligent welding solutions will be an important milestone. These solutions are expected to promote the transformation of steel structures, ships and other industries to intelligent welding. There are already some companies in the market that have made some progress in this field.

With the advancement of technology and competition in the market, price will become a potential advantage of collaborative robots in the field of welding. However, in addition to the price factor, stability, reliability, ease of use and after-sales service will also be important factors for users to consider when choosing a welding robot.

Finally, the entry of collaborative robotics companies incubated by steel construction companies such as CSCSC demonstrates the role of market demand in driving technological innovation. With the participation and competition of these companies, the level of intelligence in the welding field is expected to increase.

5. The future of welding robots
Welding equipment manufacturing is a highly market-oriented industry, the international four families (ABB, KUKA, FANUC, Yaskawa/Motoman) in the field of industrial robots occupy a major market share, and in the high-end market, especially in the field of automobile manufacturing, welding and other areas with significant advantages. Domestic enterprises due to the relative lack of accumulation in technology, brand, market channels, etc., often in the low-end market to seek space for development.
In the future, welding applications may be part of the welding process has a deep accumulation and research of collaborative robotics enterprises to start the volume of one of the entry point, but multi-sector parallel must be the long-term goal of collaborative robotics. Based on industrial applications, collaborative robotics enterprises to further extend the industry chain, do fine and strong robot body at the same time, and gradually expand the non-industrial fields, and successively introduce more types of robot services and applications to the market, is to ensure that the collaborative robotics industry long-term orderly development of the key direction.