A welding manipulator is any machine, whether automated or manual, that assists in the process of welding. Welding manipulator technology has proven to be a great help in many facilities where they increase productivity and profitability by reducing downtime and increasing welding speed.
The three most common types of welding manipulators are rotary welding positioners, rollers, and column & boom welders. Each welding manipulator has its own unique purpose, though they are often used in tandem with each other. In this blog, we will discuss each type.
Rotary welding
bearing positioners are tasked with holding a part or weldment at one end while rotating it to provide welders or welding machines with access to the areas of the part being welded. Rotary welding positioners come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the simplest of which have a single axis of movement or rotation while others have as many as four or five.
These machines are often paired with a tailstock that is used to support the other end of the part being welded, especially for longer or heavier parts. Manipulators of this type, especially those with three or more axes, are theoretically capable of positioning even the most complex and oddly-shaped parts such that a welder will have easy access to areas that need welding.
Rollers accomplish a task similar to that of rotary welding positions, although, instead of supporting a weldment from either end, the weldment sits on the rollers and is maneuvered to provide the welder with access to whatever surfaces need welding. This design is slightly limiting in that weldments need to be cylindrical so they are capable of being rolled. As such, rollers are typically used on parts like pipes and cylindrical storage tanks. As pipes often have large diameters, making it difficult for a rotary welding positioner to hold it in place, rollers are an ideal alternative.
Column & boom manipulators provide a different service than rollers and rotary welding positioners. Instead of the weldment, column & boom manipulators hold the welding torch. These devices often weld parts supported by a rotary positioner or roller, and commonly have two degrees of freedom - vertical and horizontal, though some are able to rotate about their base too.
They can often control the angle of the torch and the distance from the welding surface. Column & boom manipulators come in a wide array of sizes ranging from a few feet tall to several stories depending on the application. In general, when working in tandem with a rotary welding positioner, smaller column & boom units are required, while
bearing and rollers often call for very large column & boom units due to the very large diameter pipes and tanks they work on.
To summarize, rotary welding positioners and rollers make it easier for human or automated welders to access welding positions and weld more efficiently, while automated welders can also weld more quickly than a human without fatigue or the need for rest. The right
welding manipulators can improve quality and consistency while markedly decreasing downtime and increasing productivity in any facility.
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