If you’re looking to integrate CAD welding software for robotic welding, this post is for you. But if you’re looking for “Cadwelding” maybe not.
There is no doubt that skillfully combining CAD and welding can be extremely useful in a manufacturing business.
However, the specific term “CAD welding” has two different meanings in manufacturing…
Cadwelding vs CAD for Welding: What’s the Difference?
Let’s explore the two interpretations of the term CAD welding:
What is Cadwelding?
First, let’s cover what this article isn’t about…
Cadwelding, or exothermic welding, is a process used to join two or more copper conductors together. It is common in power generation, telecommunications and transportation.
The process involves using a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum powder to create an exothermic reaction that produces molten copper. This is poured on the conductors within a graphite mold, creating a strong and durable connection.
Can you do Cadwelding with a robot? I mean… you probably could. But you probably wouldn’t want to. It’s usually a manual process as it is most commonly done outside, such as when welding railroad lines or earth connections.
What is CAD for Welding?
Now, the more important type of CAD welding when we’re talking about robots…
CAD for welding refers to using computer aided design (CAD) software as a tool in your industrial welding process. The right software can accelerate your welding operations and reduce manual steps.
Common features of CAD software that assist welding include path planning, welding simulations, and collision detection.
When you are using robot welding, the link between your CAD tool and robot programming software is vital.
The Importance of CAD Software in Modern Welding Processes
In the past, welding was an entirely manual process. You might have used your CAD software to create engineering drawings of your desired weld lines, but the human welders did most of the work.
Times have changed.
Now, automated welding is an increasingly important aspect of modern manufacturing. With robot welding, the job of a skilled welder has evolved. It now involves creating robust production workflows where the robot does the welding.
This means that your CAD software needs to integrate easily with your robot programming software.
With the right software workflow, you can use the same product models you created in CAD to program your robot. The same 3D objects you used to machine the parts can become the trajectories for your welding robot.
Choosing the Right CAD and Robot Software For Your Welding Needs
Selecting the right CAD welding software can significantly affect the success of your robot welding deployment. With the right software, it becomes extremely easy to generate robot paths that are optimized for efficient welding.
When you are trying to choose CAD and robot software, here are some essential features to consider:
- Software Compatibility — Ensure that your chosen CAD tool is compatible with your chosen robot programming software. RoboDK is known for its versatility, with dedicated plugins for many leading CAD tools.
- Automatic Weld Path Planning Tools — Path planning is a core task in robotic welding and has a significant influence on the quality of your welds. Your CAD tool doesn’t need this feature as RoboDK includes various features that facilitate welding, including the Add-ins introduced below.
- Collision Detection — Welding tasks require moving the robot very close to the workpiece. Automatic collision detection, such as that provided in RoboDK, is necessary to avoid damage.
- Welding Simulations — Simulating your welding process before execution is indispensable for identifying errors and improving the weld quality. RoboDK offers extensive simulation functions and data.
- Ease of use — Whatever software you use, you want it to be as easy to use as possible. Your CAD tool is only one step in a streamlined robot welding workflow.
When you are choosing your CAD for welding, make sure to consider the entire software workflow. This will help you achieve more with your robotic automation.
How RoboDK Streamlines CAD for Welding
RoboDK is designed to enhance your robotic welding process by seamlessly integrating your CAD designs with robot programming.
One way we do this is to provide plugins for major CAD/CAM packages, allowing you to quickly send your product models to RoboDK for programming.
However, RoboDK also includes dedicated tools for welding in our Add-in marketplace.
Two important Add-ins for welding are:
Weave Generator Add-in
The Weave-Generator Add-in provides functionality to create pattern welding paths, edit paths, and weld bead objects. It incorporates uses automatic path planning to significantly reduce the programming steps associated with programming such movements.
You can also use the Add-in to apply a weave pattern to an existing program and change weld properties like amplitude, frequency, and spacing.
Welding Add-in
The dedicated Welding Add-in is an essential tool for enhancing the precision of your robotic welding tasks. It allows you to incorporate parametric instructions into your RoboDK program sequences to simplify complex welding instructions.
The Add-in includes a range of features, including trajectory visualization, easy creation and editing of commands, specific welding parameters, and more.
To install either Add-in, simply download it from the Add-in marketplace and load it with RoboDK’s AppLoader interface.
Get Started with Your CAD Supported Welding Process
CAD software has been a part of welding processes for decades. But robots have brought CAD welding into the spotlight in a whole new way.
Choosing the right software tools can be the difference between a simple, efficient robot deployment and a complex, expensive headache.
Whatever your welding task, it’s likely that you can use a robot for it…
Yes, you could even use a robot for Cadwelding (remember that exothermic welding we started the article with?)… if you really wanted to.
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