The Fabricator: Artificial Intelligence Pipe Welding System From Arc Specialties Combines AI, Sensors, and Cobot

ARC Specialties has developed the Artificial Intelligence Pipe Welding System (AIPW), which incorporates the 6-axis UR5 collaborative robot arm from Universal Robots to carry out full-penetration, single-sided, V butt pipe welds. The robot arm is portable but allows full freedom of motion for the laser scanner and welding torch.

The system prescans the root opening (gap) using a 2D laser, then uses the data to generate the robot path and welding parameters. It compensates for gap variations by changing oscillation, torch position, travel speed, and welding conditions.

The robot arm positions the torch over a tack weld to start the arc to help ensure 100 percent root weld acceptance. Fill and cap pass programs fill the groove using user-selectable weave or stringer bead welding techniques.