How to Prepare a Weld-Family Study

A weld-family study measures the welding work you want to automate and turns it into a cell concept, a payback model and pilot criteria. Preparing well makes it faster and more accurate.

What a Weld Family Is

A weld family is a group of joints that share joint type, material, thickness range, welding position and procedure. Families let us reason about high-mix work even when every part is different.

What to Gather

• Drawings or CAD for representative parts, ideally three to ten recent examples.
• WPS and PQR documents for the procedures used on those parts.
• Labor data: welding hours per part or per panel if you track them, and loaded hourly cost.
• Volume: how many of each part or panel type you produce per month or per project.
• Quality data: repair rates and common defects, if available.
• Photos of the work area, fixturing and typical fit-up.

What Happens During the Study

Week 1: Kickoff and Data Review

We review drawings, procedures and labor data, and agree on the families in scope.

Weeks 2–3: Site Visit and Measurement

We observe the work, measure cycle times and fit-up variation, and photograph the space.

Weeks 3–5: Cell Design and Model

We design a cell concept, simulate reach for representative joints and build a payback model on your numbers.

Weeks 4–6: Report

You receive the baseline, cell design, payback model, pilot criteria and, if wanted, a technical section for grant applications.

What It Costs

The study is a paid, fixed-scope engagement quoted per project. Typical duration is four to six weeks.

Data Handling

CAD, procedures and production data stay under NDA and are used only for the study. Your procedures and data stay yours.