Patrick Engel 2024-03-28 13:43:25
Six experts on robotic fabrication equipment address trends and considerations of a technology that’s quickly becoming essential. What considerations
STEEL FABRICATORS are hearing automation and robotic machinery knocking on their shop doors. Many have already let them in—and thrived because of it.
Automated fabrication equipment is no longer an experiment. It’s becoming a common piece of a fabrication shop and a helpful tool for fabricators to reach output and profit goals. It has also helped lessen the impact of the trade labor shortage that has gripped fabricators nationwide.
Fabricator questions and caution about robotic equipment persist, though. Implementing it requires buy-in from shop floor workers who might worry the equipment could replace them. One automated machine might be a strong fit for one shop and unnecessary for another. Finding a suitable machine and deciding how much automation to adopt requires careful analysis.
All told, automation is still a burgeoning technology in fabrication shops. But it will only grow as examples of its positive impact become more common. Modern Steel Construction asked six people at companies in the automated equipment sales space to provide more insight on the possibilities, technology, and trends in robotics.
What considerations and topics have arisen when you’re talking to customers about robotic equipment?
Curt Decker, senior structural engineer, Lincoln Electric: There are several topics customers have asked about when considering robotic equipment and automation.
• Safety: Customers are often concerned about the safety of robots that work alongside humans. They want to know measures to prevent accidents and injuries.
• Cost: Robotic technology can be expensive, and customers want to know if the benefits of using robots outweigh the costs.
• Training: Customers may need to train their employees to work with robots; they want to know what training is required and how long it will take.
• Maintenance: Robots require regular maintenance to run smoothly; customers want to know about the required maintenance and how often it needs to be done.
• Integration: Customers may already have existing systems in place and want to know how easy it will be to integrate robots into their current workflows.
• Data privacy: With the increasing use of robotics in various industries, customers are concerned about the privacy and security of their data. They want to know how robots will collect, store, and use their data.
Adam MacDonald, East Coast Territory Manager, AGT: Leveraging the power of existing data is crucial. Eliminating the need for programming in robotics applications helps fabricators Move seamlessly from a 3D model to the shop floor when using automation. That requires good software.
Ben Morrall, President, Voortman Steel Group: Robotics in processing, fitting, and welding are assisting in increasing fabricators’ total output. Many of our customers have access to more work than their operations can currently support. Hiring personnel to support the increased workload isn’t feasible with current market conditions, so the next logical step is to automate as much of the fabrication process as possible through robotic processing, fitting, and welding solutions.
Meg Hamann, Specialty Products Manager, Peddinghaus: As with any purchase, a prospective client’s priority is ensuring their investment will be profitable. While this consideration is not specific to robots, we work with many in our industry who are researching this technology for the first time. For this reason, we provide customers with all the information they need to help them confidently make the right decision for their business.
Ultimately, fabricators are looking for an operator-friendly, accurate, speedy, and durable robot with the potential to grow their business. Whether organizing field demonstrations or preparing custom time studies, we work closely with potential buyers to ensure we answer all their questions.
Danny Steyn, President, Ocean Machinery: This goes back to the Industrial Revolution: As labor rates continue to rise, companies producing with manual labor will be marginalized by those using automation. But now automation in all forms, including robotic welding, is becoming affordable to even the smallest fabricators.
John Tutino, Sales Specialist, Beamcut Systems (Machitech Automation): The tools we can offer today to make fabricators more productive and efficient were unavailable years ago. By demonstrating this new technology and a return on investment, they are pleasantly surprised and wonder why they didn’t update their shop sooner.
Another benefit of investing in robotic plasma cutting is replacing other older machinery, such as drill lines, angles lines, and bandsaws, which can open more usable floor space for their operations and reassign machine operators for better use.
Has robotics technology in your equipment changed in the last few years?
Decker: Robotic technology is constantly evolving and improving. In the last year, there have been several advancements in our robotics technology.
