10/07/2026
Tech Tip Thursday: "Are we big enough for robotic welding?" is the wrong question.
The better one: which parts in your mix run long enough to justify a cell? Shops in the $1M–$25M range are now squarely in the conversation — a chronic welder shortage and wage pressure have flipped the old "automation is for big shops" assumption.
What to know before you price one:
- Footprint is smaller than most owners expect. A basic single-robot cell with a table, fencing, and power source can run in roughly 15′ × 15′ to 20′ × 20′ for smaller parts and lower volumes. Bigger parts and more automation push you toward 200–600 sq. ft.
- Cobot or industrial depends on your mix. Cobots suit low-volume, high-mix work, frequent station changes, and payloads under 30 kg — and Power and Force Limiting lets them run alongside operators without a cage. Industrial cells win on speed and duty cycle when the same part repeats.
- You don't need a robotics engineer. Hand-guided teaching lets a welder walk the arm through the path. Most operators pick up loading, touchups, and routine adjustments in days to a few weeks.
- Fixturing is the part shops underestimate. A robot follows a programmed path with very little tolerance for variation, so fixtures need to locate parts more precisely than your manual setups do.
If your joint locations are predictable and your fit-up is stable, you're closer than you think.
Read More: https://hubs.li/Q04yKhjQ0
