Optimizing the usability and integration of collaborative robots in the welding industry

Abstract

This thesis examines how three widely used collaborative robots with different reach ranges—UR10e, ABB GoFa CRB15000, and Yaskawa HC20DTP—can be integrated into welding workstations under clearly defined boundary conditions. To reflect realistic industrial situations, each cobot was evaluated with two welding-table sizes and two workpieces of different geometries. A fixed operator zone and active collision monitoring were included to assess the interaction between the cobot and the workpiece in a controlled yet realistic environment. Four installation options commonly used in industry—corner mounting, centre/edge placement, a pedestal-raised configuration, and a 45-degree gate-mounted setup—were evaluated to understand how mounting choices affect reachability, joint behavior, and workspace usability in completing a full welding path.

The results show that installation geometry significantly influences the usable workspace and motion stability. Corner installations provided the most balanced combination of coverage and smooth movement, while raising the cobot on a pedestal reduced front-edge accessibility and increased joint loading in several motions. The 45-degree gate configuration generated more kinematic warnings and brought the cobot’s motion closer to the operator zone. Overall, the findings indicate that structured virtual evaluations can help identify integration challenges before physical deployment and offer useful guidance for companies, especially small and medium-sized industries, when selecting suitable collaborative-robot configurations for welding applications.