Different buildings, model-based paths
Import the assembled model and the software finds the welds, plans paths and checks for collisions. Operators do not teach points for every new member.
Pre-engineered steel buildings
Robotic Welding for PEB Columns, Rafters and Fittings
Each pre-engineered building has its own columns, rafters and connection details. Your H-beam line welds the main flange-to-web seams, but the stiffeners, end plates and purlin cleats are often still welded by hand. Our PEB welding machine takes these fittings from your 3D model and welds them with a rail-mounted robot.
Why PEB Fabrication Suits a Robot
Tapered members follow the model
The changing depth of a column or rafter is part of its geometry. The model describes the member and the position of each fitting.
Short welds along a long member
The robot travels along the ground rail to reach the stiffeners, end plates, cleats and brackets fitted along the member.
One operator, 3–6 stations
Operators load parts, start jobs and check results. Welders can concentrate on special joints and touch-ups.
PEB Members and Fittings
A portal frame combines columns and rafters with connection plates and secondary fittings. Start with the members you produce most often, including the crowded connections that take the longest to weld by hand.
- Tapered columns
- Tapered rafters
- End plates
- Stiffeners
- Purlin cleats
- Crane runway beams
- Brackets and corbels
Where a PEB Welding Machine Fits in the Line
Separate the long main seams from the fittings and from full-penetration joints. Each welding process has a clear place in production; the rail-mounted gas-shielded robot handles the assembled member’s attachment welds.
| Operation | Welds | Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Main seam welding | Long flange-to-web seams | H-beam gantry welder |
| Full-penetration welding | Root, fill and cap passes on box columns and H-beams | Submerged arc robot station |
| Fitting welding | Stiffeners, end plates, cleats and brackets | 7-axis rail-mounted gas-shielded robot |
How an H-beam welding line divides the work7-axis rail-mounted welding robotSubmerged arc welding robot
From the Building Model to the Weld
Export the assembled columns and rafters as STEP or IFC from your detailing software. Include the fittings and weld information, and keep the model consistent with the member placed on the station. The software extracts the seams and checks the robot’s path before welding.
At the station, the operator opens the model using the member’s QR code. A laser scan locates the part; the robot then travels along the rail, scans each seam and welds with arc tracking. Welded length is logged for each member.
Check the Member and Torch Access
A tapered member can have a flat web even though its depth changes. Check the geometry and the space around each fitting together; the robot needs room both to scan the seam and to approach it with the torch.
- Flat web: the web plate is flat, including on tapered columns and rafters.
- Member width: the 7-axis station handles members up to 1,500 mm wide.
- Stiffener height: up to 600 mm.
- Stiffener spacing: about 150 mm for flat welds; about 450 mm for vertical welds with the torch parallel to the web.
- Splice joints: flange and web butt joints with full-penetration requirements are usually welded with a submerged arc tractor.
What to Send for a Free PEB Evaluation
Start with a typical building
- Drawings or STEP / IFC models of its columns and rafters.
- Member length, width, depth and plate thicknesses.
- Weld sizes, symbols and full-penetration joints.
- Photos of assembled members, especially close-fitting stiffeners and end plates.
Show your production needs
- The member families you weld most and your approximate monthly volume.
- Your workshop location, available space and loading arrangement.
- The connections that are hardest to weld today.
PEB Welding Questions
Questions to discuss when moving fitting welds from manual work to a robotic station.
Can the robot weld tapered columns and rafters?
Yes. It follows the assembled 3D model to weld the fittings on tapered members. A flat web and sufficient torch access are part of the check, along with the member’s width and stiffener geometry.
Does it replace our H-beam welding line?
The two do different jobs. Your gantry welder makes the long main seams. The gas-shielded robot welds the stiffeners, end plates, cleats and brackets assembled afterwards.
Which robot suits PEB members?
The 7-axis rail-mounted layout is the starting point for columns and rafters. For wide, flat plate assemblies, look at the 8-axis cantilever layout. Full-penetration joints use the submerged arc station.
Do we need a 3D model?
For assembled columns and rafters, prepare a STEP or IFC model. Flat web plates with stiffeners can also be scanned at the station. You can send drawings or photos for the first free evaluation.
Can two robots weld a long rafter?
Two robots can share one rail for long members. Send the longest rafter and its fittings so our engineers can review the layout and access to the welds.
Get a Free Evaluation of Your PEB Members
Send a typical column and rafter from one building. Our engineers check the fittings and weld access, recommend a station and prepare a factory-direct quotation. We reply within one business day.