When considering the purchase of a robotic welding system, the decision often boils down to price. While it might be tempting to opt for an in-the-box robotic welding system from a catalog, there are compelling reasons to invest in a solution from a specialized machine integrator, even though up-front costs could be higher. The benefits extend beyond just the initial purchase price, encompassing setup complexity, expertise, and long-term value.
1. Understanding The Decision
Tailor-Made vs. Generic Solutions: The biggest difference between an integrator and an “in-the-box” solution is that an integrator sells you a tailor-made, drop-in solution to your problem. The companies you see selling generic systems in catalogs are selling you a tool that you may be able to use to solve your problem.
Support and Training Differences: Generic solutions will offer classes to teach you to set it up, and let you know the capabilities of the system when set up by an experienced team, but they generally do not look at your part drawings or weld specs, ensure feasibility, and it definitely won’t be a drop-in system, ready for production on week one.
Becoming Your Own Integrator: If you choose a catalog robotic welding system, you’ll need to take on the role of integrator yourself. This means managing many of the costs, complexities, and challenges that professional integrators have already solved through years of experience. Machine integrators, on the other hand, build custom automated welding systems with seamless integration specifically for your application that are ready for production from day one.
2. Expertise in Setup and Integration
Robotic systems can be intricate, and welding is nothing less than an art, so tying the two together requires a nuanced understanding of both the technology and the specific application. Machine integrators specialize in tailoring these systems to meet the unique needs of a process. Often, this means advising against robotic solutions for those that are better suited for hard automation – even when it’s not obvious it’s the case.
With any system, integrators’ years of experience allow them to efficiently set up and configure the system, often providing optimal performance from day one. In contrast, a catalog system might require significant trial and error to achieve the desired results, leading to downtime and frustration. In every factory, time is money, and a delay in the startup of a line can often affect a company’s bottom line significantly more than the cost of a proper machine integration.
3. Customization for Specific Applications
Machine Integrators offer customization that off-the-shelf products often lack. They can design the robotic system to handle specific welding tasks and materials, ensuring the setup aligns perfectly with your production requirements. This adaptability can be especially important in industries where precision and efficiency are paramount. This often means a mix of simpler tasks being completed with hard automation and saving robotic welding for those tasks which require it.
Why program a robotic arm to weld a round fitting on a complex part? An integrator can have a simple, specialized solution within a robotic cell on the pieces that allow for it while saving your team’s programming time for the processes that need robotic flexibility.
Additionally, integrators can provide pick-and-place robotics as part of their solutions. This integration can streamline production workflows by allowing one station to handle multiple tasks that would typically each require an operator full time.
4. Long-Term Support and Maintenance
Investing in a system from a machine integrator often means gaining access to ongoing support and maintenance services. Integrators understand the exact process you are doing and have the know-how to support the system in your specific use-case, throughout its lifecycle.
With an integrator’s support, you won’t have to worry about the steep learning curve that often comes with automated welding systems. You’ll also benefit from continuous improvements as your processes evolve, ensuring your operation runs smoothly over time.
5. Return on Investment (ROI)
Custom robotic welding systems may cost more up-front, but their long-term return on investment often outweighs those of catalog systems. Integrators offer expertise, customization, and support services that improve efficiency while decreasing labor costs and raising product quality; with no startup delays and optimized workflows. They have the potential to significantly decrease errors, rework, and material waste. Most of all, there’s a huge value to having highly experienced people to call when problems do happen.
6. Future-Proofing Your Operations
Investing in a robotic system from a machine integrator also allows for future scalability. As your production needs evolve, integrators can assist in upgrading or modifying the system, ensuring it continues to meet your demands. This flexibility is often not feasible with catalog systems, which may require complete replacement or extensive modifications – again, making you the integrator.
Partner with a Trusted Welding Systems Integrator
In the realm of robotic welding, the adage “you get what you pay for” rings especially true. While catalog systems are very capable, trustworthy, and often offer the similar hardware that integrators use, the complexities of setup, the need for customization, and the value of long-term support with an understanding in your exact use-case make investing in a system from machine integrators a wise choice for fabricators that aren’t highly experienced in robotics. Companies are usually most profitable when they find their niche in the market and specialize in that narrow field. Therefore, it makes sense that it’s almost always less costly to hire a machine integrator than becoming one!
Don’t settle for one-size-fits-all catalog systems when it comes to robotic welding solutions—at Bancroft Engineering we specialize in designing and installing customized robotic welding systems tailored specifically to meet the production requirements of your production plant. By working with us you will benefit from fully optimized solutions that reduce downtime while simultaneously increasing efficiency from day one.
