What's Synchronized Automation?

Synchronized automation is becoming a defining capability in modern welding operations. With manufacturers facing increasing pressure to improve quality, accelerate production, and manage labor demands, multirobot cells are proving to be essential, especially those where welding robots work in parallel with robots completing other tasks. One example of this shift was showcased at FABTECH 2025 with KUKA technology partner Magswitch Technologies. Synchronized welding and material-handling robots demonstrated the growing potential of synchronized motion. Welding robots operate seamlessly with other robots using synchronization software to solve modern industrial challenges and improve flexibility, accuracy, and overall throughput.  

Increased Demand for Synchronization within Welding

As product variability grows and production volumes fluctuate, manufacturers are adopting more flexible welding operations that enable processes to run simultaneously rather than sequentially. The shift is driven by the need to strengthen consistency and repeatability across large or complex parts by reducing repositioning, reclamping, and manual handling. This increases throughput by eliminating idle time between processes and supports high-mix, high-complexity production environments.

KUKA’s welding robots are increasingly paired with robots performing material handling, quality inspection, cutting, gluing, sealing, or friction stir welding support operations. These applications leverage shared coordinate systems and geometric coupling, allowing multiple robots to act on the same part without collision, timing errors, or process deviation.

This shift shows that synchronized multirobot cells are no longer a niche trend; they are emerging as a standard strategy for manufacturers needing adaptable, high-performance welding automation.

Opportunities for Synchronized Welding

Manufacturers working with welded assemblies routinely encounter constraints related to part size, joint geometry, and the sequencing of multiple fabrication steps. These challenges impact consistency, throughput, and operator involvement. In addition, they increasingly highlight the advantages of coordinated multirobot welding cells, particularly in environments where multiple processes must operate in proximity.

Welding Large or Heavy Structures

When welding large or heavy structures, such as in the production of tanks, boiler shells, or battery trays, operators often need to rotate or support workpieces while maintaining stable torch angles and joint alignment. Traditional approaches, such as manual handling or the use of separate fixtures, can interrupt the weld path or introduce variations in joint conditions.

Managing Complex or Curved Weld Paths

Another example can be seen when managing complex or curved weld paths, such as those found in pipes, elbows, pressure vessels, and chassis components. These require precise control of orientation throughout the welding process, and the challenge becomes even greater when adjacent processes, such as cutting, sealing, or inspection, follow the same geometry. With coordinated automation, robots can share a common geometric reference by following a complex contour with controlled offsets, reducing the need for repeated setups while supporting consistent execution along variable paths.

These coordinated approaches are similarly applied when welding follows cutting or edge preparation on curved or multiaxis components. In these cases, one robot may perform cutting or beveling while another follows to complete the weld along the same path. Both robots operate within a shared geometric reference, allowing the welding robot to track the contours created during the cutting stage with minimal reprogramming. This is especially useful for complex parts that require precision across changing orientations.

Reducing Downtime between Each Process

In many workflows, a part must be transferred or reclamped between welding, cutting, preparation, or inspection operations. Each transition introduces additional handling time and the possibility of misalignment.

Multirobot cells utilizing synchronized software enable one robot to reorient the workpiece while another continues processing, allowing for more steps to be completed in a single clamping cycle. This reduces idle time and helps maintain dimensional accuracy throughout the sequence.

Evolving Expectation for In-Process Verification

Weld quality requirements continue to rise over time. Manufacturers are now placing greater emphasis on validating joint conditions during welding operations rather than relying solely on offline inspection. Within synchronized environments, an inspection robot can follow the welder’s programmed path at a defined offset, using the shared coordinate system to assess the bead geometry or root opening in real time. This provides an opportunity for immediate feedback and early detection of deviations within the cell.

Examples of Welding Robots in Sync with Other Robots

The most familiar example of robotic synchronization involves pairing a welding robot with a handling robot. This type of arrangement is frequently used when working with tanks, boilers, HVAC vessels, or other cylindrical components that must be rotated or repositioned during welding. In these setups, one robot maintains the weld path while the second manages the part’s movement. This level of coordination helps preserve joint tracking and torch orientation even as the part shifts, allowing for the completion of long or continuous welds without relying on separate handling stations.

A similar approach is used in the fabrication of structural beams, truck frames, and other large assemblies where weight and geometry make manual handling impractical. Heavy-payload robots can support and reposition the workpiece while the welding robot completes fillet or groove welds along the joints. By working in parallel, both robots maintain alignment throughout the process, reducing interruptions and enabling longer welds to be executed in a single sequence.

Coordinated welding is also seen in friction stir welding applications, including the production of electric vehicle battery trays. In these environments, one robot performs the welding while another manages clamping, flipping, or stabilizing the tray to ensure that each side is positioned correctly for the next pass. Multirobot cells designed for this purpose enable multiple welding tasks to be performed within the reach of standard clamping tools, with the robots synchronizing their motions to maintain consistent contact conditions throughout the welding cycle.

Finally, in body-in-white and battery enclosure production, coordinated robots are also used to combine welding with gluing or sealing operations. One robot may weld structural joints while another applies adhesive or sealant along related joints, using the same reference geometry to maintain consistent bead placement. This enables multiple joining processes to occur in sequence or partial overlap without requiring separate fixtures or major reorientation of the part.

Last Thoughts

As labor gaps, productivity demands, and quality standards continue to rise, welding operations that integrate collaborative automation technologies will be best positioned to meet future manufacturing needs.

This article was written by Evandro Maia (technology manager at KUKA, Shelby Township, Mich.) for the American Welding Society.