How To Program A Welding Robot Easily And Efficiently?

As welding robotic and automation develops, more and more factories and manufacturers start to use welding robots to replace workers, benefits not only high weld quality but also improved consistency, save labor cost.

Some factories which have no experience about robotic welding, maybe will worry about the programming of welding robot, is it easy?

Don’t worry, this article will introduce you to practical skills and some tips to help you programming more efficiently, besides, the important is there are detailed steps for programming welding, we not only tell you how to do it but also tell you why to that for? We show you the process of programming through video and text, we are sure you will become a professional programmer after study this video, if there is something not clear, please continue to study the following programming steps.

Detailed 10 Steps To Program A Welding Robot

Let’s make the linear program from point A to point B of the workpiece, this program is composed of 6 program points from 1 to 6, these 6 points positions need to be set in the program, next we start the program.

Firstly need to create a new program, click JOB on the teaching pendant, then click MANAGER, input a program name on the Destion job area, then click OK and create, the program is built.

Program point 1 – The safety position

Program point 2 – Near the job start position

Program point 3 – The job start position

Program point 4 – The job finish position

Program point 5 – The position don’t touch workpiece and fixture

Program point 6 – Near the safety position

Step 1. Set Global Speed

Press INFORM LIST, choose and open MOV2, and choose SPEED, then press SELECT, the command appears in the command editing area, then press INSERT and OK.

The global speed refers to the speed override of the motion instruction in the entire program, and the value range is 1～100%. If the SPEED instruction is not set, the program default value is 20%.

NOP means an initial line, END means finish line, SPEED means global speed.

Step 2. Set Global Acceleration And Deceleration

Press INFORM LIST, choose and open MOV2, and choose DYN global acceleration and deceleration, then press SELECT, the command appears in the command editing area, then press INSERT and OK.

DYN ACC means global acceleration, DCC means global deceleration, J means acceleration time.

Global acceleration and deceleration refer to the acceleration, deceleration rate, and acceleration time of the motion command in the entire program. The range of acceleration/deceleration is 1-100%, and the default value is 10%. The acceleration time refers to the time it takes for the robot to reach the set acceleration value. The value range is 8 to 800 milliseconds, and the default value is 128 milliseconds. If the DYN instruction is not used, the program executes according to the default value.

In any program, for the starting line, need to insert these two lines of speed command.

Step 3. Positioning Program Point 1 – Safety Position

Press SERVO ON READY, and grip 3 – stages switch, connect servo power, the robot can move, through axial operating keys to move the robot to the program point 1 position, this position should be set in a safe and suitable for work preparation.

Then set the motion type into MOVJ.

Then press INSERT and OK, the instruction has been inserted into the program.

MOVJ is a point-to-point motion in axial motion type.

Step 4. Positioning Program Point 2 – Near The Job Start Position

Through axial operating keys move the robot to program point 2 positions, press INSERT, and OK.

Step 5. Positioning Program Point 3 – The Job Start Position

Through axial operating keys move the robot to program point 3 position, press INSERT and OK.

Step 6. Positioning Program Point 4 – The Job Finish Position

Through axial operating keys move the robot to program point 4 position, change the motion type into MOVL, and press INSERT and OK.

MOVL is if the robot weld such a weld seam, it requires every point must be on this straight line, the robot moved trajectory is a strict straight. For welding, the weld seam must be moved with MOVL.

Step 7. Positioning Program Point 5 – The Position Don’t Touch Workpiece And Fixture

Through axial operating keys move the robot to program point 5 positions, change the motion type into MOVJ, and press INSERT and OK.

Step 8. Positioning Program Point 6 – Near The Safety Position

Through axial operating keys move the robot to program point 6 position, press INSERT and OK.

Step 9. The Initial Program Point Coincides With The Final Program Point

Now, the robot stops at program point 6 which near program point 1. If you can move directly from program point 5 (the position don’t touch workpiece and fixture) to the position of program point 1, you can immediately start the welding of the next workpiece, thereby improving work efficiency.

So we set program point 6 (the final position) and program point 1( the initial position) in the same position(please check the video for detailed steps.

Step 10. Confirm The Program And Playback Tt

After the robot motion program input is completed, the trajectory must be confirmed in order to check whether there is anything wrong with each program point, and then play-back the program, let the program run automatically again.

7 Tips Reach Your Goals More Efficiently!

During welding, the proper torch angles and arm posture for weld joints are important. Keep the robot posture as close as possible to the home position. Try to keep the default posture and don’t wind up the robot into an odd posture if it is not absolutely necessary, a good robot program will prevent the robot from performing exaggerated positions/postures and balance the motion of the torch orientation with the robot arm position.
Moves where an axis is moving more than 180 degrees, should be made in two moves to ensure smooth motion.
Keep the axis 5 pointing downward so that the angle of the torch creates the working angle with the weld joint (if the joint is horizontal).
Do not use excessive torch motion creating a singularity of any axis (axis 4 and 5 mainly) during the welding process.
Do not use major axes (such as axis 1, 2, and 3) movement to position the torch angle. The most efficient motion will use the wrist axis to orient the torch, while the motion of the base axis performs translational motion only.
Create and maintain a good tool center point (TCP), you can create a “teach tip” by drilling out a contact tip and inserting a sharpened tungsten or drill bit with the desired stick-out.
Advances in inverter technology and faster processors have led to more precise weld process control, which has benefited robotic welding. Power source brands offer unique technologies with powerful yet easy-to-use interfaces that help achieve high-quality welds. Most manufacturers offer multiple process variations for a given wire type, size, and gas combination. These generally can be changed by the robot program to provide optimal welding characteristics for a variety of joint conditions.

6 Practical Skills for Programming Welding Robots

The work of the welding robot is carried out in accordance with the pre-programmed program, so programming is the key point. Since programming cannot be done in one step, it needs continuous inspection and improvement in practical applications, but some skills still need to be followed.

(1) When programming the welding robot, a reasonable welding sequence must be selected. Generally, the welding sequence is formulated to reduce the welding deformation and the length of the welding gun travel path.

(2) The space transition requirements of the welding gun are short, smooth, and safe movement trajectory.

(3) Optimize welding parameters. In order to obtain the best welding parameters, welding tests and process qualifications can be carried out by making working test pieces. And need to adjust welding parameters and welding gun posture according to actual requirements to form a good program.

(4) Use a reasonable position of the positioner, welding torch attitude, and the position of the welding torch relative to the joint. After the workpiece is fixed on the positioner, if the welding seam is not the ideal position and angle, the positioner should be adjusted continuously during programming, so that the welded seam reaches the horizontal position successively according to the welding sequence. At the same time, it is necessary to continuously adjust the position of each axis of the robot, and reasonably determine the position and angle of the welding gun relative to the joint and the length of the welding wire. After the position of the workpiece is determined, the position of the welding gun relative to the joint must be observed by the programmer’s eyes, which is more difficult. This requires programmers to be good at summing up the experience.

(5) Insert the gun cleaning program in time. After writing a certain length of welding program, the gun cleaning program should be inserted in time to prevent welding spatter from blocking the welding nozzle and contact tip, ensure the cleaning of the welding gun, improve the life of the nozzle, and ensure reliable arc ignition. Reduce welding spatter.

(6) Generally, the programming cannot be done in one step. It is necessary to continuously inspect and modify the program during the robot welding process, adjust the welding parameters and welding gun attitude, etc., to form a good program.

Robotic welding is a little complex process, could not take the task lightly when operate it, but you could gain experience by trial and error.

Any steps you take to make programming a smoother, more effective process can optimize production.