The labor shortage has become a popular topic of conversation in the pandemic era; but it’s not a new phenomenon. In industrial settings, one existed well before the COVID-19 pandemic. Baby boomers make up a large portion of the manufacturing workforce. Now, they’re retiring, leaving gaps in the skilled workforce that aren’t easy to fill. Combine that with a pandemic, and you’re facing an even bigger hurdle.

All sectors are struggling to find not just qualified workers, but ones wanting to work. The longtime skills gap that affected manufacturing and other related industries has only been exacerbated in the past two years, leaving employers scrambling to fill positions and keep production moving on schedule. Welding shops are among those facing one of the biggest challenges in finding, skilled reliable workers.

As some shop owners are learning, robotic welding can provide an efficient, quality solution to hiring and production struggles. Others, however, view robotic solutions as something daunting and impossible, citing cost, the learning curve and the need for shop mobility as barriers to adoption. This particularly holds true for high-mix job shops that need to remain nimble and efficient. These concerns are valid when it comes to traditional automation. However, new mobile robotic welding systems featuring collaborative robots (cobots) are changing these mindsets.

Unlike traditional robotic cells, cobots are designed to work alongside human beings without the need for traditional, protective fencing. Small, lightweight and easy to assemble, cobots are safer than traditional robots and mobile. They can be used throughout a shop for various parts lines, as opposed to larger, static, traditional automated cell that are programmed for one specific function. This affordable solution for manufacturing automation opens up new opportunities for optimizing welding processes, filling employment gaps and increasing overall production efficiency, even in smaller shops where space is at a premium.

For many manufacturers, the thought of automating can be a daunting concept due to the high investment and learning curve often involved. The Cooper Cobot Cart robotic welding

system features simplified programming with the new tablet based teach pendant and the ability to teach at the torch. Simply move the welding cobot’s arm with your hand to the weld start and finish. Our Welding Cobot system is built for the industrial space and has access to all of Lincoln Electric’s highest productivity weld programs allowing you to maximize productivity.

The new Cooper Cobot Cart system from Lincoln Electric automates the highest mix of different products while providing even non-welders with the ability to easily program it for increased productivity in even the smallest of workspaces. The mobile, flexible, collaborative robotic welding system is the latest addition to Lincoln Electric’s Cobot family, and requires only a small footprint on the shop floor.

Contact us with any questions you have about our range of welding robots.

Click here to watch Our Cooper Cobot Training Videos

OVERVIEW

1. Lead Through Teach
   • Fluidly guide the arm into the correct location by hand using the torch-mounted enabling device.
2. Dual-Action Pushbutton Interface
   • Pushbuttons designed directly into the torch allow any skill-level
   operator to teach points easily and create programs fast.
3. Touch Panel Tablet Teach Pendant
   • The new tablet teach pendant, featuring icon-based, timeline
   programming reduces the learning curve. Simply swipe icons
   in or out of the timeline, or tap them to modify
4. Lincoln Arc Welding Plug-In
   • Receives input directly from pushbuttons at the integrated torch,
   automatically recording points on the timeline.