A Lithuanian industrial company specializing in high-quality glass partition systems set out to increase manufacturing efficiency and precision while maintaining excellent welding quality and surface finish. The production process emphasizes dimensional accuracy, clean surfaces, and minimal post-processing, ensuring that structural components fit precisely with glass modules and meet strict architectural requirements.
Current Setup and Need for Improvement
The company operated a KUKA industrial robot with a MIG welding torch for large-series metal frame production. A manual laser welding system was also used for applications requiring high seam quality and precision.
Testing showed that laser welding delivers faster performance, lower heat input, and cleaner weld seams, which significantly reduces the need for grinding or additional finishing.
After observing these benefits, the engineering team began exploring ways to automate the laser welding process and adapt the technology for robotic use to further enhance accuracy and productivity.
However, existing manual laser system suppliers could only offer mounting a handheld laser torch onto the robot, without providing full integration of laser and robot control systems, which is essential for precise beam handling, synchronized operation, and safety.
Diodela’s Technical Solution
Diodela developed a fully integrated robotic laser welding system designed for industrial production environments. At the core of this solution is a two-axis (X–Y) laser welding head specifically engineered for robotic operation.
This system enables stable, automated laser welding while reducing robot programming complexity and maintaining consistent weld quality.
Key Technical Features
- Two-axis (X–Y) beam scanning module – allows dynamic beam positioning, precise focus control, and compensation for workpiece deviations.
- Integrated laser isolator – protects optical components from back reflections and ensures stable welding performance at any angle.
- Ethernet TCP/IP control interface – enables real-time adjustment of laser parameters and full synchronization with the robot controller.
- Digital I/O interface – ensures compatibility with older-generation robots.
- Industrial-grade optical system – resistant to reflections, dust, and thermal load, ensuring long-term stability and reliability.
In addition to equipment delivery, Diodela engineered an integration framework that allows seamless connection between laser systems and robots from various manufacturers, forming a unified, automated, and centrally controlled welding cell.
Results and Benefits
After integration, the laser welding process became fully automated, delivering:
- Up to three times faster welding speed
- Consistently high seam quality
- Reduced heat input to the workpiece
- No need for post-weld finishing
Using Ethernet TCP/IP communication, laser parameters can be adjusted in real time based on the robot’s movement, welding speed, and workpiece geometry.
This allowed the company to modernize its existing system without replacing robots or modifying the production line layout, while maintaining complete system compatibility.
Outcome: higher productivity, reduced operating costs, and improved overall product quality.
Integration Potential
This project demonstrates that laser welding technologies can be effectively integrated into robotic manufacturing systems, offering significant advantages in productivity, accuracy, and quality.
The solution developed by Diodela enables manufacturers to upgrade existing welding setups to advanced laser-based systems without replacing their robotic infrastructure.