Valk Welding has reached an important milestone in Automatic Robot Programming (ARP), with 100 active licences now in use worldwide. To reflect on this achievement and what it means for customers, we spoke with James de Villiers, project leader of ARP at Valk Welding. This is his perspective on the journey behind ARP and why this milestone matters.
When Valk Welding first introduced ARP — Automatic Robot Programming — we set out to do something that went beyond delivering software. We wanted to offer customers a complete, ready-to-run solution: the right hardware, fully calibrated Panasonic welding robots, seamless integration, hands-on training, and the expertise to make it all work together from day one. Today, I’m proud to share that we have reached 100 active ARP licences — a milestone that means far more to me than just a number.
ARP is the complete package. At its core sits ArcNC, the intelligent software engine that makes automatic program generation possible — analysing 3D CAD files, identifying weld seams, and producing complete robot programs in a fraction of the time a manual approach would require. But ArcNC is the motor; ARP is the vehicle. What Valk Welding brings on top is everything that turns powerful software into a working production solution: calibrated robot systems, validated offline programming environments, application knowledge built up over decades, and ongoing support from a team that understands welding — not just robotics.
I’ve had the privilege of being part of this journey from the very beginning — from the first customer conversations, the first hesitant uploads of a STEP file, to watching operators with no prior robot programming experience produce their first complete welding program in under 15 minutes. That moment never gets old. And it only happens because the full ARP package — hardware, software, integration, and knowledge — is working together exactly as it should.
This growth didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen alone. It’s the result of a genuine team effort: the ArcNC development team continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and our Valk Welding colleagues across sales, engineering, and support who believed in this product and brought it to customers across Europe and beyond. Every installation, every training session, every challenge solved together has brought us to this point.
100 licences is a clear signal that the market is ready for Automatic Robot Programming — and that customers are finding real, measurable value in the complete ARP solution. ARP is purpose-built for the challenges of low-mix, high-volume production: repetitive part families, tight cycle times, and the constant pressure to produce more with the same team. Because ARP combines ArcNC’s intelligence with Valk Welding’s 100% offline programming approach and fully calibrated robot systems, what you program virtually is what you get on the shop floor — every time, with no surprises.
Reaching 100 licences is something to celebrate, but it also drives us forward. With upcoming enhancements in ArcNC — including automated recognition of previously programmed part families and improved motion editing — the ARP package will only become more powerful and easier to deploy. Our ambition is clear: to make ARP the standard solution for automatic robot programming across the entire Panasonic welding robot market.
To every customer who trusted us with this solution, every colleague who championed it, and the team at ArcNC who continues to develop the engine behind it — thank you. This milestone belongs to all of us.
The best is still to come.
Jsme rádi, že spolu s vámi budeme moci hledat řešení vašich problémů týkajících se (svařovací) automatizace, svařovacích drátů a spotřebního materiálu. Dáváme přednost být vice partnerem než dodavatelem.