In today’s fabrication shops, it isn’t enough to perform precise welds. Fabricators are under constant pressure to weld faster and more consistently all while shops face an increasing shortage of skilled labor.
In automated welding applications where high-quality welds are required at higher throughput, where TIG welding root to cap is too slow and where standard MIG can’t meet quality requirements, a new challenge presents itself. In the case of applications where the requirement is welding TIG roots and using MIG or flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) for fill and cap passes, the result can be time-consuming changeovers, re-fixturing, wasted floor space and the constantly challenging task of sourcing skilled welders for specific jobs.
Often, this is seen when welding aluminum or stainless steel where there are distortion and heat input limits. Historically, there hasn’t been a practical way to combine TIG precision and MIG productivity into one autonomous system. Until now.
An industry first
Understanding the need to combine TIG and MIG welding into one autonomous robot, Novarc Technologies Inc. launched its SWR-TIGMIG, a new versatile spool welding robot (SWR). With it, fabricators can now perform X-ray-quality TIG roots and also have the speed, flexibility and throughput of a MIG system.
“This is an industry first, eliminating the need to make tradeoffs between precision and productivity that have shaped shop workflows for decades,” says Soroush Karimazdeh, Novarc’s CEO. “The SWR-TIGMIG is built for shops where TIG roots are non-negotiable.”
Karimazdeh is quick to mention, however, that SWR-TIGMIG is designed to complement, not replace, skilled labor. Operators remain in control of process selection, quality checks and strategic decisions. The system handles repetitive precision, freeing welders to focus on oversight and problem-solving, a model that both improves productivity and makes better use of the expertise and human experience of skilled welders.
Dual-process productivity
There are a number of industries that stand to benefit from the precision of TIG combined with the fast switchover to MIG or FCAW for fill and cap passes. Specific industries include oil and gas (for critical pressure piping work with strict inspection requirements) and pharma (for hygienic stainless work requiring TIG precision).
Other industries benefiting from a dual-process robot include:
- Nuclear (requiring precision and documentation)
- Shipbuilding (long seams and thick wall sections benefit from fast fill passes)
- Building construction (flexible process selection for diverse materials)
- Vessel manufacturing (pipe and tank fabrication with varied joint configurations)
- Food and dairy (complex alloys with high-quality demands)
- Aerospace (complex alloys with high-quality demands)
- Heating and cryogenics (specialized piping with performance standards)
For the early adopters implementing SWR-TIGMIG in the pressure vessel sector, expectations are high. By eliminating the changeover delays between TIG and MIG, the goal is a 60 percent reduction in total weld time for a multi-pass joint.
Achieving versatility
H+M Industrial EPC specializes in – unsurprisingly – engineering, procurement and construction (EPC). In North America, it’s one of the leading firms for turnkey capital project solutions for the energy, chemicals and industrial sectors. The company’s core expertise lies in managing large and complex industrial projects – from initial planning and design through procurement, fabrication, construction and startup. This past January, H+M installed a SWR-TIGMIG system in its facility in Pasadena, Texas.
“We needed a dual-process SWR to keep productivity up along with the versatility required,” says Brandon Hogan, H+M’s CEO. “We are excited to be one of the first shops to set new standards for productivity and versatility in the pipe fabrication industry. By incorporating Novarc’s SWR-TIGMIG, we expect to perform X-ray-quality TIG root welds with the speed and throughput of MIG. And a single operator can now manage more simultaneous workcells, easing the strain of our ongoing skilled welder shortage.”
Karimzadeh was excited to see the report from the shop floor at H+M, emphasizing the game-changing nature of the innovation.
“We now have dual-process power and capability in one machine,” he says. “In under 30 sec., SWR-TIGMIG switches from TIG to MIG, and there are no wasted minutes in between these passes.”
In traditional setups, switching between TIG and MIG on the same joint often means removing the part, setting up a different welding station and re-fixturing. This can add hours of non-value-added time.
SWR-TIGMIG compresses this into a process that takes less than a minute – all on the same machine. This translates into less material handling with a lower risk of damage or misalignment, a continuous workflow (operators can stay focused on welding, not moving parts), and greater scheduling flexibility between TIG and MIG jobs.
Unique benefits
Many “dual-process” systems on the market require complex reconfiguration, separate cameras for each process or large, shop-dominating footprints. SWR-TIGMIG takes a different approach with the following benefits:
- Compact footprint: At just 4 ft. by 4 ft., it’s the smallest in the industry and can be integrated with up to four positioners to maximize productivity per square foot.
- One camera: A single Cavitar camera handles both MIG and TIG, delivering visibility for operators and recording every weld for traceability.
- Luna UI: Operators control both processes from the same intuitive interface with intelligent process recipes and built-in memory.
- NovData and NovSync: All welds are logged, all parameters are tracked, and all videos are stored for future reference and machine learning. This allows fabricators to gain reporting and analytics to drive quality control and process improvement.
Additional features
While SWR-TIGMIG builds on Novarc’s proven SWR platform, it incorporates new capabilities tailored to dual-process work:
- Hot-wire TIPTIG welding for exceptional TIG deposition rates
- Lincoln Electric MIG power up to 350A with STT capability
- Support for carbon steel, stainless (304, 316, Duplex, Super Duplex), and nickel alloys
- Pipe range includes MIG 2 in. to 60 in. (50 mm to 1,520 mm), TIG 2 in. to 32 in. (50 mm to 750 mm) and various pressure vessels
- Wire diameter compatibility: 0.035 in. to 0.062 in. (0.9 mm to 1.66 mm)
The data advantage
SWR-TIGMIG’s built-in NovData software automatically generates daily operations reports, logs critical weld parameters and archives weld videos with embedded data. With NovSync, managers can access these insights remotely, potentially enabling better real-time decision-making and more accurate long-term trend analysis.
For shops bidding on competitive projects, this data becomes a strategic advantage with proof of efficiency, quality and compliance in black-and-white (and HD video).
“For fabrication shops facing the dual challenge of quality demands and production pressure, SWR-TIGMIG represents a new way forward, one that blends the best of both welding worlds into a single, compact, intelligent system,” Karimazdeh says.
Modern fabrication requires speed, but not at the expense of quality. SWR-TIGMIG makes both possible.
