From the first sparks of automation to the cobots of the future, how did industrial robots become a pillar of modern industry?

Today, let's talk about how engineers have created machines capable of autonomously directing a welding arc with unprecedented precision. From Unimate at General Motors to the intelligent arms that today work side by side with humans.

Today's robotic welding is the result of the multi-stage development of industrial robotics, the foundations of which were laid in the 1960s.

It is considered a milestone year 1961when the first industrial robot appeared at the General Motors factory Unimate, designed by George Devol and Joseph Engelberger. He didn't weld yet, but he successfully moved hot, heavy castings, eliminating the most dangerous parts of human labor.

However, the real breakthrough for welding came only in the 1980s, when, thanks to the development of CNC controllers, weld tracking sensors and more flexible kinematic systems of robot arms, it was possible to achieve the precision and repeatability required for joining metal.

Paradoxically, although the idea of automation was present much earlier, it was only advances in control systems that allowed robotization of welding processes on a mass scale. 

One of the largest users of welding robots has always been the automotive industry—from Toyota to Ford. Their robotic spot welding lines remain a benchmark for efficiency to this day.

The Polish chapter of history - from enameled bathtubs to the Polonez

Meanwhile, in Poland, work on the construction of our own industrial robots began in the early 1970s. As early as 1976, several pioneering stations were established in research centers, such as the Industrial Institute of Automation and Measurements, the Institute of Precision Mechanics in Warsaw, and the Research and Design Center for Machine Tools in Pruszków.

The first successful example of the use of robots in the domestic industry was the robotic enameling of bathtubs and sinks at the Olkusz Enamelware Factory - the company's machines were used there. DeVilbiss-Tallfa (today's ABB).

Even more interesting was the example FSO, where in the body assembly line Polonaise installed 15 Unimation robots, which performed 384 of the 1,995 weld points. This was a technological leap for the time—a real example of Poland not lagging far behind global trends.

 Where are the robots today?

Industrial robots, including welding robots, have always been designed to replace humans in tasks that are exceptionally arduous, dangerous, or require extraordinary precision. They are increasingly being used in the production of steel structures, household appliances, agricultural machinery, and railway rolling stock.

Welding robots can be divided into several main types, depending on the technology used and the application. The most popular are robots for arc welding, which, thanks to the precise guidance of the electric arc, are responsible for most automated joints in the steel and automotive industries. Robots are also widely used for resistance welding, ideal for joining thin sheets in the production of car bodies or household appliances - this process does not require additional binder and ensures high efficiency.

Among the specialized solutions, robots stand out: TIG welding and MIG/MAG, which differ in the type of electrode and shielding gas, and therefore the range of applications - from pressure vessels, through aluminum parts, to steel structures. Robots for laser welding, valued for their exceptional precision and minimal material deformation, are used in industries such as automotive and aviation. A specialized group also includes robots for plasma welding, which are useful where it is necessary to join materials that are difficult to melt or sensitive to high temperatures, such as titanium or nickel.

 From stationary giants to cobots

Thanks to modern solutions like cobots—collaborative welding robots—automation is now reaching not only large halls but also medium-sized and small plants. Modular, mobile, and often portable arms can work side-by-side with humans, improving safety, efficiency, and weld quality without the need for massive investments.

IN Strumet We also combine tradition with modernity. We have 11 robotic welding stations, including:

• double robots with two rotary tables,
• single robots with two fixed or rotary tables,
• welding devices dedicated to larger and smaller steel elements.
  

Each of our welding robots is powered by reliable power sources. Fronius TPS4000, TPS400i Whether MERKLE, which ensures high quality MIG/MAG welds - both for carbon steel, chrome-nickel steel and aluminum. Thanks to this, we can carry out processes on elements with dimensions of up to 3300 x 1300 mm, with two arms working simultaneously!

Moreover, the entire robotization is carried out by a team of 100 qualified Strumet welders, certified in accordance with ISO 9606-1, under the supervision of a qualified chief welder IWE, IWI-C, IWT, IWP and VT, PT, MT, UT-2 certifications. This means that the robot welds, but the human is on duty – guaranteeing the highest quality, approved by TÜV Rheinland.

Strumet welding robots are more than just machines. They are certified repeatability in accordance with EN 1090 and EN ISO 3834, solidity of steel structures and flexibility in the implementation of both larger orders and short series.

What's next? The sight of a masked welder may soon be a thing of the past, replaced by robots that never tire. But what drives them to work still comes from humans—and that won't change for a long time…