Standards-compliant welding for robots and robots
Fronius supports companies in developing standards-compliant welding products with a comprehensive spectrum of products and services, ranging from standard welding procedure specifications for manual and automated welding, to hands-on training and digital welding data management.
Particularly when faced with demanding standards and documentation obligations, Fronius delivers the expertise companies need to navigate challenges with ease while ensuring reproducible quality and complete traceability.
Every manufacturing facility aims to produce high-quality weld seams. After all, if the seam is defective, it can be costly and in the worst case even dangerous. Across steel, plant construction, and rail vehicle industries, strict standards dictate not only welding practices but the shape of the entire manufacturing process. And while compliance with these standards involves a certain amount of extra effort, this is not merely a matter of bureaucracy; rather, it forms the basis for reproducible quality and safe products.
“Quality doesn’t come about by accident; it is the result of precise standards and high-quality welding,” explains Franziska Eichhorn, strategic product manager at Fronius International. However, getting there is no easy task; certifications, welder examinations, and comprehensive documentation require time and resources. As a full-solution provider, Fronius supports customers across the entire process: from ready-to-use welding procedure specifications for both manual and automated welding, to training, to digital documentation.
Safe and efficient welding, even for robots and cobots
Welding in compliance with standards is always founded on a detailed welding procedure specification. “It’s only possible to guarantee lasting and efficient quality if the weld seams are reproducible and the manufacturing process is traceable. However, the costs of process certification are high, especially for small and medium-sized businesses,” Franziska Eichhorn continues.
“Our cost-effective Fronius Standard Welding Procedure Specification packages (SWPS) make it easier to formulate a complete welding procedure specification.” The standardised SWPS packages simplify the process of getting started by setting out fully defined, standards-compliant procedures that stipulate the material, component thickness, filler metal, and energy per unit length as binding parameters.
And just to top it off, Fronius also offers SWPS packages for the automated welding and robotic welding of steel and CrNi materials. This gives you confidence in clear instructions across cobots, industrial robots, and hard automation, meaning you save the time and costs associated with conducting your own procedure tests.
A broad portfolio of approved welding procedure specifications are available, ranging from the manual TIG welding of CrNi alloys, the partly mechanized MAG welding of steel and CrNi alloys, through to automated MAG processes. For many use cases, this eliminates the need for additional procedure tests and therefore also the time, expense, and organizational effort that these entail.
Putting theory into practice: where expertise counts
A good welding procedure specification is only as good as its implementation. Modern machines alone do not guarantee a high-quality weld seam; decisive is their combination with welder expertise. In addition to internationally recognised qualifications and certifications for welders and machine operators, Fronius offers Welducation: a comprehensive training ecosystem featuring welding simulations, e-learning courses, and on-site assessments.
“On its own, technology is unable to guarantee quality. It’s the expertise of skilled welders, combined with hands-on training and ongoing development, that makes all the difference,” sums up Eichhorn. In addition to personnel training and qualifications, Fronius also takes care of the regular calibration and safety inspections of the welding machines, ensuring that the foundation for quality standards is secured for the long term.
Digital management for welding manufacturing
Once procedures, qualifications, and certifications are in place, the goal is to ensure the continuity of operations. This requires that the welding process proceeds as planned, and that it can be traced at all times. With WeldCube Navigator, it’s possible to follow step-by-step instructions for workflows and clearly identify components and materials. WeldCube Air supports welding supervisors with managing welding procedure specifications and certificates in compliance with the applicable standards, and assists with the traceability and validation of this documentation.
“Accurate digital documentation forms the foundation for sustainable quality assurance. Complete traceability of process parameters makes it possible to identify and correct the causes of errors at an early stage. This prevents time-consuming and costly rework,” Franziska Eichhorn highlights the benefits.
