Innovation Projects Laing O’Rourke wanted to eliminate Project Budget weld defects in their robotic welding £3.9m cells for construction panels. (Government £1.6m) Aiming for zero ATS Budget £626k defects in welds Timeline Apr 2020 - Sept 2022 - WELDZERO We’ve been welding, as humans, for A major contributing factor in defect By leading the way on defect free millennia. As technology advances creation is that welding is a highly welding in automated manufacturing, our understanding of metals and skilled profession. Any person the UK positions itself as a creator of BMW looked to gain a better how we bond them progresses too. without the right training and years key enabling technologies in today’s understanding of welding processes These days we’re able to automate of experience might create these world. That’s where the WELDZERO and minimise the need for reworks in welding on massive scales, allowing defects. Globally, the talent pool of Project takes centre stage. their car components. for truly modern manufacturing. top quality welders will always be limited. As the innovation core of ATS Global, One element of the welding process Atlas enabled WELDZERO to create a that has always been an issue WELDZERO aimed to eliminate digital ecosystem in which real-time though is defects. The process of welding defects by gaining a better process inspection could happen. We welding is susceptible to creating understanding of the welding aimed to allow instant optimisation defects that weaken the bond process and improving automated with the goal of achieving zero between two components, that could welding within manufacturing. With defects in the welding process. create gaps in the weld, increase the use of digital tools, the goal was porosity and other problems. In many to create significant improvements in Each of the end users had unique cases this can be catastrophic, so quality, accuracy, precision and cost. challenges related to welding. identifying and minimising them has Ultimately, we want to WELD with always been a priority. ZERO defects! ATLAS WORLD MAGAZINE SUMMER, 2022