Welding cobot iBOTone®
With the iBOTone® welding cobot from ABICOR BINZEL, you are taking the smart path in automation. With cobot welding, you can complete welding work of any batch size with consistent quality and no downtime.
iBOTone® welding cobot advantages
The iBOTone® welding cobot from ABICOR BINZEL offers solutions for the shortage of skilled labour, increasing quality requirements and time pressure in welding technology.
Advantages at a glance:
- Suitable from a batch size of 1 piece
- Very simple operation, very user-friendly
- No programming knowledge required
- Cheaper to purchase and maintain than an industrial robot
- Efficient component production with consistent quality and no downtime
- No physical strain due to monotonous welding work
- The welding specialist can focus on demanding welding work
- Ideal for getting started with automation
Take deadline pressure out of your production. Complete work orders that you would not have been able to accept before for economic reasons. From now on, deploy your skilled welders in a more targeted manner. The iBOTone® takes over repetitive, monotonous welding work.
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Properties: What characterizes the iBOTone®?
- Easy teaching/programming
Guide the cobot using the easy teach handle. The iBOTone® can be easily moved from one position to the other. You can store individual waypoints directly on the torch mount. You only need the teach panel to enter the parameters in the beginning. - Self-explanatory operation
You can operate the iBOTone® and strike the arc in just a few minutes. No need for extensive training and high training costs. - High stability and flexibility
Weld your components with consistent quality and without high set-up costs using the iBOTone® cobot. From the first to the last workpiece. In conjunction with a robot welding torch from ABICOR BINZEL, the outstanding repeatability and path accuracy of the iBOTone® ensures consistently perfect, reproducible weld seams. - Also for tough industrial environments
Die-cast aluminum components and the corresponding seals (protection class IP66) also allow you to use the iBOTone® in very tough conditions. - CE-approved compact robot cell for safe welding
On request, the iBOTone® can be supplied with a housing as component of the ABICELL welding cell. Further equipment can be customised according to your requirements. Please do not hesitate to contact us. - Service know-how und process expertise from a single source
If you have any questions/problems/special requests regarding your iBOTone®, you will receive professional support and service from ABICOR BINZEL. Without detours. Simply use our service hotline +49 (0) 64 08 / 60 93 100. Or our service e-mail address: service@binzel-abicor.com - All-inclusive package
Our service technicians and product experts are available for you – from setting up the cobot system to process improvements and possible subsequent questions. ABICOR BINZEL takes care of installation, instruction and process optimization. Customized to your requirements.
FAQs about cobot welding
What is cobot welding?
In cobot welding, also known as collaborative welding, the welding cobot takes over repetitive welding work, for example. A welding cobot is ideal for getting started with automation, as it welds faster and with consistent quality. In addition, the welder is relieved and can take care of more demanding tasks. Safety precautions must of course be taken as with manual or robot welding.
How expensive is a welding cobot?
The investment costs for a cobot welding robot are between 60,000 and 80,000 euros. Correct, that's almost as much as an industrial robot. But thanks to its simple design, installation and programming, this investment is comparatively low. In addition, expensive and time-consuming programming training is no longer necessary.
When is cobot welding worthwhile?
Cobot welding is already worthwhile for very small series, even for just one component. The reason: modern welding cobots can be operated after just a few minutes of training. Just show or program the welding task once and the cobot starts welding. In any case, a welding cobot makes sense when the pressure of delivery time, quality, price and shortage of skilled workers becomes too great.
How well can a welding cobot be integrated into existing processes?
Of course, every additional tool in a process needs its place. A welding cobot can be easily integrated into an existing process. A welding cobot requires a welding table, welding torch, power source and a housing to protect the user from welding spatter, UV radiation and fumes. Extraction at the source using suitable fume extraction torches and mobile extraction units provides additional protection for employees.
What problems can arise when integrating a welding cobot?
The easiest way to set up a welding cobot is to have a product expert or integrator do it for you. Most difficulties or problems lie in the accessibility of the welding torch on the cobot and the correct positioning of the component. As with welding with an industrial robot, component tolerances affect the quality of the weld.
Can welding cobots be used flexibly?
Welding cobots can be used very flexibly. Because they are so easy to operate – teaching, for example, is intuitive and child's play – they can be used to reliably weld anything from a single component to medium-sized batches. They can be loaded by a person or equipped with automated feeding devices. There are practically no limits to their use, except for very large components.
Can a cobot also help with complex welding tasks?
A welding cobot can also be used for complex welding tasks. However, if the component has to be moved several times, human assistance is essential. The welding of complex components is ideally prepared by a welder. Everything else, such as removing and loading components and monitoring the process, can also be carried out by an assistant. This is exactly what makes a welding cobot so interesting.
How reliable are welding cobots in continuous operation?
A welding cobot is not an industrial robot designed for 24/7 continuous operation. Nevertheless, a cobot can weld significantly longer than a skilled welder, does not need breaks and welds with consistent quality throughout. Theoretically, a welding cobot can also weld through several work shifts in a row. However, the working speed of a cobot is slower than that of an industrial robot. These are specially designed for large series, but also require extensive programming by specially trained personnel.
Can a cobot increase the working speed?
A cobot can weld as fast as the process allows. Every component. A welding cobot does not get tired. Compared to manual welding, you can weld more parts per shift with a cobot. A cobot therefore increases the working speed. The human operating the cobot merely ensures process reliability.
Does the cobot help to improve the quality of my weld seams?
A welding cobot welds every component with consistent quality. However, the prerequisite for a high-quality weld seam is that the appropriate parameters are set correctly and the path to be welded is specified correctly. A test weld shows whether the quality of the weld seam is correct. Once programmed, the cobot welds every seam as specified.
How quickly can a welder learn to program a cobot?
There are cobot welding robots on the market that a welder can set up/program and ignite the arc after just a few minutes of instruction. Such a cobot is the iBOTone® from ABICOR BINZEL.
How easy is it to operate a cobot?
Modern welding cobots are very easy to operate so anyone can program a component and ignite the arc after just a few minutes' introduction. It does not matter whether you already have previous knowledge of welding or not. The iBOTone® from ABICOR BINZEL is such a modern welding cobot. Teaching is so easy that the quantity to be produced is not an issue.
Are there any special safety precautions I need to observe when cobot welding?
In every manufacturing company in the EU, all machines and systems must have CE-compliant equipment. This is to protect the personnel operating the machines and systems from potential hazards and injuries. This equipment is laid down in the so-called machinery directives. Of course, this also applies to welding cobots. Design specifications, for example, are provided in the Directive 2006/42/EC (Machinery Directive).
Can I put a cobot into operation myself?
In principle, it is possible to commission a welding cobot yourself. However, every product expert and safety officer does not recommend this. The reason is that there are safety regulations that must be observed when welding. Welding with a cobot is only guaranteed to be safe if the housing resp. welding cell and all associated equipment are CE-certified.