How to teach a robotic welder
How to Program A Robotic Welder (Cobot)
Programming guide
Program your welds in minutes with this easy step-by-step guide—right from your phone or tablet.
Step 1. Create a Part
- Open the Beacon app. Go to the Parts tab. Tap the plus button to create a new part.
- Name your part. Choose weld settings. Pick from predefined options or set your own.
- You have created your first part.
Tip: Set weld parameters at the part level or for each individual weld.
If you want to learn more about the weld settings, explore all the settings available on Beacon for welding here.
Step 2. Teach a Linear Weld
- Select Linear Weld in the app.
- Use the smart puck. Press and hold the green button to move the robot. Tap the blue button to save a position.
- Move to the start point. Save.
- Move to the end point. Save.
- Your weld path is ready.
- Add this part to a playlist. Press play on the Operator Box to start welding.
Tip: No need to teach approach or exit points. Beacon handles that.
Step 3. Teach a Radial Weld
- Select Radial Weld in the app.
- Move the robot to the start of the arc. Save.
- Move to the midpoint. Save.
- Move to the end of the arc. Save.
- Tap Save in the app. Press play on the Operator Box.
Tip: Convert a radial weld into a full circle inside the app.
If you need to make a full circular weld, here are some tips to make a radial weld into a full circle.
Step 4. Teach Tack Welds
- Select Tack Welds in the app.
- Move the robot using the green button. Tap blue to save each tack point.
- Repeat for as many tacks as needed.
- Save your work. Press play.
Tip: Use Air Moves to create safe paths between welds if needed.
In many cases, you may need to add points in between welds to add a bit more control of the robot’s movements. This can be useful if the robot can’t go straight to the next weld due to an obstacle. Jump to the Air Moves section to learn how to do this.
Step 5. Teach a Stitch Weld
- Select Linear Stitch Weld in the app.
- Move the robot to the start of the weld length. Save.
- Move to the end of the weld length. Save.
- Select the first point in the app. Set the number of stitches and stitch length.
- Save your settings. Press play to run.
Step 6. Add Air Moves
- Select Air Moves in the app.
- Use the smart puck to lift the robot clear of obstacles. Save the point.
- Add more points if needed.
- Beacon will run Air Moves before each weld.
Step 7. Create a Playlist
- Playlists build your welding workflow.
- To run a single part:
- Create a playlist with that part. Press play.
- To sequence multiple parts:
- Add more parts. Arrange them in order. Enable Auto-Play to run them back-to-back.
Tip: Create a playlist of one part or a hundred. Your choice.
You can even have the parts auto-play one after the other using the “Auto-Play” icon.
This playlist functionality provides the flexibility to have one or one hundred parts in your playlist, bringing convenience and efficiency to your production process!
Step 8. Use the Operator Box
- Control the robot without touching the app.
- The Operator Box has:
- E-Stop
- Play and Pause
- Stop
- Operator Input
- Arc On and Off Key
- Press Play to start the next weld.
Step 9. Combine Weld Types
- Combine linear, radial, tack, or stitch welds in a single program.
- Teach each step. Save. Run them together.
Step 10. Edit a Part
- Need to adjust after testing?
- Select the weld point in the app.
- Tap Move Here. Fine-tune with the Operator Box.
- Tap Touch Up to update the position.
- To change weld settings, tap the parameter. Adjust Wire Feed Speed or Travel Speed as needed.
Tip: Use the Wand icon to insert new steps between weld points.
Adjusting welding parameters can help improve your weld quality and speed. If you want to learn more about how you can minimize or eliminate common weld issues, visit this page: Troubleshoot Common Welding Issues.
Step 11. Shift a Part
- Move a part to a different spot on the table.
- Select the points. Tap the Shift icon.
- Move the robot to the new start point.
- Tap Apply. Points shift to match the new origin.
Step 12. Pattern a Part
- Repeat the same weld on multiple fixtures.
- Teach the original weld. Select the points. Tap Shift. Teach a new origin. Tap Pattern Points.
- Beacon will prompt you to add an Air Move between patterns.
- Press play to run.
Step 13. View Weld Data
- Beacon tracks real-time weld data.
- On the home screen, see graphs for:
- Cycle time
- Parts per minute or hour
- Gas and wire usage
- Create custom dashboards to track what matters most.
Step 14. Get Support, Instantly
- Need help?
- Swipe left in the app. Tap Support.
- Access how-to videos and articles. Search by topic.
- Still stuck? Tap Send a Message to chat with a welding engineer.
