Despite great care, inaccuracies repeatedly occur in industrial production with robotic welding systems, for example due to clamping tolerances. Our solution: With WireSense, the welding wire is quickly turned into a sensor to determine the exact position of the component. This allows for a precise response to position deviations and the welding seam can be corrected accordingly. This reduces rework and scrap to an absolute minimum.
How does WireSense work?
The measurement is contact-based via a short circuit without welding and works with all common filler materials. The Fronius welding power source—an iWave or TPS/i—detects edges or joints and transmits this information to the robot controller. The controller compares the data with the programmed path and automatically corrects the tool center point (TCP) so that the seam is always welded exactly at the desired location.
What’s new with WireSense?
- Support for all seam geometries: fillet welds, I-joints, flanged seams, and complex machined shapes
- More flexibility – ideal for companies with varying sheet thicknesses and demanding geometries
- Reliable detection even with thicker materials from 4 mm
- Can be used with steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and CrNi alloys
What is required for WireSense?
The prerequisite is CMT-ready equipment consisting of the Robacta Drive CMT drive unit, the appropriate CMT wire buffer, and the WireSense software package – the CMT software itself is not required.
Integration is carried out via the Fronius welding power source, which transmits the sensor signal to the robot controller at lightning speed. Fronius works closely with robot manufacturers to ensure that the most common robots can process WireSense signals optimally.
Free update for new features
The good news for anyone already using Fronius WireSense is that a free software update is all that is needed to use all the new functions. Tip: An update may also be necessary for the robots used – please check with the robot manufacturer.
Companies, integrators, and interested parties who would like to implement WireSense for the first time are advised to contact our experts: https://www.fronius.com/en/welding-technology/product-information/robot-assistance-systems
