Development of a Retrofit Approach for the Digital Modeling and Adaptation of Robotic Welding Systems in Response to Product Changes

Automation is becoming increasingly important in the metal processing industry, but specialized systems can lose productivity when product parameters such as dimensions or complexity change. To extend the lifecycle of existing systems and avoid new investments, it is necessary to analyze and adjust system components. This study addresses the adaptation of existing systems to meet new and future requirements and avoid costly replacements. The focus is on optimizing a robotic welding system that repeatedly faces limitations when product dimensions change. These failures arise from the system’s inability to reach newly positioned weld points, making adjustments essential. The aim of this work is to create a digital model of the system to identify accessibility issues. Various design solutions are compared, and potential changes validated early to reduce downtime and improve efficiency. Finally, the proposed solutions are evaluated for cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and feasibility.