The SWR was designed specifically for automated pipe welding.
For Joe White Tank of Fort Worth, Texas, increased demand for construction projects and more competitive bidding for pipe fabrication jobs within those projects has presented new challenges recently.
The company has been in the welding industry since 1942 and specializes in fabricating custom tanks, pressure vessels for industrial and ammonia refrigeration, and piping for commercial and industrial construction. The company has built a reputation for quality work while consistently delivering products on shorter than market standard lead times.
That standard has been put to the test recently, but President Jeff Yurtini and his management team aren't used to resting on their laurels. Rather, they're typically looking for new ways to clear the next hurdle.
Cobot Solutions
For Yurtin, the immediate problem was expanding the workforce for a project that could reduce productivity if not managed correctly. To meet that need, he chose to invest in his Novarc spool welding robot (SWR). This machine provides precise torch control and machine learning algorithms that can detect various features of the workpiece.
This unit is specially designed for pipes, pressure vessels and other roll welded workpieces. It features an adaptive control system that ensures precise torch control and an AI/machine learning algorithm that detects weld pool characteristics.
According to Soroush Karimzadeh, co-founder and CEO of Novarc, SWR can be smoothly integrated into customers' production flows and existing manufacturing processes.
“SWR is designed with a small footprint and extremely long reach, allowing it to be deployed in almost any manufacturing facility, regardless of layout or different requirements,” says Karimzadeh. “It is designed to have minimal impact on production flow.”
However, the nature of Joe White Tank's flagship project means that there may be hiccups in the work process, including persistent labor issues.
“Piping projects often require sudden starts and stops, leaving little time for labor to be ramped up or down,” Yurtin says. “Hiring and firing welders for a job was never our idea of success. We pursued business growth with a long-term perspective. This addition strategically added capacity and avoided many of the negative effects of short-term job-by-job labor. It also has a small footprint, requiring only four manual welding cells to complete the SWR job. had to be installed.”
Responding to labor shortages
SWR also helps alleviate the nationwide shortage of skilled welders by helping less experienced workers produce quality welds.
Novarc's machines include a user interface that is proven to be easy to learn for operators of all experience levels.
“Balancing a stable workforce with changing customer and industry demands can be difficult,” Yurtsin says. “Our organizational culture is very important to our management team, which is why we have worked hard to limit employee turnover as our market presence has grown.”
The benefits of employee continuity are numerous. Not only does it give employees a sense of job security, but it also leads to a more proactive commitment to company goals. As manufacturing plants across North America face a shortage of skilled welders, “SWR has helped limit the impact of this challenge,” Yurtin said.
“We used to have a department that specialized in pipe welding, but now we have SWR operators working with fitters to support them and increase efficiency,” he says. “This has freed up welders to work on other projects in the backlog, shortened market lead times, and significantly increased production capacity. Novarc SWR has increased production capacity by 400 without compromising quality. % improved.”
SWR provides users with a set of requirements for the fitting process and provides comprehensive training for fitters.
“This is another way we are making the integration of SWR into our clients’ manufacturing processes as smooth as possible,” Karimzadeh said.
Yurtien said he supports maintaining the company's strong company culture, and employees are on board with it.
“Anyone who has been involved in welding for more than 10 minutes knows that it is physically demanding,” Yurtsin says. “Welders get tired.
“The ergonomics of the SWR are an immediate benefit to welders,” he added. “You still use your hands, but you don’t have to wear a hood and the joystick controls make the job much easier.”
Creating an attractive workplace
Improved productivity has also had an unexpected effect on manufacturing sites. Yurtin says with a smile:
“Sometimes it's like a game where welders compete to see how much work they can get done in a day, and when we have a super productive day, we're all motivated. ”
Given the team's response, the machine could even be seen as a recruiting aid.
“It's a more attractive place to work, and the younger generation of welders is very excited about automation and using SWR,” Yurtsin said. “Even our older employees are finding the learning curve manageable.”
Automation often comes with initial hesitation, such as the need to use new technology or make changes that seem risky. However, Yurtin chose to focus on his ROI.
“I'll pay you back right away,” he said. “Now that we can run four times faster, we can take on more jobs. Previously, we needed four welding cells to achieve the same capacity as one SWR. SWR also takes up 25% to 30% less space, increasing our ability to take on work with shorter lead times, win more projects, and pursue larger bids. ”
After all, safety is always a top priority for Karimzadeh.
“Novarc cobots are designed to comply with standards for collaborative robots and cobot applications according to the ISO 15066 standard, so the cobots are essentially equipped with force and speed limiting sensors. and can safely stop work in the event of a safety issue,” says Karimzadeh. “Furthermore, the welding torch is moved by the cobot and the welder is not exposed to welding smoke or arc light, which significantly reduces health hazards for the welder.”
While these benefits are certainly convenient, what sets Yurtin apart is its quality.
“We primarily use SWR to weld pipes such as pressure vessels, industrial chillers, ammonia chillers, etc. Basically industrial pipes,” Yurtin said. “These welds need to be ASME quality, X-ray quality. In addition to being very easy to operate, the SWR has improved the quality and consistency of the welds. , perfect penetration from root to cap. SWR can handle it all. And it always passes the X-ray test.”
Yurtien also credits SWR with helping position Joe White Tank as a “future-friendly” welding shop.
“We are excited to be a showcase for innovation and believe that for the manufacturing industry to succeed and meet the increasing demands for productivity and competitive bidding, it must embrace new technology,” he said. “Our customers have been really impressed with the collaborative robot technology in our shops, not to mention the quality, productivity, output and efficiency.”
Karimzadeh added, “End-users of pipe spools are becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to project delivery dates, production costs and welding quality. This is ultimately driving the industry towards automation – it's the only way to meet delivery deadlines, control costs and maintain the quality of work.”
For Joe White Tank, the search for new solutions to welding challenges is about constantly seeking answers that improve our products, our work environment, and ultimately our bottom line while positively reflecting our reputation in the industry.
