The welding industry has changed dramatically in recent years.  The need to increase quality, reduce costs, and maximize output has most companies turning to robotic welding systems. 

• The major question for the new millennium is not if any particular metal fabricator will adopt robotic welding technology, but rather when and how.
• More often than not, first-time buyers of robotic systems approach the purchase decision with trepidation
• Programming a robot is very simple.  Even workers who must overcome a language barrier can learn to program a robot in two days, thanks to the simple interactive screen on the pendant.
• The training of a robot operator can literally take less than an hour
• A robotic welding cell now offers far superior performance.
• Once the myths about robotic welding cells have been debunked, a company will be ready to evaluate the benefits vs. actual costs
• Watch Out for Pitfalls
• It is true that the move to automated welding systems presents a set of problems that did not exist (or at least were not significant) when a welder controlled the torch.
• When the proper decision-making process is followed, it is often possible to justify the cost of a robotic welding system by relying upon somewhat conventional measures.
• With some easy programming, simple tooling and straightforward operator training, the robot was productive very quickly.
• The company developed its own automated tooling to ''customize'' the performance of a standard robotic welding cell to its specific needs.  
• Robotic welding technology now delivers all three at a lower cost, with more flexibility and with greater ease of implementation than most of us could have imagined ten years ago.