Andrew Allcock

Universal Robots announces SnapWeld collaborative MIG welding system

Product Launches

Universal Robots has partnered with Arc Specialties to develop SnapWeld, an automated MIG/GMAW welding system based on collaborative robot (‘cobot’) technology. SnapWeld is a cobot-assisted, interactive system that can be deployed in existing manual welding booths, thus eliminating the need for costly new robotic cells. The system is aimed at small job shops struggling with the budget, programming and space requirements of traditional welding robots.

SnapWeld comes with a Profax wire feeder and water cooled torch for welds up to 600 A, along with the UR robot. The system was developed with and verified by Universal Robots through the UR+ platform, thus facilitating direct software integration into the UR programming environment and enabling advanced settings to be programmed directly on the robot’s teach pendant.

Settings include wire feed speed and burn-back time, gas flow time, and crater fill time, with instant feedback on welding voltage and current.