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MAGNETO-WELDMATIK

MAGNETIC CRAWLER MIG WELDING ROBOT

Gridbots Magneto-WeldMATIK is a rugged, wall-climbing welding robot that uses high-strength magnetic tracks to climb vertical, inclined and curved steel surfaces and lay consistent, high-integrity MIG/MAG (GMAW) welds – without scaffolding, cranes or rope access.

It is built for long vertical and horizontal seams on storage tanks, ship hulls, wind tower sections, penstocks, pressure vessels, boiler waterwalls and large structural fabrications – places where manual welding is slow, fatiguing and inconsistent.

An array of rare-earth NdFeB magnets in the tracks gives up to 250 kg of adhesion, while closed-loop travel control, a programmable torch oscillator and laser seam tracking hold the torch exactly on the joint throughout the pass.

A dedicated weld camera with HDR arc-view and three FHD navigation cameras stream live video to the operator, who controls travel speed, oscillation, wire feed and arc parameters from a safe distance.

The robot works with standard industrial MIG power sources (350A / 500A class) and wire feeders, making it easy to integrate into existing welding setups and qualified WPS.

Magneto-WeldMATIK welding a vertical seam on a steel tank

250 KG

Magnetic adhesion

Faster than manual welding*

±0.2 MM

Laser seam tracking

85%

Arc-on time*

* Typical values from long-seam field welding compared with manual welding. Actual results depend on joint, position and WPS.

WeldMATIK robot controller and weld parameter pendant

ROBOT & WELD CONTROLLER

The WeldMATIK controller combines crawler motion and welding control in one rugged, IP-rated console with an HDMI touch display. The operator sets travel speed, oscillation width, frequency and side-wall dwell, and adjusts wire feed speed and voltage trim live while watching the arc on screen.

Weld programs can be stored and recalled per WPS, and every pass is logged with current, voltage, travel speed and heat input against seam position – giving QA teams a traceable weld record for each joint.

A handheld wireless pendant allows fine jogging and torch alignment near the joint, and dual E-stops stop motion and arc instantly.

Media

Live HDR weld-camera view of the arc and molten pool as seen by the operator

Features

Magnetic tracks climb vertical, inclined & overhead steel surfaces

MIG / MAG (GMAW) – short-circuit, pulse & spray transfer

Laser seam tracking with automatic torch correction (±0.2 mm)

Programmable torch oscillation – width, frequency & side dwell

Navigates convex & concave surfaces down to 1.5 m diameter

Adhesion Force 250 kg with NdFeB magnet array

Stepless travel speed 50 – 1200 mm/min with closed-loop control

HDR weld camera + 3 FHD cameras for live arc & bead inspection

Weld data logging – current, voltage, speed & heat input per seam

Works with standard 350A / 500A MIG power sources & feeders

Applications

Storage TanksVertical & girth seams on API 650 oil, water and chemical tanks

ShipbuildingHull block butt joints, side shell and deck seams

Wind TowersLongitudinal and circumferential seams on tower sections

Penstocks & PipelinesLarge-diameter pipe and penstock fabrication and repair

Boilers & Power PlantsWaterwall panels, ducts, chimneys and hoppers

Heavy StructuresBridge girders, pressure vessels and structural steel

Weld Quality

Constant travel speed, fixed torch angle and real-time seam tracking remove the main sources of variation in manual vertical welding. The result is uniform bead profile, full sidewall fusion and dramatically fewer repairs – verified by visual, radiographic and mechanical testing.

Vertical-Up Cap

Uniform ripple pattern on a 3G vertical-up cap pass

Macro Section

Etched macro section showing full fusion & sound root

Radiography

Radiograph free of porosity & lack of fusion

Typical Weld Cross-Section

Single-V butt joint, 12 mm carbon steel, 3G vertical-up, 3 passes

Typical Process Parameters

ER70S-6, 1.2 mm wire, Ar + 18% CO₂, 3G vertical-up

Pass	Current (A)	Voltage (V)	Travel (mm/min)	Weave (mm)
Root	130 – 150	17 – 18	90 – 120	0 – 3
Fill	160 – 190	19 – 21	70 – 100	6 – 12
Cap	150 – 175	18 – 20	60 – 90	12 – 18

Indicative starting values only. Final parameters are set per the qualified WPS.

