The digitalization of pipes is already available on the market in various design software packages. In best case the CAD data are integrated directly into the manufacturing process to implement a follow-up of the data and the quality. In this way, even complex unique structures can be welded with a robot. In this case, it is advisable to collect data of the pipe geometries during the manufacturing process and to integrate it into the path planning.

To achieve this, the upstream processes have to be adapted. To be able to integrate this profitably into the entire manufacturing process, the upstream and downstream processes must be considered in addition to the welding process.įor an economic integration of a robot-based solution, the weld seams have to be produced with a consistent quality.

Since the selection of standard components is defined and recurring components are used, robot-supported automation is nevertheless possible.

The challenge with robot-assisted automation is the small batch size, with mainly one-offs being involved. The manufacturing steps are mostly carried out manually. In pipeline construction, especially in repair, fitting pipes play an essential role. For this purpose, software is used on the tablet to digitise the geometries and prepare them for further offline path planning. A method will now be presented to combine these steps with the support of a tablet. There can be several days between these steps and different operators. In case of lacking technical documentation, the pipes are still measured by hand, especially when replacing or modifying pipelines.The geometry survey is done in several steps, first a rough drawing is made on the vessel, this is then converted into a technical sketch and only later transferred to a CAD programme. Due to transport and limited space, it is often impossible to use sensors to scan the piping.

For the final quality the direct integration of the CAD flow would be important. To ensure that the robot-welded seams comply with the standards, there has to be consistent quality in the seam preparations. Offline path planning based on CAD models would be a suitable solution. Nevertheless, a non-time-consuming programming solution must be found to integrate a robot-based solution economically into the production chain. The challenge in the manufacturing process of fitting tubes is the batch sizes of one. However, automated production would increase productivity and quality, especially in metal processing. The manual production in pipeline construction is often related to the fact that either the capacities for automation are lacking or the production is too individual for a simple automation solution.

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