Cobot Welding & Cutting for Structural Steel & Heavy Fabrication
Cobot Welding & Cutting for Structural Steel & Heavy Fabrication
Backed by a Team with Centuries of Combined Automation Experience
Structural Steel & Heavy Fabrication
Cobots are no longer confined to small sheet metal parts. Structural steel fabricators are automating their most arc-on-intensive welding and cutting applications with field-proven Vectis cobot tools, allowing skilled welders to focus on demanding fabrication work while boosting per-part productivity by 3-4x on average.
With robust long-reach options, highly-mobile deployment methods, and software built for structural fabrication, Vectis systems are helping shops automate applications that were once considered beyond the reach of cobot technology. Customers are welding to AWS D1.1, D1.5, and D1.8 specifications with Vectis systems today.
Backed by a Team with Centuries of Combined Automation Experience
Proven in Real Shops
“The Vectis Rover™ is pulling its weight helping combat the shortage of highly skilled CJP welders that our U.S. steel fabrication industry is facing.”
— Roy Eaton, VP Operations, Central Texas Iron Works
“The Vectis plasma cutter has been a godsend. We cut structural shapes with it every single day.”
— President/Owner, Maryland bridge fabricator
Built for the Realities of
Structural & Heavy Fabrication
Heavy Multipass
Built for demanding multi-pass structural welding applications
Plasma Cutting 3D Shapes
Precision cutting of complex structural components and profiles
High-deposition FCAW for challenging structural fabrication work
Large weldments, long welds, heavy multipass applications, and complex structural profiles present unique automation challenges. Vectis combines purpose-built software, extended-reach systems, and flexible deployment options to help structural fabricators automate more of their everyday work.
Plasma Cutting 3D Shapes
Heavy Multipass
Precision cutting of complex structural components and profiles
Built for demanding multi-pass structural welding applications
High-deposition FCAW for challenging structural fabrication work
Heavy Multipass
Built for demanding multi-pass structural welding applications
What Structural Steel Fabricators are Seeing
Boosting per-part productivity by 3-4x on average
More efficient use of highly skilled welders
Freeing skilled welders for higher-value work
Improving consistency on multipass welds
Structural Steel Fabricators Are Using Vectis Tools For:
Bridge Subassemblies
Anchor Plates
Moment Connections
Base Plates
Bracing Plates
Fabricated I-Beams
Bracketry
Embeds
See How Central Texas Iron Works Tackles Large High-Mix Weldments
Structural Brackets
Thick-Plate Beveling
Vertical-Up Welds
Much More!
Discover How Central Texas Iron Works Tackles Large High-Mix Weldments
Application Inspiration
Extend Cobot Reach Across Multiple Work Zones
The Slide™ Linear Range Extender is designed for flexibility with long parts and multi-zone applications, featuring a manually-actuated linear track available in lengths of up to 50 feet. Manual actuation allows systems to stay collaborative per A3/OSHA safety risk assessment, providing flexibility, affordability, simplicity, and a small footprint relative to servo-driven tracks.
Structural Steel Fabricators are adding even further flexibility to ultraportable deployments like the Vectis Rover™ by coupling with the Slide™ linear travel track to easily reach multiple cobot cells. See the Vectis Rover Slide™ in action.
Park'N'Arc™ Rotational Range Extender
Flexible Range Extension Without the Track
The Park’N’Arc™ Rotational Range Extender is designed to easily reach long parts and multiple zones with a 4-foot diving board, increasing the range of the cobot arm.
Precision pin locations allow the operator to rotate the diving board to various locations with ease and accuracy on both welding and cutting configurations. The rotational pivot for cable management provides a compact, flexible, and low-maintenance solution that brings 8 feet of linear separation with more flexibility, takes up less floor space, has easier setup, and costs less than a track.
Built Around Application Support and Long-Term Success
Built Around Application Support and Long-Term Success
The Vectis team brings centuries of combined robot welding experience to every automation project. We begin each project with a thorough application evaluation to determine if your application is a viable fit for cobot automation. Beyond application fit, we partner with your team to share tried-and-true best practices for successful implementation and long-term success.
Our focused team of application experts offers lifetime support with:
Programming best practices
Layout recommendations for your parts and workflow
Ongoing guidance from our applications team as your needs evolve
Cycle time estimates using proven real-world weld parameter data
Common Questions From Structural Steel Manufacturers About Cobot Welding
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Yes. Structural steel fabricators are successfully using Vectis cobot systems on applications governed by AWS D1.1, D1.5, and D1.8. When paired with qualified welding procedures, proper fixturing, and sound quality control practices, cobot welding can be integrated into many code-driven fabrication environments. Customers such as Central Texas Iron Works use Vectis tools on structural welding applications that require these specifications.
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Absolutely. Heavy multipass welding is one of the areas where automation can create significant value for structural fabricators. Vectis customers use cobots to automate welds on moment connections, beams, base plates, anchor plates, bridge components, and other large structural weldments. By automating repetitive arc-on time, skilled welders can focus on fit-up, inspection, and other high-value fabrication tasks.
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It is often not the size of the weldment, but how the automation is deployed. Vectis offers mobile deployment options, extended-reach packages, and flexible positioning strategies that allow fabricators to automate everything from small structural components to large beams, columns, trusses, and heavy fabricated assemblies.
Whether you're welding bridge subassemblies, large plate fabrications, or heavy equipment components, the right automation approach depends on weld access, part geometry, workflow, and throughput requirements. With the right deployment strategy, many structural steel and heavy fabrication jobs are strong candidates for cobot welding.
Many equipment manufacturers use cobots to reduce rework, improve throughput, and achieve more consistent results on long welds and complex assemblies while allowing skilled welders to focus on higher-value fabrication tasks.
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Yes. Vertical-up flux-cored welding (FCAW) is a common requirement in structural steel and heavy fabrication, and many of these applications can be automated with a cobot system. With the right welding procedure, fixturing, and process controls, fabricators can automate vertical-up welds on components such as beams, columns, base plates, embeds, bridge components, and many other structural assemblies.
For many shops, vertical-up FCAW applications represent significant arc-on time. By automating repetitive welds, fabricators can improve welding consistency, increase throughput, and allow skilled welders to focus on fit-up, inspection, and other high-value fabrication tasks. As with any automation project, success depends on the specific application, weld requirements, and production workflow.