By André Odermatt

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) estimates that by the year 2007, worldwide, a total of 997,000 robots will be in use of which 145,100 will be in the United States.  About half of these will be used in the motor vehicle industry. The pie chart shows that most robots are used in spot welding and material handling, followed by arc welding.

What is a robot? Joseph Engelberger, the father of modern robots once remarked “I can’t define a robot, but I know one when I see one.”

Arc welding robots have become very popular over the years and sensor developers and adaptive control engineers keep trying to duplicate the motion of experienced welders. Until about 1990, the price of robots increased and after that the price continuously fell.  Meanwhile, the index of labor compensation increased from 100 to over 150 during the same period. This may explain, at least in part, why orders for arc welding robots increased by 25% from 2003 to 2004 and by roughly 27% to 3,900 units from 2004 to 2005.

The purpose of this background information is to illustrate the increasing trend for more automation in arc welding, which will drive the need for robotic arc welding operators and technicians, and this brings me to my point. An experienced welder who learns programming can increase productivity, reduce scrap and rework and hence positively influence the bottom line. Robotic arc welding also moves the welder away from the vicinity of the arc. The major deficiency in robotic or automatic arc welding continues to be its inability to compensate properly for variations in welding joints.  In many areas, it is still not possible to fabricate consistently perfectly fitting parts for welding.

An experienced and competent welder understands the effect of controllable variables, the different metal transfer characteristics, how to obtain optimal travel speed, advantages and disadvantages of pulsed metal transfer, metal-core wire advantages and disadvantages and, most importantly, he or she knows how to identify and read the weld puddle.  The welder can then address gaps, edge preparations, fit-up, number of passes etc.  Some time ago the term “gold collar worker” was coined for the welder because of their high value to a company.  The term definitely fits a robotic arc welding operator and technician with actual, real-life, welding experiences, especially if they have graduated from one of the diploma welding programs at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.

There is no doubt in my mind that a trained welder who learns how to program an arc welding robot is many times more valuable to a company than a person who has learned programming but does not know how to weld. And yet, companies’ management seems to vary greatly on how much access they allow operators to programming parameters.  I believe that a skilled welder programming and operating an arc welding robot will produce less rejects than a programmer who has no practical welding experience.

The AWS D16.4:1999 Specification for the Qualification of Robotic Arc Welding Personnel sets the principle requirements for taking the Certified Robotic Arc Welding (CRAW) examination. For operator certification, a minimum of 2 years of welding experience and a 1-year diploma in welding or robotic instruction is required.  For more information, please visit www.aws.org

HIWT graduates may provide documentation about the completed coursework and AWS will credit this time to the experience requirements of AWS D16.4. This means that a HIWT Combination Structural and Pipe Welding Program graduate, who wants to become an AWS Certified Arc Welding Operator, may apply just 15 months after graduation, giving them a significant career advantage.

The American Welding Society committee that established the two years welding experience requirement to become an AWS Certified Arc Welding Operator seems to agree with our viewpoint on this.  HIWT encourages welders who qualify to take the CRAW examination and become an AWS Certified Robotic Arc Welding operator. The need for this skill is increasing as outlined above.  It can be another positive step in a rewarding career in welding.    

References:

UNECE
American Welding Society: D16.4 Specification for the Qualification of Robotic Arc Welding Personnel.
Cary: Modern Welding Technology