Is automation welding away the future?

Insights from Ir. Drajat Hartono, Director of Trimitra Chitrahasta

By: Kathryn G. Elagio

Welding is often described as an ancient craft, with its industrial foundations dating back to the 1800s. As manufacturing expanded during the Industrial Revolution, the need for strong and permanent metal joining solutions became critical. Welding quickly established itself as an indispensable process in construction, heavy industry, and eventually automotive production.

Today, as automation and robotics reshape factory floors across Southeast Asia, a recurring question emerges: will welding become obsolete in the age of automation?

At the ASEAN Advanced Automotive Manufacturing Summit – Flexible Production & EV Solutions in Cikarang, Indonesia, Ir. Drajat Hartono AMd., ST., IPU, ASEAN Eng., Director of Trimitra Chitrahasta, addressed this issue from both a technical and industrial perspective. His conclusion was clear: welding is not disappearing—it is evolving.

In automotive and motorcycle manufacturing, welding remains fundamental because it directly influences structural integrity, crash performance, durability, and dimensional accuracy. As vehicle designs move toward lighter materials and mixed-material assemblies—particularly in electric vehicle platforms—the margin for error in weld quality becomes increasingly narrow.

According to Drajat, welding is no longer simply a joining operation. It is a performance-critical process that determines whether components can meet long-term fatigue and safety requirements. In high-volume automotive production, even small variations can lead to misalignment, assembly complications, or costly rework. Automation has not reduced the importance of welding; it has raised the expectations for precision and repeatability.

The Ongoing Challenge of Distortion

One of the most persistent challenges in welding is distortion. When heat is introduced into a localised area, the metal expands and then contracts as it cools. This uneven thermal cycle leads to deformation, particularly in thin or complex components.

Drajat explained that distortion is never caused by a single factor. It is the result of material properties, component thickness, joint configuration, heat input, welding sequence, and fixturing conditions acting together. In automotive production, where dimensional tolerances are strict, even minor distortion can disrupt downstream assembly processes.

Automation improves consistency, but it does not automatically eliminate distortion. Engineers must anticipate thermal effects during the design and process planning stages. Proper fixture design, optimised parameter control, and careful sequencing remain essential to minimising deformation while maintaining production efficiency.

From Conventional Methods to Intelligent Welding Systems

Traditional welding methods, particularly manual and semi-automatic operations, often resulted in excessive spatter, inconsistent penetration, and variations in weld bead geometry. These inconsistencies were heavily dependent on operator skill and working conditions.

Modern welding technologies have significantly improved these limitations. Robotic CO₂ welding systems and advanced spot-welding equipment now offer greater arc stability, controlled penetration, and reduced spatter generation. These developments contribute to faster cycle times, improved repeatability, and better integration into automated production lines.

However, Drajat emphasized that robotics alone cannot guarantee weld reliability. Automation enhances control, but weld quality ultimately depends on understanding welding metallurgy, selecting appropriate consumables, and validating processes thoroughly. Technology must be supported by sound engineering principles.

The Critical Role of Procedure Qualification

In automotive manufacturing, welding procedure qualification remains a non-negotiable requirement. It ensures that a defined welding process can consistently achieve the required mechanical strength, ductility, and metallurgical properties.

Drajat noted that qualification involves carefully defining process parameters, verifying consumable compatibility, and conducting mechanical validation tests under controlled conditions. Without systematic qualification, manufacturers risk defects such as incomplete fusion, excessive hardness in the heat-affected zone, or compromised fatigue performance. In an industry governed by strict global quality standards, such risks are unacceptable.

Automation increases consistency, but it also demands stricter validation. The more automated the system, the more critical it becomes to ensure that every programmed parameter has been technically justified and tested.

Inspection and Testing as the Foundation of Quality

Inspection and testing form the backbone of welding quality assurance. In automotive production, manufacturers rely on a combination of non-destructive and destructive evaluation methods to verify weld integrity.

Non-destructive testing methods allow engineers to detect surface and internal defects without damaging components, making them suitable for in-line or sampling inspections. Meanwhile, mechanical testing such as tensile and bend tests plays a critical role during process development and qualification stages to confirm strength and ductility.

Together, these practices establish a comprehensive quality framework that supports traceability, compliance, and continuous improvement. Automation may accelerate production, but inspection ensures reliability.

Industrial Reality: Automation with Practical Constraints

As Director of Trimitra Chitrahasta, a company active in metal stamping, dies, jigs, fixtures, and both manual and robotic welding operations, Drajat views welding technology through a practical manufacturing lens. Production decisions must balance technical performance with cost efficiency, workforce capability, and equipment utilisation.

Automated welding systems must remain flexible enough to accommodate changing product variants, material transitions, and fluctuating volumes—particularly as EV platforms continue to evolve. Advanced equipment alone does not determine success; integration into real manufacturing environments is equally important.

A Process That Evolves, Not Disappears

Welding will not become obsolete in the age of automation. Instead, it is transforming from a largely skill-dependent manual craft into a highly controlled, engineering-driven process supported by robotics, data monitoring, and metallurgical science.

The role of the welding engineer is also evolving. Expertise now extends beyond operating equipment to understanding material behaviour, programming robotic systems, validating procedures, and implementing continuous improvement strategies.

In this new era of automated manufacturing, welding remains a core competency. Companies that combine technological investment with strong process control and technical knowledge will continue to rely on welding as a central pillar of automotive production.

Rather than fading into history, welding is entering a more sophisticated and strategically important phase—one where automation strengthens, rather than replaces, its relevance.