What is in the price
- Robot and controller
- Welding power source, torch and wire feeder
- Positioner or manipulator
- Fixtures and clamping (often the most part-specific cost)
- Safety fence, light curtains and fume extraction
- Programming, commissioning and training
- Optional seam tracking, touch sensing and offline programming
What changes the price the most
- Number of different parts and how complicated the fixtures are
- Part size and weight, which sets robot and positioner size
- One-station or two-station layout
- Level of automation: manual loading or automatic loading
- Required accuracy and quality documentation
Simple payback estimate
Annual saving = (manual cost per part - robot cost per part) x parts per year. Payback in years = total cell price / annual saving.
Include labour, scrap and rework, consumables and the value of extra output. Most companies find the largest gains from higher arc-on time and fewer rejects rather than from labour cost alone.
Example (illustrative only): if a cell replaces two welders on two shifts and improves throughput, the saving comes from labour plus scrap reduction, and the payback period is typically counted in months to a few years depending on volume.
Common mistakes
- Comparing only the robot price
- Ignoring fixture cost and part variation
- Forgetting the maintenance and spare parts budget
- Buying a cell too specific to one part when volumes are low
Get a real number
Send us your part drawings, material, thickness and yearly volume, and we will provide a detailed quotation and payback calculation. See our robotic welding systems.