The Danish start-up WeldingDroid wants to make TIG and MIG welding of pipes and tanks fit for Industry 4.0. The keyword is automation: This allows welding tasks to be completed quickly – and with high reproducible quality. At Schweisstec, the company presented its welding robots to the trade public in Germany for the first time.
At the booth visitors could experience, completely changed. The start-up’s welding robots work quickly and efficiently: for example, they only need ten minutes to complete a welding task that takes an hour using manual methods and is often extremely physically demanding for skilled workers. According to the supplier, the investment in these welding solutions will pay for itself after only 200 operating hours.
The signs point to “Plug’n’Weld.”
At the Schweisstec WeldingDroid presents the mobile welding solution “X1” as well as the workshop model “WS”. They are suitable for processing pipes and tanks with a diameter of 100 to 3,000 mm. The following applies to both models: Operation is intuitive, does not require any special knowledge and can thus also be carried out by persons outside the field. In this way, companies can counter the high shortage of skilled workers in the industry and provide physical relief for employees.
Once the parameters for a welding task have been set, a short instruction is sufficient to start the process. The machine then works on its own. For example, the voltage of the arc is permanently measured during welding and the height adjustment is automatically controlled in case of deviations. The result is a weld seam whose quality can be reproduced at any time.
The automatic storage of all welding data also ensures full traceability. The products manufactured in this way can thus also be used in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Patented solution reduces gas consumption and costs
The patented solution “Purgemaster”, which prevents oxidation of the root layer when welding pipes, can also be seen at the exhibition stand. The ingenious system saves up to 90 percent gas compared to the conventional process, because the gas is only introduced where it is needed – directly at the weld seam. The Purgemaster can be integrated into the welding solutions “X1” and “WS”, but can also be used for manual welding work.
“Welding is part of everyday industrial life. But the physical strain and the high time commitment are an enormous challenge, especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers. We at WeldingDroid want to show that there are profitable alternatives and thus support companies in high-wage countries in particular,” explains Mikkel Falk, CEO of WeldingDroid.
Thomas Visti, one of the start-up’s biggest investors, also sees the enormous potential of automated solutions. The Danish robotics expert has already helped innovative companies such as cobot pioneer Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots to success.
Numbers&Facts:
Founded in 2019, Danish startup WeldingDroid provides automated welding solutions for industrial use. The welding robots can be used for both TIG and MIG welding of pipes and tanks with diameters between 100 and 3,000 millimetres. WeldingDroid makes pipe and container welding fit for Industry 4.0. The solutions are characterized by time savings and significantly reduced gas consumption. At the same time, reproducible welding results of high quality are achieved. The products manufactured in this way can thus be used in all sectors, from waste water and district heating to the pharmaceutical and food industries.
Web:
www.weldingdroid.com