Advanced Welding Processes: Technologies and Process Control

11.1 Introduction
Many traditional welding processes are labour intensive and an analysis of
welding costs shows that some 70 to 80% of the total cost may be accounted
for by the labour element as shown in Fig. 11.1. Welding automation is a
means of reducing the overall cost of the welding operation by replacing
some or all of the manual effort with a mechanized system. The introduction
of automation may, however, have much more significance than its primary
effect on labour costs; in particular its influence on the following factors
must be considered: safety and health; product quality and supply flexibility.
11.1.1 Safety and health
Most welding processes are potentially hazardous; they generate particulate
fume, toxic gases, noise and a range of electromagnetic radiation, which
varies from ultraviolet radiation with arc processes to x-rays in electron
beam welding. These hazards are well known and procedures for dealing
with them have been established. The measures which must be taken to
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Cost per metre (£)
50
40
30
20
10
0
11
Welding automation and robotics
Manual Automated
Consumables Labour Investment
11.1 Comparative costs of butt weld in 20-mm-thick steel (IG V butt,
IG position, 60∞ V GMAW).