Automating Tig Welding

admin

We are looking to automate TIG welding on some repetative welds.I was wongering how we could achive this, or if anyone has one it. Any information would be a great help. I did see some had achived this with a few bits and bobsBeer is a sign that god wanted men to be happy
Reply:Yes, you can weld a few bits and bobs with a positioner, but that isn't automated. A robot or CNC GTAW system is huge $!John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Thanks for that, but I saw a small motor and a carriage that held the torch and the motor had a belt to move it up and down the carriage while it fused the two stainless steel edges together.Beer is a sign that god wanted men to be happy
Reply:www.bugo.com and if your in the cities call Oxygen Service Company (www.oxyserv.com) and talk to Pam Lesemann or Mike Nelson, either one will have a solution
Reply:You can makeshift it depending on the position, but it's hard to get it down pat.  A power supply with pulse capabilities and a wire feed system are almost a must.    Even then, depending on the size/shape of the part, it may still be more cost effective to hire someone to do the welding, as you still need someone to operate the equipment.
Reply:There is no way a machine can duplicate what a competent tig welder can do.. Thats just not happening.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterThere is no way a machine can duplicate what a competent tig welder can do.. Thats just not happening.....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterThere is no way a machine can duplicate what a competent tig welder can do.. Thats just not happening.....zap!
Reply:I have actually seen this small automatic welding device in person. Its a company that produces some parts for me. The company started to produce stainless steel plant pots for Ikea he had 10,000 a month to produce. He was using .6 mm stainless steel Most of these we a square shape that had 4 corners. To weld then he simple tacked the the sides and botton together and then he used a home made device to weld it( when I say weld he just used the gun to melt both piced to gether, without filler wire). This welder compised of a single arm bed, and an over head carraige which had a small motor and a belt to pull the tourch along. This did a really good job.It is the motor part that I am looking for is any one has any idea of where I can obtain one and what kind of speed I would need, maybe I would need a gear box to slow the motor down.Beer is a sign that god wanted men to be happy
Reply:You will need variable drive for anything that moves.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RYou will need variable drive for anything that moves.David
Reply:track units are available, with and without cold-wire-feed. Without is for autogeneous fuse OR and operator feeding the wire. The cold-wire-feeder is not cheap. Setup is tough with automatic feeder (never done it, but did a seminar a few years ago to find out about it) and not worth it for one off jobs, in general. The track units with manual feed are quit common for running seams, and the finish weld is as good as the person running it. Without filler does some of the best welds you have never seen. anything other than straight lines raises the cost, especially with cold-wire-feed. The quality of welds from the automatic setups can be better that just about any manually peformed weld. It depends on the skill used in setup.With regard to th motor drive for a build it yourself, you haven't given anywhere near enough detail. How much power (based on inertial load and needed speeds, as well as friction and gravity on the load)? What speed range? Reliability needed? Needed lifetime? Computer control available or desired? How will the power source welding) be controlled from this, or will it (mostly morbid curiosity, but...)?
Reply:Originally Posted by tanky321Not necessarily, if he wants a constant speed he can use a ac gear motor,  he could also use a DC motor which would probably give him better control over speed etc. Another alternative would be a stepper motor or servo motor which would give ultimate control over movement.  Check out www.cnczone.comTheres alot of great info there.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterThere is no way a machine can duplicate what a competent tig welder can do.. Thats just not happening.....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserSorry Zap, but it is happening..A machine can be set up to consistently weld with better quality and appearance than any person.  Geez, just look how much your rotary positioner helps you make better welds.  Now add a torch holder, wire feeder, and an oscillator, and that machine will have the potential to out weld you.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterMaybe true..Answer this..How does a machine know when there is too much heat and its time to back off the pedal??Or there is not enough and its time to lean on it??...zap!
Reply:I've not run a TIG robot but the MIG robots I've run had sensors to detect changes so minute they would correct before you even heard the change in sound. I've run basic robots that couldn't detect anything, no sensors at all, they just went from point to point as programed. The better ones I've run had up to 3 different types of sensors, amp, volt and optical. Once these puppies were dialed in they didn't miss a lick unless there was a mechanical malfuntion. They can put as many arms on these things as is appropriate for the task, and run multiple wire's through the head as needed on the MIG versions. It really is a PITA though knowing what you're doing is displacing several welders. I've also run a sub-arc machine that had 6 heads that could run at the same time. Same thing happened when wire started taking over from stick, fewer competent welders needed to do the same task. It sucks but it's the reality of the world we live in. These days I just piddle in my little shop, all manual, I've had my fill of "modern welding".