High-Speed, Low-Distortion Pipe Welding!

September 11, 2026
FANUC CORPORATION

 

FANUC is promoting automation in high-mix, low-volume welding sites. There are various welding methods used for joining metal materials, including arc welding, TIG welding, and ultrasonic welding. Laser welding is a technology that uses a focused high-intensity laser beam to join metal materials.

Laser welding machines provide several benefits, including the ability to (1) perform low-heat-input, low-distortion welding, (2) achieve consistent weld quality with ease, and (3) carry out overlap welding. Manual laser welding machines, which allow operators to perform laser welding with a handheld torch, are becoming increasingly popular in manufacturing sites.

To improve productivity through labor savings and ensure high-quality welding, FANUC has developed a CRX laser welding system that integrates a manual laser welding machine with a collaborative robot.

Challenges in High-Mix, Low-Volume Welding Operations

In general, welding operations face the following challenges.

• Difficulty in securing personnel with automation expertise.
• Time-consuming post-welding processes, such as distortion correction and discoloration removal.
• Ensuring workplace safety during the transition from manual operations to automated processes.

To address these challenges, FANUC has developed a CRX laser welding system.

CRX pipe laser welding system

Easy to use

• Dedicated Laser Welding Icons
  → Easy program creation with drag-and-drop icons
• Multiple Intuitive Operation Methods for Users of All Skill Levels
  → Intuitive robot operation through direct hand-guiding
  → Intuitive fine adjustment using an on-screen dial on the tablet.

Reduced process time through improved welding quality

• Safe and low-distortion welding
  → Safe downward-facing laser torch position
  → Consistent weld quality is achieved by controlling the robot speed and rotating the pipe at a constant speed relative to the fixed welding torch.
  → Automatic laser power control synchronized with robot speed changes for consistent weld quality.
• Automated removal of weld discoloration
  → Automated welding and discoloration removal using a single laser source

Easy and safe operation, even for users with no robot experience

• Contact stop function (automatically stops the robot safely when contact between a person and the robot is detected.)
  → When the robot stops, the laser is automatically turned off to ensure safety.
• Automatic protection against programming errors, including infinite loops
  → Alarm stop for incomplete programs

At this International Welding Show, FANUC is showcasing an automation solution for pipe welding applications that cannot be addressed using conventional positioners. Please see the robot demonstration and examine the welded pipe samples.