There has been a shortage of skilled welders in recent years. According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), 81% of all manufacturers cannot find skilled welders that will meet their needs. However, automation can fill this gap. In this article, we explain why cobots could be the answer to the global welding shortage.
What if there were no welders in the world?
According to the American Welding Society, there will be a labor shortage of 400,000 welders in 2024. K-TIG specialist welding technologists claim that the skills of a US welder are so in high demand that they can command a salary as high as $100,000.
It looks like the bad news is only going to get worse. The reason is that the workforce of welders is not getting younger. Although estimates vary, the most optimistic figures indicate that the average age for a US welder is 55. This means that the industry will be in greater danger in the coming years.
The fact that millennials aren't rushing to replace retiring baby boomers adds to the problem. The negative perceptions of welding and manufacturing careers keep younger generations away from a promising career paths. Many younger people see welding as monotonous and dirty.
A skills shortage compounds all this that the organizations representing welding have warned about for years. Even if more young people were interested in the job, education and training need to be increased. It is essential to ensure that training reflects the increasing importance of automation and robotics.
Although automation may seem obvious, it isn't. It is crucial to justify the capital investment required for industrial robots. Robots have historically failed to provide the required return on investment for those who work in high-mix, low-volume prediction.
Robot adoption could also pose a problem. Although you have solved the issue of the shortage of welders now, you will need to train new personnel who are skilled at operating and maintaining robots. The skills shortage problem is still present, though with a different face. These factors are why automation has not been able to solve the problem of the welder shortage.
Get cobots
Cobots are robots that collaborate with humans and can be used without safety fences. Research Drive recently found that the global cobot market will reach $8,840.5million by 2026. This represents a compound annual growth rate of more than 40%. This growth is expected to be driven by growing demand from small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and greater adoption of the pharmaceutical manufacturing, food processing, and metal fabrication industries.
Cobot welder has a significant advantage: it is much cheaper to start up. Cobots are changing the way high-mix shops view automation. Companies are taking advantage of the possibility of renting or purchasing robots on a subscription basis. This model is also known as robots as-a-service.
Another benefit is its ease of use. The machines have been designed to be easy to use, so there is no need for training. A worker with no prior training can usually program them by following a guided demonstration.
Cobots are more than just easier and cheaper to use. They are also flexible and are in different sizes. A cobot can weigh anywhere from 5 to 50 kilograms. As a result, factory floor space is no longer a limitation.
This allows the robot to be quickly and safely moved around the workshop. While more giant industrial robots are better suited for performing the same task repeatedly, cobots can perform a wide range of functions in one day. In a world with increasing demands for customization and quick lead times, cobots are a great choice.
Cobots welders
Combining the above benefits with the increased demands of the welding workforce shortage, the welding production line needs a helping hand. This solution is easy to implement. Manufacturers don't need large capital expenditures, vast floor space, or expert programmers.
The collaborative welding robot is guided by a worker who manually steers the torch and arm along a program path to weld the part. This programming for welding processes can often be done by someone who isn't even an expert in welding. However, skilled welders may be re-employed for higher-value tasks.
Because of its size and flexibility, a robot welder can be extremely easy installed on an existing welding table set up for humans.
Collaborative robots can produce a longer continuous weld seam. A cobot welding tool can have a longer, continuous weld seam than a skilled welder. This contrasts with a professional welder who can usually weld a 2-foot seam in one continuous motion. Robotic welding can also be used to make long parts, arc welding, projection welding, spot welding, and bottom line welding without a dedicated floor space.
There was concern that manufacturing would be in trouble if the pool of skilled workers continued to shrink. Cobots have made it possible for machine shops to reap the benefits of automation in ways not possible a decade back. Cobots are helping to fill the welder shortage. However, this technology also encourages millennials to pursue an attractive careers.