Robotic Welder Combats Labor Shortage to Boost American Businesses

Jan 25, 2024

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This article was sponsored by Red-D-Arc, a leading supplier of rental welding equipment worldwide.

It is estimated that by 2024 the United States will face a shortage of 375,000 welders, according to the American Welding Society. To put this in perspective, this massive number accounts for nearly one-third of the total welding workforce, detrimentally affecting the ability of countless businesses and industries to produce goods. More industries than the average consumer might realize depend on skilled welders to manufacture the products we use daily. From automotive and aerospace to power distribution and electronics, welding is critical to sustaining the American economy.

Feeling the urgency of this labor shortage, Red-D-Arc Welderentals, an Airgas company, sought to find a solution to bridge the gap. Using collaborative robotic technology, or cobots, Red-D-Arc developed the BotX™ Welder which is an automated welding system that works collaboratively with human workers.

"Right around the time we began developing this product, the National Association of Manufacturers surveyed their members, and nine out of 10 said that attracting, hiring, and retaining skilled labor was an issue for them," said Joe Holloway, vice president of automation for Red-D-Arc. "I began thinking: Is there some opportunity here to develop a product that would help our customers solve that labor challenge while leveraging the knowledge of their current workforce?"

The BotX™ system uses cloud-connected software to control the device through an app on your computer or phone. The system also includes a wide selection of pre-programmed welding procedures. The entire system is designed with ease of use in mind and comes with on-site training and on-demand support from a team of welding engineers and qualified welders.

As the current welding workforce nears retirement age, we are seeing that there needs to be more interest in learning the trade from the individuals entering the workforce. This leaves the future of manufacturing in a very vulnerable state. Red-D-Arc developed the BotX™ Welder — which is available for rent, lease, or purchase — to alleviate the strain put on businesses experiencing labor shortages with very little upfront capital investment. Could these collaborative robots pave the way for the future of manufacturing?

Joe Holloway (JH): The most immediate benefit customers will experience is relief from the labor shortage. The shortage is affecting all industries, but skilled trades are in a particular shortage, and with the reshoring efforts taking place in the wake of the pandemic, we are seeing how detrimental the shortage is for American businesses. Companies are returning operations to the United States, but don't have the labor force to fulfill demand. The BotX™ system is designed to bridge the gaps you can't fill in your workforce while leaning on the knowledge of the skilled welders you do have.

When compared to traditional industrial robots, the BotX™ system is easier to use and more versatile. For example, while industrial robots are designed to perform at high speeds, our collaborative welder moves at a slower, OSHA-regulated speed to allow human workers to interact with it directly. Users can teach the robot new procedures using the cloud-connected software. For example, say you’re welding carbon steel that is ¼-inch thick, and you need to weld a T-joint. The system will automatically set the welding equipment to the correct parameters for that particular weld.

The other major benefit of this system is its ease of use, ease of programming, and ease of teaching. In fact, we try to stay away from the word "programming" because it's intimidating. You don't need to be a robot programmer to use the BotX™ system. You just need to know how to use a smartphone. Our systems are built ready-to-ship and we dispatch experts to install the system and train your team. Our goal is to have our customers producing before we even leave their facility.

JH: At Red-D-Arc — and our parent companies, Airgas and Air Liquide — we have a deep well of welding expertise that our customers can tap into. When we are doing an installation, we send welding engineers to the customer's site to do the physical setup, which can be done in about two to three hours. Then they spend about a day to a day and a half training the customer on how to use the system.

Our welding engineers are welding experts, and they help the customer optimize our pre-developed welding recipes to suit their unique needs. After installation, our clients have access to continuous support from our team of welding engineers and qualified welders who will help troubleshoot any issue a customer may experience. Our average response time to support requests is under two minutes. We can solve most issues virtually, but the benefit of having multiple locations across the country is that we can quickly dispatch someone to assist in person if needed.

JH: One of our very first customers to use the BotX™ Welder was a metal fabrication company out of Wisconsin. They operate as a job shop making bids on contracts. For example, one of their contracts was creating a set number of toolboxes to be sold on Amazon. Their business depends on winning bids. The more bids they can submit, the higher their chances of getting jobs.

Before using our system, they had to turn down a lot of opportunities because they didn't have the labor to get the work done. After the company had been using the BotX™ system for a while, they were able to double the number of bids they were able to propose. They were able to win more jobs and substantially grow their business.

JH: Clients have a lot of purchasing options when it comes to the BotX™ Welder. The system is available to rent, lease, or purchase depending on your budget and production requirements. Our customers can try the system with very little upfront investment and convert to a purchase at any time.

Image Credit: Image courtesy of Red-D-Arc