Top 10 Most Popular Robotics 24/7 Articles of 2022

Manufacturers Turn to Robotic Welders to Address Labor Shortages

The truism is that robots are best for “dull, dirty, and dangerous” work. Welding has all of these characteristics, but it also requires highly skilled labor. With an aging workforce, manufacturers are looking to extend human capabilities by adding automation.

As we saw at Automate and other trade shows, industrial and collaborative robots offer precision, repeatability, and safety. Leading suppliers, including ABB, FANUC, and Universal Robots, now offer components for welding workcells.

However, they must still be integrated with existing systems and processes, and human welders should still have roles to play, said Erik Larson, vice president of operations at PMI.