Robots

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Will Welding be replaced by robots anytime soon and im talking buildings and pipeline welding?Millermatic 200Linde 295 Amp Stick90 Amp Flux-Core
Reply:They arent very mobile and they still need operators to program and maintain them, so my gut is NO, not for a long time. They arent all that good at compensating for unique conditions and arent nearly as versatile and mobile as a person will be, and they are dumb. They are stuck with what they are programmed to do and dont reprogram themselves currently.There are a lot of automated systems that reduce the work of a person and can make very good repeatable welds in relatively well controlled environments but thats about it
Reply:ok thanks and your right they work good for production line things where everything has to be the sameMillermatic 200Linde 295 Amp Stick90 Amp Flux-Core
Reply:The problem with robot welders is that they can only do repetitive weld in controlled conditionsthey have no adaptive programming like humans they cannot do anything outside there programmingso if there is any changes that take place they just keep doing they same thing over and over right or wrongBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:So they can only do one thing is what your sayingMillermatic 200Linde 295 Amp Stick90 Amp Flux-Core
Reply:Originally Posted by killdozerd11The problem with robot welders is that they can only do repetitive weld in controlled conditionsthey have no adaptive programming like humans they cannot do anything outside there programmingso if there is any changes that take place they just keep doing they same thing over and over right or wrong
Reply:No way, those robots are expensive, and the big construction corporations are never going to risk that much money falling off of a 50 story building, or the top of a big old bridge. No offense to the guys who weld on those big old buildings, I have nothing but respect for those maniacs. It's just the way corporations work. It would cost too much to replace workers with robots, and the risks would be too high. And of course, someone would still have to position the robots. A worker lost is simply the cost of hiring a new worker. You have to pay for a whole new robot whenever one of those is lost.
Reply:so its not very practicalMillermatic 200Linde 295 Amp Stick90 Amp Flux-Core
Reply:Yes, In the future when robots are to the point that they are mass produced and cost about the same as a car and can do anything you want. Like cook, laundry, clean, mow, etc. I imagen you will be be dead by then.But welding may be obselete by then. Like tiny nano bots that you voice command to fuse materials together for you.Who knows.ThermalArc 161STL TIG/Stick (160amp)Lincoln weld-pak 100 (fluxcore)4X6 Enco bandsaw10" skillsaw with metal blade for 45degrees (works)4" grinderWeld for fun. Very rare I do it for Money.
Reply:Just hook up a high frequency unit to that robot and see how long it lasts.... I for one dont care....let em replace me with a robot, ill go find another project to weld on at the rate we are going i dont think ill worry about it any time soon....only people who got enough time and money to play with those silly things are the big 3 auto makers it seems ....out of all the welding shops ive been in , ive seen one with a robot....it had 3 inches of dust on it.I forgot how to change this.
Reply:No don't know much about robot welders The spot welders they use in car factory's about the only ones i have seen demoed Seen some video of the YAG laser welders that they use to weld chobham armor on abrams tanksbut most of that is still classifiedAnd that was back in the 90's as a matter of fact some of the Japanese car makers were shutting down the robots because it was cheaper to use humans at that timeI am sure they have improved upon them a bit by now and they are not something i keep up withBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Our building utilzes 60+ welding robots (Kawasaki and ABB/Wolf), but we still require another 300 people to support those robots.Had a small human error on a frame last week, took 20+ hours of gouging and welding to undo that mess. Robots are neat and we have some high end machines, but they are definately limited in their abilities. Out of the 75 people on my line, 1 can weld with the same appearance as the robot. Out of those people, not a single one can approach the speed of a robot. Takes a human about twice as long to weld something as the robot does. I know I wouldn't want to hold a gun pushing wire at 36V 500IMP all day.
Reply:This argument has been raging for a really long time in every industry not just ours. I'd assume that as technology continues to advance and becomes less expensive to produce, maintain, and control the industry will most likely become more automated by "robots". I don't know how near this is but it's an interesting discussion.Ace Custom Fabrication - Calgary welder specializing in oilfield fabrication, structural welding, design services, heavy equipment fabrication, and plant maintenance.
Reply:Originally Posted by Lantz No offense to the guys who weld on those big old buildings, I have nothing but respect for those maniacs.:WHAT!!!! "MANIACS" ain't on the iron.They're outside the fence watching "US" do the work. . A worker lost is simply the cost of hiring a new worker..
Reply:Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think there is a robot capable of smaw. So I'd say pipeline and the majority of construction are safe.Go Cards!!!!!
Reply:Robots may be fine for repetitve mind numbing production work.  When they can drive the truck to the job, evaluate the situation, pull in the leads, cut replacement steel and burn rods; we better start looking for another line of work.Until then, just keep getting better at what we do.When my troops complained about the work we had to do; I reminded them "if it were easy, anybody could do it"I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Originally Posted by Cliff LodesSomeone correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think there is a robot capable of smaw. So I'd say pipeline and the majority of construction are safe.
Reply:I've operated two robot welders for a while in the past that ran about $100k each and though they were first generation models they still needed allot of attention and weren't able to avoid bumping into the parts being welded.  That being said there are electronics like the Microsoft kinect that with the open source culture around it and the thousands of hacks and improvements including those with robotic platforms and spacial recognition will catapult the field forward.  Add the arduino and its variants to the mix for process controls and other items that are out on the market and in the hands of skilled inventors and hackers you could see much more versatile and agile robotic welders in 5 - 10 years doing work outside of the assembly line.Welding Supervisor Department of Corrections.