Next-generation welding robot offers students, businesses a look at industry’s future

This paid piece is sponsored by Southeast Technical College.

There are robots – and then there are cobots.

A cobot, or collaborative robot, is a robot intended for direct human-to-robot interaction.

And in Southeast Technical College’s welding lab, that’s exactly what’s happening.

The newly added cobot welder “is a robotic arm that’s easily programmable,” welding instructor Lynard Stelley said. “Industries use it to mass-produce parts at a much higher quality and with more efficiency.”

A cobot welder from industry innovator Hirebotics was purchased last fall by South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions, so businesses could validate the purchase with their intended use before purchasing one.

“It uses a traditional welder, but it’s attached to the cobot, so the cobot can perform welds,” MTS business adviser Pete Menke said. “Hirebotics has put the software behind it so you can program it with a cellphone or tablet, which makes it really easy to program. I don’t have any welding experience, but within two hours of having it unboxed and running, I had it programming welds and was getting welds accomplished, so it was really easy.”

The advantage of the cobot is its ability to do repetitive welding tasks that tire human welders, he continued.

“We’re not replacing welders as fast as we’re losing them, so as we lose that experience, the capabilities of these robots can help fill the gap,” Menke said. “It’s not taking the place of a welder, but it’s another tool for welders to really succeed.”

It made sense to house the technology at Southeast Tech, Menke said. Companies can come see it in action, and students can learn from it.

“We’ve gotten a lot of interest in it,” he said. Recently, he demonstrated the technology for a company from Yankton.

“They brought engineers up with their own parts, and we welded it up here,” he said. “I walked them through the programming and process so they can see how easy it is and decide if it’s going to be a solution for them.”

At the same time, the students and companies get exposure to one another.

“It’s been a great fit to have it at Southeast Tech,” Menke said. “And we’re hoping to bring in someone from Hirebotics to link up with the instructors and talk to students so they can get hands-on experience.”

Welding students at Southeast Tech are in high demand already, said Stelley, who is in his second semester teaching after spending nine years at Marmen.

“The majority of our students have job offers before they even graduate,” he said. “I have students now doing internships at companies, I have companies coming in to talk to students, and our numbers are going up. We’re at a point where it’s challenging to accommodate all the students applying to Southeast Tech.”

Adding robotics, which Stelley hopes to bring in at the end of his welding curriculum, enhances the students’ experience and marketability, he said.

“A lot of companies are moving toward this robotic type of welding,” he said. “It adds more to being a welder. You can learn how to weld, but you have to also truly understand weld setting and parameters and how robots work to create and build parts effectively. Old-school robots required a true understanding of computer programming, but with the cobot welder, it’s a lot simpler. The app feels like a phone app, so it’s very easy to use and program.”

The day the cobot welder joined the lab, Southeast Tech students crowded around it, Menke added.

“The welding team has been all for it and excited about it,” he said. “The big thing is to expose the students to this technology that is going to be more prominent in their field as they go through their career. They could be talking to their future employer, and this gives them a leg up.”

If you’re a business wanting to learn more about the cobot, contact MTS.

Students interested in learning more about Southeast Tech’s welding program can click here.