Robotic MIG Welding Process-level Options

The Robotic MIG Welding process provides the following options:

Enable Tacking

By default in starting point Digital Factories, operators are assumed to perform tack welding in order to prepare the workpieces. Digital Factory Administrators can customize the default with the cost model variable enableTackingWithRoboticWelding (true in starting point Digital Factories). Users can override the default with this setup option. See the formula Tack Time in MIG Welding Operation Weld Time.

Number of Operators

Robotic MIG Welding provides an option that allows you to specify the number of operators tending to the robotic welder.

  • Number of operators tending to this machine: By default this is the value of the machine property Number of Operators (1 in aPriori starting point Digital Factories). You can override the default and specify a different number of operators, including a fractional number of operators.

    Note: At least some of the welding operators are assumed to perform pick and place tasks; see Robotic MIG Welding Labor Time.

    The corresponding Pick and Place machine property or setup option (see Process Cycle Time Calculation and Pick and Place Options) specifies the total number of operators performing pick and place tasks, including any Robotic MIG Welding operators who perform pick and place tasks.

    Select one of the following options

    • Default number of operators: specified by the machine property Number of Operators.

    • User override value for this part: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.

Number of Reorientations

By default in starting point Digital Factories, aPriori assumes that the assembly does not need to be reoriented after fixturing in order to perform all the assigned Robotic MIG Welding operations. Administrators can customize the default for MIG, TIG, and Spot Welding with the cost model variable defaultNumberOfReorientations.

Users can override the default for Robotic MIG Welding on a per-part basis with the setup option Number of Reorientations (under the Robotic MIG Welding node in the Process Options Editor). This specifies the total number of times the assembly is reoriented in order to accomplish all robotic MIG welds.

An assembly might need to be reoriented, for example, to apply welds to joints which are not accessible from the original orientation. The number of reorientations drives labor time and cycle time.