For many manufacturers, investing in a column-and-boom welding manipulator usually means rapid productivity acceleration. While it’s true that these machines ideally improve accuracy and weld quality, sometimes entrepreneurs end up choosing the wrong machine, which would then create more expenses than the ones they were hoping to achieve. The column and boom welding manipulator is an impressive machine, and having a comprehensive understanding about what its features and main applications are has a key role in your overall productivity after the purchase.
Generally, during industrial welding operations, the welder has to move around a big workpiece, which creates delays and inconsistent welds. But with a boom manipulator, with which you can hold and move the welding torch, the general weld quality rapidly improves and helps create more consistent welds. This machine becomes super reliable in scenarios that require working with large steel structures that need constant manual repositioning.
The purchase should be only after having a clear understanding about the size of your component and the machine that would perfectly suit it. A manipulator should be able to comfortably reach every welding point without requiring the workpiece to be repositioned repeatedly. It would be ideal to understand the average size of your metal components and choose a column and boom welding manipulator that fits it. When the manipulator is too small, it can limit your future scope, and when it is too large, it could skyrocket your costs without providing any additional value.
The boom’s movement is of prime importance. Since it’s the arm that would carry the welding equipment, it should ideally be able to freely move both vertically and horizontally in order to reach different areas of the workpiece with ease. With a much longer reach, manufacturers can achieve better and more efficient welds in shorter times with reduced setup time.
Make sure that the boom you choose is strong enough to support the overall weight of cables, sensors and other accessories combined. If you choose a manipulator solely based on the current equipment, it can limit your production efficiency when it grows in the future.
The precision and consistency of a welding manipulator are only as good as the structure that provides the kind of stability the machine needs. If not, the machine starts vibrating mid-operation, and it can ruin the weld quality. The structure should be strong enough so that the machine can have solid stability, allowing smooth movement and consistent welding results on long welds.
It is important that the machine be user-friendly and simple to operate. It doesn’t matter how state-of-the-art the machine is; it should be simple enough to enable faster setup and seamless operation throughout the project. Its controls should allow easy moving of the boom, adjusting its position and controlling welding operations. When the machine is easy to use, you can save on additional training time and improve your overall productivity.
