ABIBLOG USA: ABICOR BINZEL's Welding Blog

There are an infinite number of robotic welding cell setups for all different kinds of jobs. In truth, there aren’t many that are exactly alike. And that’s because there are so many different welding automation needs out there for parts and products that need to be welded.

Welding guns and MIG welding in general come with a lot of talk regarding best practices and how to do certain things right.

Welding contact tips are highly misunderstood components in a MIG gun setup. Choosing the correct contact tip for your welding application and understanding how to keep it performing at its best are just as critical as anything else needed to produce a quality weld.

When you’re running a shop day to day or looking at solutions that can save you time and get you running more efficient, knowledge is power. Knowing what options are out there that can fit your welding operation’s unique needs can go a long way to getting your production floor at that optimal level of being productive, cost-effective, convenient, and comfortable.

When I visit welding facilities around the country I get to see the ins and outs of many different welding processes, including the treatment, handling, and safety of their MIG guns and their general weld technique. I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum, good and bad.

When it comes to weld cell issues, oftentimes it is the simple things that are affecting its performance. Being able to know the basics and go through the basics will usually solve the vast majority of your robotic torch performance problems.

Usually when I'm meeting with a Foreman or Production Manager and get a chance to talk first hand to his or her welders, one of the most common topics that come up is their contact tips. The problem:  they have to change them too much. This kills productivity for the shop, takes a big bite out of cost, and generally just creates a less efficient atmosphere for the welder to work in.

When you think of welding automation, cable assemblies are probably not the highest priority when evaluating options. But you may be overlooking a critical part of the torch as you go through all the different robot torch options out there. Without question, the quality of your cable assembly plays a key role in maximizing the efficiency of your automated welding processes.