Jaguar uses adaptive MIG welding to join C‐pillars to an aluminium roof section in a new sports car

Purpose – To describe how Jaguar Cars in the UK is making use of a robot‐based intelligent adaptive metal inert gas (MIG) welding process incorporating laser diode measurement of the gap in the joint between the aluminium C‐pillars and the aluminium roof structure of its new XK sports car that is being built in the company's plant in Castle Bromwich, UK.Design/methodology/approach – Describes the sensor technology that is used to guide the robot in order to undertake the MIG welding path.Findings – The use of MIG welding in this particular application is essential if a perfect surface is to be achieved in a critical area of the car body before the aluminium body shell enters the paint shop. The introduction of MIG welding in this particularly exposed region of the car's body shell has proved to be a challenging experience for a wide range of engineers at jaguar cars in the UK, from manufacturing engineers through to process engineers and metallurgists, and others. The MIG welding of cosmetic aluminium ski...