Optimization Of Robotic Arc Welding Process By Eliminating PLC To Reduce The Overall Cost

Robotic arc welding systems have become increasingly popular in industries that require speed and repeatability to maintain a high volume of productivity. When multiple fixtures are to be welded by a single robot and are controlled by multiple operator panels, the communication between the multiple operator panels and the robot controller will be generally done with the help of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) which acts as an intermediate communication device between the robot controller and operator panel. This method leads to the additional cost investment on PLC and also the utilization of controller’s main computer. The present work shows standard way for establishing communication between operator panels and main computer controller without the use of PLC. Operator panels can be directly interfaced through digital and combi I/O cards. Robot controller’s CPU is programmed in RAPID programming language to handle task of PLC which leads to reduction of arc welding system cost and maximizing utilization of controller’s main computer.