We have increased the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to improve the performance and capabilities of robots. More advanced sensors and cameras have been developed, and they help robots perceive and interact with their environment more effectively. Also new in the marketplace are robots that are more flexible, adaptable, and can be reprogrammed to perform different tasks. The industry has seen an increased use of collaborative robots (cobots) that work alongside humans in a shared workspace.
We can expect to see even more advancements in the coming years.
Hamann: Robotic technology is always evolving. The machines themselves may not change drastically from year to year, but the software that drives them is constantly improving. Peddinghaus implements significant, regular software updates by utilizing our nearly 10 years of field experience in robotic cutting, fitting, and welding processes, as well as valuable customer feedback.
MacDonald: At AGT, we now have SnapCam 3D Vision on all our systems. It allows the vision system to compare the geometry from the 3D model to what it sees on the shop floor with the quality control inspector.
Morrall: The robotic technology itself has largely stayed the same, but the requirement for manual programming has changed significantly for us. We use Digi-Steel (a workshop management software) to completely review the building model and create all the required information for the robotic systems to complete their tasks without any manual intervention required.
Steyn: Robotic welding software is continuously advancing. And the improvements in our products are mainly attributed to the continuous refinement of coding, and the continuous addition of new welding recipes and parameters.
Tutino: After some time, you feel comfortable with the stability of the design of the machinery. Therefore, hardware or mechanical changes are limited. What changes more frequently are adding features to the software to optimize the machine’s capabilities. What is interesting is that we receive suggestions/ideas from our customers. Not only does the software update improve their throughput, but it also helps us provide a better machine that all customers can take advantage of.
How have fabricators responded to increasing robotics use?
Decker: Some fabricators have embraced robotic technology and heavily invested because they see its potential to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality. These fabricators have integrated robotic systems like our Lincoln Electric PythonX and Zeman products into their production lines and have trained their employees to work alongside them.
Other fabricators have been more cautious about adopting robotic technology due to concerns about cost, complexity, or the potential impact on their workforce. Some have started with smaller, more affordable cobots like our Cooper CRX and Cooper GoFa cobots and gradually scale up as they become more comfortable with the technology.
Overall, the response to the increase in robotic use in fabrication has been mixed, with some fabricators fully embracing the technology and others taking a more cautious approach. However, as the benefits of robotic welding become more apparent and the technology continues to improve, more and more fabricators will likely adopt robotics in their operations.
MacDonald: Many fabricators recognize the importance of advancements in automation. Faced with a labor shortage, they seek competitive pricing while raising labor rates and offering attractive benefit packages to attract potential employees. Additionally, technology holds appeal and is easily adaptable for the incoming workforce.
Morrall: Robotics have been available for over 15 years in many of the applications. Fabricators are now looking at the systems as proven technology worth considering.
Hamann: Today’s users are reaping the benefits of innovative technology. However, as robots become more prevalent in the modern fabrication shop, fabricators recognize they will soon transition from optional to a requirement for those who want to remain competitive in the marketplace.
Steyn: As with the introduction of any new technology, there are always supporters and there are always detractors who think it’s the end of the world. However, any new solution on the market only succeeds if it yields sensible financial returns and meets the exacting demands of the customers. If it doesn’t, it disappears forever. Ultimately, we are all end users and understand things that will make our lives easier.
Tutino: From our experience, our customers have increased productivity and, most importantly, lower rejections due to the machinery’s accuracy. It has allowed them to explore new industries to offer their services or capabilities. They could not do so in the past because the complexity of the cut requirements was too difficult to cut manually or the inability to meet their client’s lead time. By adding the robotic plasma-cutting system, they are more competitive in bidding for projects and have more significant opportunities for growth.
Is there a specific size or shop where your equipment is most applicable?
Decker: The applicability of robotic equipment depends on several factors, including the specific needs of the shop or facility, the type of work, and the available budget. It’s important to evaluate the options with care and choose the equipment that best meets the needs of the business.
In many cases, fabricators can better use space within a fabrication facility by implementing robotic automation like our PythonX and Zeman systems. For shops that need more mobility, our Cooper cobots provide flexible alternatives to a stationary cell.
