The Miller® Copilot™ System Introduces Touch Sensing and Seam Tracking
Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller brand arc welding equipment, has announced the addition of touch sensing and through-the-arc seam tracking features to the Copilot collaborative robotic welding system, making welding automation easier and more effective than ever.
Touch sensing detects the location of a welding workpiece through voltage sensing and programmed torch sweeps, ensuring accurate placement before welding begins. It uses the welding wire as a probe to search for the part in a specified direction and then applies a shift value to the original location of the part. This helps overcome challenges like poor part alignment, bad joint fit-up and inconsistent joint geometry.
Seam tracking operates by the robot taking live feedback from the welder to maintain a consistent relationship between the torch and the joint. The robot weaves across the joint, calculating the average amperage, and then adjusts its position based on the live amperage feedback. This helps to reduce the effects of part distortion, variation from part to part and inconsistent joints, ensuring the joint is welded with the correct bead look and depth.
With the integration of touch sensing and seam tracking, the Copilot system provides all the advanced features an operator needs. Along with a headless power source design and a teach pendant carriage, the Copilot provides a convenient user interface that eliminates extra steps like continuously going to and from the power supply and teach pendant. Instead, the user’s attention is focused on the welding torch and cobot arm, making the Copilot intuitive and natural to welders of all skill levels.
Copilot also features the new Auto Deltaweld™ as its welding power source. This incorporation means that its input power flexibility accommodates both single- and three-phase input. Lastly, the Modbus TCP communications protocol eliminates extra hardware and code between the Auto Deltaweld power source and cobot arm controller, further mitigating software bugs and the need to troubleshoot errors.
Launched in 2023, the Copilot collaborative welding system is designed by welders for welders to help operations increase weld quality and consistency, minimize downtime and further productivity. It empowers welders to elevate their skills, making it simple for shops to adopt welding automation. With a user-friendly interface, welders can quickly learn to operate the Copilot, leading to immediate increases in output and a swift return on investment.
Specific features that differentiate the Copilot include:
- AccuGuide™ positioning control: The precision joystick helps fine-tune the position of the torch during programming.
- IntelliSet™ weld settings assistant: This intuitive interface recommends weld settings based on material, process and joint type, allowing operators to build programs with confidence for repeatable, high-quality welds.
- Advanced capabilities: Operators can load and unload from a single station that can be shared with the robot envelope, making it great for users across all skill levels. It’s also effective for addressing challenges often faced by high-mix, low-volume operations, allowing them to accelerate training and enhance productivity to meet deadlines.
The Copilot not only evolves a shop’s operations but also shows that automation doesn’t have to be complicated to enhance efficiency and throughput. Learn more at Copilot-Cobot.
About Miller
Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller® brand arc welding products and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).