Bead Width Consistency

Bead width measured every 100 mm along a 1 m vertical seam

Weld Defect & Repair Rate

Percentage of weld length requiring repair, by defect type

Productivity per 8-Hour Shift

Vertical seam, 12 mm plate, single operator

Stable Process Window

Wire feed speed vs. welding current, 1.2 mm ER70S-6

TYPICAL WELD TEST RESULTS

Test	Standard	Typical Result	Status
Visual Inspection	ISO 5817 / AWS D1.1	No undercut > 0.5 mm, uniform reinforcement	PASS
Radiographic Testing (RT)	ASME Sec. V / ISO 17636	Free of porosity, slag & lack of fusion	PASS
Transverse Tensile	ASME Sec. IX QW-150	520 MPa, failure in base metal	PASS
Face & Root Bend (180°)	ASME Sec. IX QW-160	No open defects	PASS
Charpy V-Notch Impact	ASTM E23 @ −20°C	85 J average (weld metal)	PASS
Hardness Survey	ISO 9015-1 (HV10)	HAZ max 230 HV10	PASS
Macro Examination	ISO 17639	Full fusion, sound root, no cracks	PASS

Representative results on carbon steel test coupons. Actual results depend on base material, consumables, joint preparation and the qualified WPS/PQR.

WELDMATIK vs. MANUAL VERTICAL WELDING

Parameter	Manual Welding	Magneto-WeldMATIK
Access	Scaffolding / man-lift / rope access	Magnetic climbing – no scaffolding
Arc-on time	25 – 35%	Up to 85%
Bead width variation	±1.5 mm	±0.2 mm
Repair rate	3 – 5%	< 1%
Welder fatigue / exposure to fumes & heights	High	Operator at safe distance
Weld traceability	Manual records	Automatic data log per seam
Skill dependence	Highly skilled certified welder	Trained operator with programmed WPS

Specifications

CRAWLER

Model Number	GB-MAGNETO-WELDMATIK
Drive	2 Powered Magnetic Tracks
Magnets Used	Array of NdFeB Rare-Earth Magnets
Adhesion Force	Up to 250 Kg
Payload	Up to 40 Kg (torch, oscillator, sensors, wire feeder option)
Travel Speed	50 – 1200 mm/min (stepless, closed-loop)
Encoder Motion Resolution	0.1 mm Increments
Min. Surface Thickness	6 mm ferromagnetic steel
Min. Curvature	1.5 m diameter (convex & concave)
IMU	100Hz - 6 DOF
Provided Umbilical Length	Up to 50 Meters (extendable)
Robot Weight	32 Kgs (without wire feeder)
Power	24V DC [Drive & Electronics]
Cameras	1 HDR Weld Camera + 3 FHD Navigation Cameras
Remote Control	Tethered Controller + Wireless Pendant, Kevlar safety rope
Build Material	Aircraft Grade Aluminum and SS-316

WELDING SYSTEM

Welding Process	MIG / MAG (GMAW); FCAW optional
Metal Transfer Modes	Short-Circuit, Pulse, Spray
Compatible Power Source	350A / 500A Inverter MIG (Analog / Digital Interface)
Torch	Water-Cooled Machine Torch, 500A @ 100% Duty Cycle
Wire Diameter	0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 mm Solid; 1.2 / 1.6 mm Flux-Cored
Shielding Gas	Ar + CO₂ mixes, 100% CO₂
Weld Positions	2G, 3G (Vertical Up / Down), 4G; 2F, 3F, 4F
Joint Types	Butt (V, X, Single Bevel), Fillet, Lap
Torch Oscillation	Width 0 – 30 mm, Frequency 0.5 – 3 Hz, Side Dwell 0 – 2 s
Seam Tracking	Laser Line Sensor, ±0.2 mm Lateral Correction
Torch Adjustment	Motorised Cross-Slide (Lateral & Height), Manual Angle Set
Weld Data Logging	Current, Voltage, Wire Feed, Travel Speed, Heat Input
Base Materials	Carbon Steel, Low-Alloy Steel (robot must travel on ferromagnetic surface)

ENVIRONMENTAL

IP Rating	65
Operating Temperature	5°C to 55°C
Max. Surface Temperature	120°C (pre-heated plates)
Humidity	95%, Non-Condensing

SAFETY

TOF Sensors (Edge / Obstacle Detection)	6x
Magnetic Adhesion Monitoring	Continuous, with Auto-Stop
Arc & Gas-Flow Fault Detection	Yes
Impact Sensor	1x
E-Stop (Motion + Arc)	2x
Fall Arrest	Kevlar Safety Rope Anchor

Gallery

Tank Shell Welding

Ship Hull Seam

Wind Tower Section

Finished Bead

Drawings

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