When this configuration makes sense
- ✓Circumferential welds on pipes, sleeves and axial parts
- ✓Parts that need smooth rotation while the torch is guided
- ✓Batches where stable clamping shortens changeover
WS kit + single-axis positioner
Welding cobot with a positioner
The part rotates, the cobot welds without changing position.
An external rotary axis positions the part during welding and helps keep a favourable torch position on circumferential welds. We match the WS cobot model to the kit - any model in the family fits. Selection depends on the mass, diameter, centre of gravity and weld path, not only on the chuck range.
- • Delivery of a ready-made kit
- • On-site training
- • 5 years of technical support included in the kit price
Chuck range
Ø10–300 mm
Axis type
Rotary, 1 axis
Arm payload
3–30 kg
Arm reach
622–1900 mm
Who it is for
Parts with a circular cross-section
Pipes, sleeves, shafts and flanges with circumferential or longitudinal welds. The self-centring chuck rotates the part relative to the torch, so the welding angle and speed stay constant around the whole circumference, without re-setting the cell between stages.
When to choose a different solution
- -Parts outside the chuck range without custom fixturing
- -Tasks requiring linear travel of the cobot
- -Processes without a repeatable axis and part geometry
Operating principle
A shared path for the part and the torch
The board shows the course of the process. Below is what decides whether that course can be repeated on your part.
- Self-centring chuck
- Centres the part on the axis of rotation, so successive parts return to the same axis. Repeatability along the axis is ensured by a stop or a fixture - that is part of the selection, not a property of the chuck itself.
- Synchronisation with the controller
- The servo drive and planetary gearbox work as an external axis of the robot. Control is integrated - no additional software on the customer’s side.
- Torch orientation
- Rotating the part keeps the weld in a favourable position, so the torch keeps its access and angle throughout the programmed path.
The key limitation
The Ø10–300 mm chuck range is not a full qualification. Mass, torque, centre of gravity, length and the way the part is supported must be checked.
Delivery scope
What makes up the cell
The board shows where each component sits in the kit. The list below is the delivery scope - stated openly, so that a complete cell is not confused with the cobot arm alone.
In the configuration
- ✓WS cobot arm matched to the process - with power supply, safety button and control box
- ✓Cobot base matched to the arm: PIN 28 system in the WS-5 WML kit, magnetic foot or PIN 28 in the WS-5 kit
- ✓Smart tool, manual seventh axis and adjustable torch holder
- ✓5 m MIG/MAG cable, control panel and Welderstal welding plugin (PL/EN)
- ✓Delivery, commissioning, operator training and certification appropriate to the cell
- ✓5 years of technical support included in the kit price
- ✓Welderstal/WST positioner with a Ø10–300 mm self-centring chuck
- ✓Servo drive, planetary gearbox, full set of connections and synchronisation with the robot controller
To be assessed or selected
- -Custom jaws and fixtures for non-standard parts
- -MAG power source and process-dependent safeguards
- -Support for long parts or parts with an offset centre of gravity
Cell base
Repeatability starts with the base
The positioner stabilises the rotated part, but the cell geometry also depends on how the cobot itself is set up. The base follows from the chosen arm.
What this changes in practice
The kit with the WS-5 WML arm works on PIN 28 locating pins - with a reach of 1900 mm, a magnetic foot does not hold the cell base. The kit with the WS-5 can also use a magnetic foot, which can be moved to another steel surface without tools. We show both variants on the basic kit page.
Choosing the external axis
Linear track or positioner
Both configurations add an external axis to the cell, but they solve a different problem. The difference comes down to what has to move: the cobot or the part.
| Criterion | Linear track | Positioner |
|---|---|---|
| What moves | The cobot along a linear axis | The part on a rotary axis |
| Typical part | Long structures, several stations in one line | Pipes, sleeves, shafts, flanges |
| Effect on the process | Larger working area along the axis | Welding without re-clamping between sides of the part |
| Mechanical base | ITEM profiles, toothed rack and gearbox | Self-centring chuck Ø10–300 mm, continuous rotation |
| Control integration | Synchronised with the robot controller | Synchronised with the robot controller |
Both versions are based on the same arm and the same Welderstal welding plugin (Polish/English), so the choice does not change how the cell is programmed. The difference concerns only the process geometry.
Part data
Diameter is only the start of selection
Based on these six pieces of information we check the chuck range, the axis orientation and torch access to the whole weld.
01
Diameter and length
Dimensions of the rotated part
02
Part mass
Including the clamping fixture
03
Centre of gravity
Distance from the axis and from the chuck
04
Weld path
Full circumference or selected sections
05
Clamping method
Datum surfaces and tolerances
06
Material and process
Thickness, weld type, MAG parameters
Choosing the cobot
Which cobot goes into the kit
Any cobot in the WS family fits the welding kit. We match the model to the part, reach and cycle time - the rest of the kit stays the same.
WS-3
Fairino FR3
- Payload
- 3 kg
- Reach
- 622 mm
Magnetic foot or PIN 28
WS-3 WMS
Fairino FR3-WMS
- Payload
- 3 kg
- Reach
- 622 mm
PIN 28 system
WS-3 WML
Fairino FR3-WML
- Payload
- 3 kg
- Reach
- 922 mm
PIN 28 system
WS-5
Fairino FR5
- Payload
- 5 kg
- Reach
- 922 mm
Magnetic foot or PIN 28
WS-5 WML
Fairino FR5-WML
- Payload
- 5 kg
- Reach
- 1900 mm
PIN 28 system
WS-10
Fairino FR10
- Payload
- 10 kg
- Reach
- 1400 mm
PIN 28 system
WS-16
Fairino FR16
- Payload
- 16 kg
- Reach
- 1034 mm
PIN 28 system
WS-20
Fairino FR20
- Payload
- 20 kg
- Reach
- 1854 mm
PIN 28 system
WS-30
Fairino FR30
- Payload
- 30 kg
- Reach
- 1403 mm
PIN 28 system
FAQ
Questions about the positioner kit
Which cobot goes into this kit - WS-5 WML or WS-5?
Your choice. The WS-5 WML is based on the Fairino FR5-WML arm with 1900 mm reach and ±0.1 mm repeatability. The WS-5 is based on the FR5: 922 mm and ±0.02 mm. The rest of the kit is the same, and we match the arm to the part size and required accuracy.
How does the cobot mounting differ between the two versions?
We supply the WS-5 WML kit on PIN 28 locating pins. With a 1900 mm reach a magnetic foot cannot hold the cell base, so it is not used in this version. The WS-5 kit can work on a magnetic foot or on the PIN 28 system.
Does the kit include commissioning and training?
Yes. The scope covers preparing and commissioning the kit, operator training, certification appropriate to the cell and 5 years of technical support included in the kit price.
Does the positioner need a separate integration program?
No. The servo drive, connections and synchronisation are prepared to work with the robot controller without any additional integration software on the customer’s side.
Next step
Describe the part and the weld path
Give us the dimensions, mass, clamping method and where the weld runs. Based on this we will check the chuck range, the axis orientation and the data needed for a process trial.
Send part data for selection