3 ms·
Doesn't that really only apply to mass production, a LOT of welding is one-off (or few-off) work used to connect parts (which may have been mass produced). If
by nullc 4y ago
Doesn't that really only apply to mass production, a LOT of welding is one-off (or few-off) work used to connect parts (which may have been mass produced).
If you mean to actually weld one off parts-- is the sensing technology in place to accomplish that? The speed and feed you go at depends on the ambient conditions and part geometry. Even if so, you have the problem that much welding is and must be done in-situ because the assembly is not transportable. In some cases you could bring in a robot arm, but even where you can that seems like lot of effort vs just sending a welder in.
- contingencies 4y agoTraditional manufacturing is described as "low mix, high volume" (ie. same part in great quantities). Modern manufacturing tends towards "high mix, low volume" (ie. different part each time). This is partly because, ultimately, it is more cost efficient to produce multiple parts using similar processes on the same equipment than to produce all parts on dedicated equipment using a broader mix of processes. It is also partly because outsourcing fabrication makes sense for many people, which means the fabricator themselves is receiving a range of orders that has to be executed in rapid succession on a given equipment line. While this transition presents a challenge for everyone (design, management, HR, etc.) it is also a huge opportunity, particularly for we software people.