Having the capability to offer customers a complete range of solutions for welding and fabrication jobs is just one of Alpha Manufacturing’s unique advantages. In this article, production engineer Gemma Smith, explores the benefits of manual and robot welding and explains how Alpha customers benefit from this market-leading service.
“There are so many processes involved in the fabrication of just one product, but the beauty of an Alpha manufactured component is that every area of our production uses the best available technology for that particular process. There’s no question, certain methods have their unique advantages and welding is no different – not only from a process and application capability but from a value engineering process too.
“The manual welding process has great flexibility and can be involved in a wide range of applications. One of the first differences between manual and robot welding is that manual welders are able to work with a variety of different thicknesses and a mix of products using their own skill and knowledge base, rather than requiring a programmer to set up before each use.
This method also means that high complexity can be achieved as manual welders can navigate hard to reach weld sites. One of the unique benefits of manual welding is that it’s the perfect solution for low quantity runs and prototyping, enabling the welder to use their skills and expertise.
“But that’s only half of the welding story. At Alpha Manufacturing, arguably we have the most exhaustive robotic welding capability in the
UK including the Yaskawa Robotic Welding Machine. Featuring ‘cold metal transfer technology’, Alpha customers have come to rely on world-class weld standards. While manual welding has many advantages, robotic welding delivers consistently high quality output with a high repeatability rate, as the robot follows the exact same programme.
“There’s no question, for Alpha customers having the in-house capability to deliver a broad spectrum of weld techniques is just one of the Alpha Manufacturing differences. Whether a component is welded in one of our weld bays by one of our expert weld team or a component is passed through our automated welding machinery, every component manufactured in our Staffordshire production facility achieves the same world-class standard. That’s our commitment to every Alpha Manufacturing customer. It’s what we’re famous for.”
Find out more about our welding services or read more from Gemma Smith.
