Labor is in a tight spot in manufacturing. On one hand, there is not enough manual or blue-collar labor, people who know welding, painting, machining, or similar tasks. And so manufacturers turn to automation, an obvious solution, but one which creates its own problems. Robots are one solution to the problem, insofar as they replace scarce welders and other physical labor, and yet more problems are created. Robots are expensive, require a lot of maintenance, and have a limited scope of use.

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Robotic programming is essential and, while most companies have an automation team already, they lack a programming capability. The trick is to empower them to do the programming. 

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This is especially acute when it comes to more complex programming tasks, like painting and welding. Getting programming right and empowering a labor force to do that is critical. This means that you need to accelerate your industrial robot programming with low-code tools.

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The Problem 

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Severe shortages in skilled welders and machinists

Severe labour shortages in welding and machining are an increasing issue for the manufacturing industry. The number of skilled workers has been declining for years due to retirement, lack of training and education, and fewer people willing to pursue these types of jobs.

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The shortage of skilled welders and machinists in factories across the United States is causing serious issues for companies trying to remain competitive. Not only are there fewer welders and machinists available, but the ones who are available require higher wages as demand increases. This has resulted in an increase in production costs, making it difficult for US companies to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

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Factories in the developed world are turning to robots

As the labor shortage in welding and machining continues to worsen, factories in the developed world are turning to robots as a way to fill the gaps and achieve greater efficiency. According to recent reports, one in five manufacturing positions around the globe are now being filled by robots or automation. 

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Six-axis robots have become increasingly popular in industrial settings as a replacement for welders. In addition to being able to perform the same tasks, they are much more efficient and accurate than their human counterparts. However, for them to be effective, they must be programmed properly. The programming of six-axis robots is incredibly complex and requires deep understanding of robot programming.

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Robot programming is hard

Robot programming can be a daunting task for many reasons. For starters, robots have to be programmed with the correct instructions and parameters in order to complete the required task accurately and efficiently. This requires a deep knowledge of coding languages, as well as a strong understanding of robotics engineering.

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Robot motion planning can be a real challenge, even more so than welding and machining in some cases. When it comes to robot motion and path planning in robotics, robot programmers need to think several steps ahead and anticipate all kinds of variables that could come into play when the robot is moving around. They have to consider how the robot will interact with its environment and other objects, as well as any potential obstacles or dangers lurking about.

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Robot welding programming is hard because of collisions and curved surfaces. Collisions can occur when the robot encounters unexpected objects or obstacles, resulting in delays or damage to both the robot and its environment. On top of that, robots must account for curved surfaces, which are difficult to navigate successfully due to the high number of variables that need to be taken into consideration. A robot programmer might have to predict how a robot will move along a curved surface given its speed, direction, and power levels—a task easier said than done! And it doesn't end there; any mistake in programming can result in misfiring welds or worse still, a total system crash.

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High SKU variance in manufacturing in the developed world accentuates the problem

The high SKU variance in developed-world manufacturing is making it harder than ever for welding and machining professionals to keep up. With everything from products for different markets to customized versions of the same product being created, factories are having to churn out more varieties of goods than ever before. This increasing demand for diversity means that welders and machinists must be extremely adaptable, capable of switching quickly between vastly different projects.

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What's more, this heightened SKU variation also increases the complexity of robot programming; each new product requires customized programming that can successfully navigate its specific demands. It's not enough simply to program a robot to move from point A to point B—instead, you have to account for a range of variables that may differ each time around. 

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What’s the Solution?

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No-code solutions, the best solution

No-code solutions can really set the ball rolling when it comes to robotics. It is becoming increasingly popular in the world of robotics, allowing for simple implementation of robotics solutions without requiring a deep understanding of engineering or programming principles. With no-code solutions, users can customize their robots to perform specific tasks with ease. No more trawling through code libraries or trying to learn complex coding languages – no-code solutions make the implementation of robotic automation easier than ever before! You get the same results without having to spend countless hours learning to write lines of code. 

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Welding and machining robots offer many benefits including cost savings, consistency, accuracy, efficiency and safety. Since its inception, the manufacturing industry has been revolutionised. Augmentus aims to increase the accessibility to this revolutionary technology to more companies and impact more processes. This is done through offering a no-code and fully-integrated robotic programming software that enables anyone, even those with no robotic experience, to program dynamic industrial robots in minutes. Companies using Augmentus have experienced up to 70% cost reduction and 17 times faster deployments across a wide variety of applications, such as spraying, palletizing, welding, robotic thermal spraying, polishing, sanding, sandblasting, and inspections.

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Conclusion

We need to make sure that robotics programming keeps pace with the need to implement robotic automation. The only way is to get low-code programming tools in the hands of your automation team. Low-code programming allows automation teams to be more efficient than ever before, making it a great choice for businesses looking to stay competitive in this growing market. If you're ready to take advantage of low-code solutions and get ahead of your competition, contact us today! We'll help you develop an effective robot programming strategy that will keep your business on top.

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