Welding without weld seam tracking is like trying to draw a straight line while riding in a car over potholes — it’s not going to end well.
In high-speed manufacturing or custom fabrication, seam tracking keeps welds consistent, airtight, and structurally solid.
Traditional setups use those expensive sensors and rigid programming, but cobots? They’re out here tracking seams in real time, adapting on the fly, and making welding automation smarter and way, way smoother. (Which is why we’ll also throw in an awesome cobot at the end.)
In this article, we’ll cover:
Ever tried to draw a straight line on a shaky bus? That’s what welding without weld seam tracking is like — except instead of a wobbly doodle, you’re left with bad welds, wasted materials, and a boss who suddenly questions why they hired you
Weld seam tracking fixes that by making sure robotic welders stay locked onto the seam, even if the material shifts or the setup isn’t perfect.
Here’s how robots keep their welding game tight:
Old-school weld seam still works, but it's clunky, expensive, and makes you wonder why you're still dealing with it. But cobots are more user-friendly, faster, and make fewer mistakes — they’re a major upgrade.
Here’s how traditional systems and cobots stack up:
Here’s why cobots are winning:
Cobots have got a whole arsenal of high-tech tools making sure every weld is clean, consistent, and on point. Instead of relying on human guesswork (or hoping for the best), these bots use AI, sensors, and lasers to follow seams like a bloodhound tracking a scent.
Here’s how cobots pull off precision seam tracking:
Why this tech matters:
Welding by hand? Cool if you like uneven seams and praying to the welding gods for consistency. But if you actually want clean, repeatable, high-quality welds without the stress, cobots are the way to go.
Here’s why cobots make weld seam tracking a no-brainer:
Cobots are great, but they’re not magic. (Yet.) While they make weld seam tracking way easier, they still come with a few hiccups that can trip you up if you’re not prepared.
Here’s where things can get tricky:
Cobots are slipping into fab shops everywhere, making life easier for businesses that don’t have time for inconsistent welds. But where do they really shine?
Here’s where cobots dominate weld seam tracking:
You have to choose well — some systems are basically the ‘My First Welding Kit’ version, while others are high-tech geniuses. Picking the right one means balancing cost, precision, and how easy to use they are.
Here’s what to mull over before committing:
Integrating cobot-based seam tracking efficiently:
Seam tracking is leveling up — fast. AI, sensors, and automation are making welding smarter, and manufacturers who don’t adapt will vanish into thin air like the Avengers at the end of Infinity War. (“Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good.”)
What’s trending now:
The idea behind weld seam tracking is keeping up with an industry that’s evolving at record speed.
We’re talking AI systems, smarter sensors, and cobot-centered automation are making welding easier, faster, and more precise.
Basically, it’s time to embrace automation or become one of those “artisanal” fab shops that are basically museums. Not a good look.
If your welds look like they were drawn by a toddler with a crayon, it’s time to upgrade. Standard Bots’ RO1 makes weld seam tracking effortless — precision, efficiency, and automation all in one.
Historically, if you wanted to automate welding of a part, you needed two key factors: no gaps at the joint and consistency to ensure repeatability. However, in some situations it may be impossible to have one or both of those ingredients.
Paired with the proper software, adaptive welding sensors can drastically improve part quality and consistency while reducing downtime caused by adjustments to fixturing and/or robot programming. Sensors used specifically for robotic welding applications typically fall into four categories: touch, through-arc, laser and vision. Likewise, they have three primary functions: seam finding, seam tracking, and/or part scanning, which often can also be used for inspection. Each function features unique benefits depending on the part and expected outcome, and most technologies can be mixed and matched, where use is not redundant.
“What is the difference between seam finding and seam tracking?” and “How do I know when to use seam finding vs. seam tracking?” These are common questions our robotic welding experts are frequently asked. With that in mind, here are several things to consider when deciding how to proceed with your robotic welding process:
For a robot to precisely locate a weld joint before welding begins, high-speed seam finding or joint finding is recommended. Work pieces will inevitably have some range of variation, but your goal is to minimize that variation with spec’d parts and fixturing, and be within the half-width of a weld wire into your joint seam. This process can be done in several ways via various technologies, enabling the robot to find the weld joint.
Once the seam is discovered by finding usually two or more known points on the part, the program path is shifted by the robot to complete the weld. The type of seam finding required is dictated by two primary factors: the expected cycle time and the type of joint.
Seam finding is one of the most popular welding functions, and is often achieved through the following tactile options:
Touch Sensing – Ideal for finding the orientation of parts with simple joints and geometries, this method, also known as “wire touch”, involves the physical touch of a weld wire from the end of the torch to detect the conductive surface of the part about to be welded. The slow speed of the robot and the eventual touch complete a circuit with a low amount of voltage fed through the wire. This can also be done with the nozzle of the torch in some scenarios. Completed through built-in features on a welding power supply designed for automation, systems like Yaskawa’s Touch Sense package use a low voltage circuit during a low-speed search to determine the best position for the weld joint.
