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Unlike traditional industrial robots, cobots work alongside human welders, handling repetitive tasks while allowing skilled workers to focus on complex, high-value welds.

Kemppi’s latest collaborative project involves VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tampere University, and several industrial partners, including Wärtsilä Finland Oyj. The initiative aims to enhance robotic welding and cobot welding to address challenges in automated welding, particularly in low-volume, high-variation production environments.

“One of the key issues in automated welding is ensuring consistent quality while adapting to variations in materials, joint geometries, and positioning errors, says Artturi Salmela, Product Manager for Automation at Kemppi.”

“Through advanced process control and real-time monitoring, we can dynamically optimize welding parameters, reducing errors and improving the overall welding quality.”

Wärtsilä Case: Tackling Large-Scale Welding Challenges

A prime example of this technology in action is Wärtsilä’s production of diesel power plant components. These large, complex structures require precision welding, and achieving high quality with traditional automation has been difficult due to variations in the workpieces. Wärtsilä faced significant challenges with ensuring the structural integrity of massive engine base frames, which require numerous high-quality welds in complex geometries.

The key obstacles:

• Inconsistent workpiece geometry: Large parts had minor but impactful variations, requiring flexible welding approaches.

• High material thickness: Thick metal structures demanded precise heat input and deep penetration welding techniques.

• Quality assurance: Maintaining uniform quality across vast surfaces while minimizing rework and production delays.

To address these, the project implemented real-time seam tracking and adaptive welding control, improving consistency and reducing manual intervention. Additionally, advanced welding cameras, such as those developed by Cavitar Oy, enabled defect detection and process monitoring, ensuring precise execution. These enhancements led to higher efficiency and significant reductions in welding errors.

“The project has already delivered promising results, particularly in seam tracking and AI-assisted welding quality monitoring, Salmela notes.”

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As robotic welding technology continues to evolve, manufacturers will be able to scale production while maintaining high-quality standards.

“We’ve successfully reduced error rates and improved welding precision. Moving forward, we will continue refining the AI-based welding control and further integrate cobot solutions to enhance flexibility and efficiency in complex welding tasks. The goal is to develop a robust, scalable automation framework that can be implemented across different industrial applications.”

Enhancing human and machine collaboration

A breakthrough in welding automation has been the adoption of collaborative robots (cobots). Unlike traditional industrial robots, cobots work alongside human welders, handling repetitive tasks while allowing skilled workers to focus on complex, high-value welds.

Kemppi’s cobot welding solutions offer several key benefits:

• Improved productivity: Cobots assist welders by automating monotonous welding tasks, increasing overall output.
• Flexibility: Unlike fully automated welding cells, cobots can be easily reprogrammed for different tasks, making them ideal for dynamic manufacturing environments.
• Ease of use: Cobots are designed with intuitive interfaces, allowing welders with minimal automation experience to operate them effectively.
• Enhanced ergonomics: By reducing the need for welders to perform physically demanding and repetitive tasks, cobots improve workplace conditions and reduce strain-related injuries.

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One successful implementation of cobot welding has been in manufacturing components for heavy industry, where parts are often large and require multiple welding passes. By using cobots, manufacturers have been able to achieve greater consistency while reducing fatigue-related errors among welders. In Wärtsilä case, cobots have played a crucial role in handling fewer complex welds while human welders focused on more critical joining tasks.

The future of welding automation

The long-term goal of this initiative is to create an ecosystem where automated and collaborative welding solutions coexist efficiently. As robotic welding technology continues to evolve, manufacturers will be able to scale production while maintaining high-quality standards.

“Cobots and robotic welding won’t replace skilled welders entirely, but they will significantly enhance their productivity. By combining human expertise with automation, we can achieve better efficiency, improved quality, and a more sustainable manufacturing process, Salmela concludes.”

Kemppi has already seen success with cobot welding solutions, which have proven to increase efficiency while maintaining high-quality standards. As industry embraces these advancements, the role of automation in welding will only grow, helping manufacturers meet increasing demands with greater flexibility and precision.

Text: Mia Heiskanen
Photos: Kemppi