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Overview
Thermal spraying of bent or curved pipes traditionally requires extensive robot programming to ensure correct spray angles, stand-off distances, and coating coverage. Each new pipe geometry can take days to program manually, often demanding high levels of robotics expertise. The result is long deployment times, costly trial-and-error, and inconsistent coating quality.
Avweld Australia turned to Augmentus to streamline this process. With AutoPath™, they automated robot motion path generation using part meshes and offline simulation—achieving reliable, repeatable coating quality with dramatically reduced programming time.
Industry Challenges
Manual Programming Bottlenecks
For standard thermal spray operations on bent or curved pipes, traditional robot programming involves:
- Manual teach-pendant input or point-by-point path generation
- Time-intensive validation for spray consistency
- Risk of collisions or singularities with complex multi-axis movement
- Each new SKU required up to 3–5 days of programming, significantly delaying project timelines.
High Requirements for Coating Consistency
Even when geometries are known and repeatable, maintaining coating quality is challenging:
- Spray angle and stand-off must be precisely controlled
- Path smoothness and motion synchronization affect layer uniformity
- Manual validation is prone to oversight, increasing the need for touch-ups
Augmentus Solution: Offline Toolpath Generation and Optimization
Using AutoPath™, Avweld automated motion planning for thermal spraying using part meshes.
Key Capabilities Utilized
- Automated toolpath generation for complex pipe geometries, with programmable control of spray parameters (e.g., angle, stand-off, overlap)
- Trajectory optimization for smooth, collision-free motion across all robot axes
- Offline simulation to validate coating coverage and motion efficiency before deployment
With no coding or teach-pendant input required, robot paths were created and validated in a fraction of the time.
Results
Rapid Programming
Robot paths for complex bent pipe geometries were generated in minutes instead of days. This allowed faster changeovers and more agile job scheduling.
Reliable, Repeatable Coating
By using validated toolpaths, Avweld maintained:
- Consistent spray angle and distance
- Smooth, uninterrupted motion across bends
- Predictable coating results with minimal rework
Lower Expertise Barrier
Avweld eliminated reliance on specialized robot programmers, reducing costs and increasing operational flexibility.
Looking Ahead: For Adaptive Applications
While CAD-based programming is ideal for consistent, known parts, some manufacturers require more adaptability. For these cases, Augmentus also offers vision-guided automation that enables:
- Automatic part scanning and calibration
- Toolpath adaptation based on part deviations
- Dynamic adjustment to defects or dimensional variation
This flexibility is especially valuable for high-mix production or parts with frequent inconsistencies.
Why Augmentus
AutoPath offers fast deployment, precise control, and reliable motion planning for robotic thermal spraying—without coding or complicated setup. Whether for structured or adaptive production environments, Augmentus simplifies automation and accelerates results.
