With this, our welding robot systems can change the torch (goose neck) , torch shape, tungsten electrode,the welding wire and weld-ing wire type as well as the diameter without the operator being involved. As a result, it is possible to switch between the MIG and TIG welding process when required and from solid to flux-cored wire. The only limitation is that the automatic wire switchover must occur within the same diameter. However, the switch to a different diameter is possible in combina-tion with the automatic torch replacement.
Tungsten Electrode Exchange
The Tungsten Electrode Exchange System (TEES) plays an important part in TIG welding with the robot. In order to prevent risks in re-gard to the quality of the TIG welding process, which is already quite critical on its own, and to maintain the welding quality at a high level, it is required that the tungsten electrode is re-placed as a precautionary measure. Until now, tungsten electrodes were replaced by hand when they had become worn and used. Sander Verhoef of Valk Welding, who developed the system, explains: “Although auto-matic torch, wire and tungsten re-placement was initially developed to enable a process suitable for a reduced workforce, the opera-tor in particular is relieved. As a result of including the automatic exchange in the programming, the risk is eliminated that the operator can forget to replace the tungsten electrode, which would have a negative impact on the quality of the welding work.”
By now, the Torch Exchange Sys-tem (TES) is also used by custom-ers with cycle times of longer than 4 hours, preventing that they weld with a worn conductor. For this, the entire torch neck including a ‘fresh’ wire tip is replaced.
