Guides and tools
Guides for Planning Robotic Welding of Structural Steel
Practical guides for fabricators planning robotic welding of beams, columns and bridge steel — from checking whether a part suits a robot to estimating cost and payback. Written from the questions we answer every week.
Where to Start
Most fabricators work through the same four questions before they buy a welding robot. Each guide answers one of them.
- 1
Is my part suitable?
Check part family, welds, torch access, fit-up and data with the suitability checklist.
- 2
Which robot do I need?
Compare robot, cobot and manual welding, the main layouts, and 6-, 7-, 8- or 9-axis configurations.
- 3
What will it cost?
See what drives the price, then estimate payback with the ROI calculator.
- 4
What do I need to prepare?
Prepare 3D models and plan the welding cell in your workshop.
Planning Guides
Welding Robot ROI Calculator
Estimate robots needed, labour saving and payback time from your own figures.
Robot vs Cobot vs Manual Welding
Which welding method suits your parts and volumes, and how to compare their real cost.
6, 7, 8 or 9 Axes: Which Do You Need?
What the extra axes on a welding robot do and which parts suit each configuration.
Rail-Mounted, Cantilever or Gantry: Choosing a Layout
How the main welding robot layouts differ and which part and joint features point towards each one.
Preparing a 3D Model for Robotic Welding
What a model needs for model-based preparation, and what to do when no model is available.
Robotic Welding Suitability Checklist
Seven groups of questions about your parts, welds, fit-up, data and workshop handling.
What Determines the Cost of a Welding Robot Station?
The main cost factors and the questions that help you compare quotations on a like-for-like basis.
How to Plan a Robotic Welding Cell
Six steps to fit a welding robot into your workshop: parts, layout, space, handling, utilities and people.
Robotic Welding in Structural Steel Production
We manufacture structural steel and use rail-mounted welding robot workstations in our own production. These guides draw on the same questions we ask when a new part comes to a welding station.