Hamann: Peddinghaus machinery is designed for fabrication shops of all sizes. Regardless of whether our customer is venturing into CNC equipment for the first time or adding capacity to an existing system, we proudly offer solutions for all fabricators.
MacDonald: We offer many robotic welding systems at various price points. Big or small, we can help you make a difference.
Morrall: Shop size is not a big factor in adopting robotics. Our approach is all based around the customer’s application and goals. We have installed solutions for a wide range of customers with immensely different output requirements.
Steyn: Our Ocean Challenger robotic welder suits the medium-sized structural steel fabricator that typically has more than 20 shop floor employees. Still, many installations are currently working in smaller and larger shops than that, and several shops have more than one.
Tutino: No. We offer machinery of different sizes, which are customizable to meet the needs of the many industries we serve of different shop sizes. There are many instances where we sell entry-level starting point equipment to keep the cost down. Later, we add other equipment to increase their productivity even more.
What do you want to tell people considering adding more robotic equipment to their shops?
Decker: If you’re thinking about adding more robotic equipment to your shop, there are a few things to keep in mind:
• Evaluate your needs: Before investing in robotic equipment, evaluate your needs and determine which tasks or processes would benefit most from automation. Consider factors such as production volume, labor costs, and quality control. How will the increased production of robotic automation impact downstream operations? Can you resolve any potential issues with additional automation solutions such as material handling?
• Plan for integration: Integrating robotic equipment into your existing workflow can be complex. Consider factors such as space requirements, employee training, and software integration. Make sure your equipment provider can scale with your needs.
• Consider the long-term costs: Robotic equipment can be a significant investment, and the long-term costs include maintenance, repairs, and upgrades. Confirm your integration partner has resources to support you.
• Involve your employees: Introducing robotic and automated equipment into your shop can be a significant change for your employees, so they must be involved in implementation. Provide training and support to help them adapt to modern technology and ensure that they feel comfortable working alongside robots.
• Choose a partner you can trust: Many types of robotic equipment are available, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Research your options carefully and choose the equipment and service partner that best meets your needs and supports your company post-sale.
Hamann: The time is now. Over the past few years, automation technology has become extremely popular in the structural steel industry. Robots provide fabricators with additional output they need but sometimes struggle to achieve in a contracting skilled labor market. Those who have already invested in robotics are realizing an immediate increase in output and efficiency, making them rapidly more profitable.
MacDonald: Do your research and find an integrator focused solely on the robotic application you want to implement. The integrator will be more focused and give you the training and service you deserve.
Morrall: Robotic processing and fabrication are here to stay and getting more versatile every day. In typical applications, one of our robotic systems can do the job of five people with one operator. Additionally, scaling up output doesn’t necessarily mean you need more operators. Sometimes, one operator can run multiple systems.
Steyn: All investments must be made with the owner firmly focused on ROI. It’s easy to be seduced into purchasing a solution that is too expensive for a shop and takes too long to show a return. In our opinion, for our industry, all capital investments should show an ROI of under 2.5 years.
Tutino: Some fabricators may fear that a robotic system is too complicated to work with, or they believe that having cheap labor is the answer. Sometimes, the challenge is convincing them that this fear or their thinking of cheap labor is far from the truth. In addition, the labor pool available today is changing and becoming more limited as older workers retire without droves of young employees coming to replace them. Therefore, companies must pivot their operations by updating with new CNC/robotic machinery to stay competitive.
Patrick Engel (engel@aisc.org) is the associate editor of Modern Steel Construction.
Curt Decker (curtis_decker@lincolnelectric.com) is a senior structural engineer at Lincoln Electric. Meg Hamann (meg-hamann@peddinghaus.com) is a specialty products manager with Peddinghaus. Adam MacDonald (adam.macdonald@agt-group.com) is the east coast territory sales manager for AGT Robotics. Ben Morrall (b.morrall@voortmancorp.com) is the president of Voortman Steel Group. Danny Steyn (Danny@oceanmachinery.com) is the president of Ocean Machinery. John Tutino (john.tutino@beamcut.com) is a sales specialist with Beamcut Systems.
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