Advances in Robotic Welding for Metallic Materials: Application of Inspection, Modeling, Monitoring and Automation Techniques

Abstract

The robotic welding manufacturing of metal parts is a very important process, especially in heavy industries such as shipbuilding, oil and gas, automotive, and aerospace. There is a great variety of different techniques for manufacturing by robotic welding, and the welding operations are always in a constant process of evolution, as any advance can be significant to avoid defects during the welding process. Although a great deal of research work has been carried out in recent years, thanks to which results and reviews have been presented on this subject, the main aim of this publication is to define and review works that show the advances in the main inspection, modeling, monitoring, and automated operations during the welding process to avoid, or predictively identify, any possible defect in order to obtain an optimum degree of quality in the welding.

Optimization of Installation Position for Complex Space Curve Weldments in Robotic Friction Stir Welding Based on Dynamic Dual Particle Swarm Optimization

“…From the statics of the robot, the relationship between the joint torque of the robot and the forces at the end effector can be derived from Equation (5):…”

“…While it offers high accuracy and strong structural stiffness, its limited workspace restricts the welding of complex workpieces [4]. Industrial robots, with their strong versatility, large working space, and low development costs, have already been widely applied in the welding field [5]. The integration of general industrial robots with FSW equipment has become an inevitable trend in the development of FSW [6].…”

MIG-Assisted Kernel-enabled Robot (MAKER) Arm for Seamless Automobile Maintenance and Service

“…GMAW/MIG welding is a very popular welding technique used in the automotive industry. It is a versatile and relatively easy-to-learn welding technique that can be used to weld a wide range of materials, including steel, aluminum, and stainless steel [10].…”

Analysis of Energy Consumption of Robotic Welding Stations

“…The reason for the popularity of robotic welding is the nature of welding tasks, which often require repeatable, precise movements, constituting an ideal area of application of robots [5]. Moreover, welding robots reduce production time and costs, improve the quality of welds and increase the efficiency and reliability of the welding process [6]. The importance and popularity of robotic welding is a particularly important area from the point of view of introducing sustainable changes and energy efficiency.…”