Pros:
Low complexity; Built-in pendant commands
Works on all conductive material
Easy to teach with macro jobs
Does not interfere with joint access
No external hardware is required on robot
Performs multiple searches with one wire cut
Locates most lap and fillet joint types; can also be used with V butt joints
Offers a lower cost option
Cons:
Requires a wire cutter/wire brake (optional)
Limited to lap joint thickness (>3 mm)
Slower vs. laser or camera
Limited ability to detect joint gap
Cannot find square butt joints
Wire Sensing – Similar to touch sense, where a wire from the torch makes tactile contact with the part, this option uses a servo motor in the torch to rapidly move the wire up and down while the robot moves across the part. This enables easy location of lap joints, and it can measure items like material height and gaps. Offered through Fronius, the Fronius Wire Sense software option provides great efficiency.
Pros:
Can detect joints like butt joints that cannot be easily found using traditional static wire or nozzle touch sense
Can be used for lap joints less than 3 mm
Ability to measure part height offsets and gap width and depths
Cons:
Requires specific hardware and software license from Fronius
Slower vs. laser or camera
Not available on all brands of welding power supplies
Laser Point Sensing – Two to five times faster than touch sensing, the use of a basic, laser dot sensor (that is mounted to the weld torch) captures the location and orientation of a part nearly as quickly as the laser fires, providing fast and accurate seam finding. Capable of working with any welding power supply, Yaskawa’s AccuFast™ non-contact laser sensing solution provides a cost-effective option between tactile and vision sensing solutions.
Pros:
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Yinglai.
Low- to medium-complexity; Some training required with built-in commands
Works for most materials
Easy to teach with macro jobs
Uses a non-contact sensor
Faster search speeds and touch sensing
Eliminates the need for a wire cutter
Finds most joint types, detecting lap joints down to 1/16” thick
Cons:
Sensor box is mounted adjacent to the torch
Mounting bracket per torch type
Limit in lap joint thickness (>1.5 mm)
Limited ability to detect joint gap
Cannot find square butt joints
Highly reflective material requires evaluation
Laser Seam Finding – Capable of picking up more characteristics in a single scan over a laser dot sensor, the utilization of a profile laser interface, such as Yaskawa’s MotoEye™ SF, provides extremely fast joint measurement. This solution works well with a sensing device that uses 3D multi-laser range imaging optics to provide the needed measurements/joint gap data to the robot before welding begins. Options from SERVO-ROBOT’s i-CUBE™, ABICOR BINZEL/Scansonic and Wenglor work with Yaskawa’s MotoEye SF pendant interface.
Pros:
Works on different materials in all lighting
Easy to teach with macro jobs
Provides joint gap data
Long focal length; mount away from arc
Locates 2.5D; offset and depth
Compact and self-contained
I/O interface can be retrofit to older controls
Cons:
Medium- to high-complexity; Training on vision system suggested
May restrict access into part/tooling
40 mm FOV may require multiple searches for large offsets
Often simplifying programming, this option uses innovative technology to equip the robot to track the weld position in real time, during the welding process. Seam tracking is popular for applications where distortion can occur while welding a part or for heavy cast parts, and it is commonly performed using the following methods:
Through-the-arc Seam Tracking – Best for parts with long or curved seams, varying from part to part, a though-the-arc seam tracker, like Yaskawa’s ComArc LV (low voltage), utilizes a solid-state sensor mounted near the welding power supply to actively measure arc characteristics during the weld sequence. This determines variations between a robot’s taught path and the actual seam path.
Pros:
Low complexity
Reliable sensor and easy to support
Passover function restricts sensor error
Phase Compensation calibrates weld cirucit
Can track lap joints 1/8 in. or 3 mm thick
Supports dual robots and coordinated motion
Offers a lower cost option
Cons:
Requires weaving and thicker material
Limited by arc/weld physics
Requires a pre-weld search to find the weld joint
Laser Seam Tracking – Suggested for thin material with varying seams that demand the fastest cycle time possible, this method combines a high-performance laser with a high-speed controller to find the seam and part location in real time while the part is being welded. A dedicated program compensates the path, as well as adapts to welding parameters for seam location and variation. Yaskawa’s MotoEye LT or SERVO-ROBOT’s DIGI-I/Power-cam products work well for this.
Pros:
Reliably tracks thin gauge lap joint
Supports high travel speeds (>100 IPM)
Weaving Motion with tracking possible
Tracking is not affected by weld settings
Supports coordinated motion
Ethernet interface available
Camera hardened against welding arc
Adaptive welding function; speed and weld settings
Cons:
High-complexity and often high cost; Training on vision system required
Torch-mounted sensor restricts joint access
Tracking radii is limited to 40-60 mm
Limited to two robots on one system
Dual Laser Seam Tracking – To optimize cycle time, sometimes, two robots are equipped with seam tracking technology to work in unison. This utilizes the same interface and technology mentioned before, but can cut cycle time in half and reach more weld joints on larger or complex parts than a single robot.
For more Laser Vision Seam Tracking Systeminformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.