In the past 20 years, with the development of digital, automation, computer, mechanical design technology, and the importance of welding quality, automatic welding has developed into an advanced manufacturing technology.

Automatic Welding Equipment

Automated welding equipment is playing an increasingly important role in various industrial applications, and the range of applications is rapidly expanding.

In modern industrial production, the mechanization and automation of the welding production process is an inevitable trend in the modernization of the welding mechanism manufacturing industry.

Types of automatic welding equipment

According to the degree of automation, automated welding equipment can be divided into the following three categories:

  1. Rigid automatic welding equipment

Rigid automated welding equipment can also be referred to as primary automated welding equipment, most of which are designed in accordance with the principles of open loop control.

Although the entire welding process is automatically completed by the welding equipment, the feedback of the welding parameters during the welding process cannot be closed-loop feedback system, and the possible deviations cannot be randomly corrected.

  1. Adaptive control automatic welding equipment

Adaptively controlled welding equipment is a highly automated welding equipment.

It is equipped with sensors and electronic detection lines to automatically guide and track the weld trajectory, and implement closed-loop feedback control of the main welding parameters.

The entire welding process will be completed automatically according to preset procedures and process parameters.

  1. Intelligent automatic welding equipment

It utilizes a variety of advanced sensing components such as vision sensors, tactile sensors, auditory sensors and laser scanners, and with computer software systems.

The database and expert system have the functions of identification, judgment, real-time detection, calculation, automatic programming, welding parameter storage and automatic generation of welding record files.

The composition of automated welding equipment

  1. Welding power

The output power and welding characteristics should be matched to the proposed welding process and equipped with an interface to the main controller.

  1. Wire feeder and its control and speed control system

For wire feeder with higher speed control accuracy requirements, its control circuit should add speed feedback.

  1. Welding machine head uses its moving mechanism

It consists of welding head, welding head support frame, and hanging carriage.

For precision welding head mechanism, the drive system should use servo motor with encoder

  1. Weldment movement or displacement mechanism

Such as welding roller frame, head and tail frame turning machine, rotary platform and positioner.

The precision moving position mechanism should be driven by a servo motor.

  1. Weldment clamping mechanism
  2. The main controller

Also known as system controller, it is mainly used for linkage control of each component, control of welding procedure, setting of main welding parameters, adjustment and display.

Control functions such as troubleshooting and man-machine dialogue can be expanded as necessary.

  1. Computer software

Commonly used computer software in welding equipment are: programming software, functional software.

Process method software and expert systems, etc.

  1. Welding head guiding or tracking mechanism

Arc voltage automatic controller, welding gun yoke and monitoring system

  1. Auxiliary device

Such as wire feeding system, circulating water cooling system, flux recovery conveyor, wire support, cable hose and drag chain structure, mechanism design, electrical control design.

  1. Welding robot

Also known as the robot arm, it is an important part of automated welding equipment.

Its main tasks include: welding, cutting, thermal spraying, handling, etc.