The Lincoln Electric cobot is a solid robotic system for repetitive welding jobs. It delivers dependable weld quality and puts the focus on safety with its collaborative design.
But here’s the rub: It’s expensive, laser-focused on welding, and not exactly beginner-friendly. For anyone evaluating whether it’s worth the hype — or if RO1 by Standard Bots is a smarter pick — let’s dive in.
Read on to learn more:
- Overview and key features
- Performance and applications
- Advantages and limitations
- Comparison vs other bots?
What is the Lincoln Electric cobot?
The Lincoln Electric cobot, also known as the Cooper welding cobot, is a system with a cobot and advanced tech to tackle a range of welding jobs with really good consistency levels.
Its most important feature is its collaborative, modular design, allowing it to work safely with humans and to come fitted with a variety of welding tools.
Also, the Lincoln Electric cobot is very specialized — it’s made to handle welding and doesn’t venture far from that lane. If you need a jack-of-all-trades, this isn’t it.
What’s included with the Lincoln Electric Cooper welding cobot system
When you invest in the Lincoln Electric Cooper welding cobot, you’re not just getting a machine — you’re getting a powerful system of tools that prioritizes precision and safety. That said, like any system, it has its quirks.
Let’s unpack what comes in the base model setup:
- The Power Wave R450 — a powerhouse welder: At the heart of the system, this advanced power source delivers exceptional weld quality. But remember, high performance comes with a price tag.
- A robotic arm designed for collaboration: The ABB GoFa Robotic Arm is precise and safe to use alongside humans. However, it’s best suited for welding-specific tasks, so don’t expect it to multitask in assembly or logistics.
- An ergonomic Smart Torch: Featuring integrated buttons for seamless programming, the torch makes setup simple.
- Reliable wire feeding with the AutoDrive 4R100: This feeder keeps the welding process consistent.
Keep in mind that you can swap out the welder or other tools based on your setup.
Major features of the Lincoln Electric cobot
Interested in what this cobot system can do? We’re going to check out all of the base model’s major features.
Let’s look at what makes it tick:
- Payload for medium-weight jobs: With a variable payload of 5kg (and going up to 10kg), it handles everything from small parts to larger assemblies.
- Reach that covers the ground: A 1092 mm arm span makes it suitable for big jobs without constant repositioning.
- Click & Weld: You can control and program a Lincoln Electric Cooper cobot with their proprietary Cooper App, massively simplifying things if you’re not coding-literate.
It also has preloaded tools for MIG and TIG welding to simplify setup and deliver consistent results.
- Safety that gets it right: Proximity sensors stop the machine when humans get too close, ensuring safe collaboration.
Note: Lincoln Electric also offers air-cooled, water-cooled, and aluminum welding systems with pre-loaded tools. These are just the base specs for the Lincoln Electric Cooper cobot cart.
Performance and capabilities
The Lincoln Electric cobot loves demanding environments that need consistent, high-quality welding.
Here’s what it does well:
- Keeps weld quality consistent: Every seam meets the same high standard, no matter how long it’s been running.
- Built tough for the shop floor: Industrial durability means it shrugs off heat, dust, and debris.
- Single-focus machine: Great for welding, but don’t expect it to assemble parts or handle logistics or something like CNC machine tending.
Applications
The Cooper welding cobot fits best in industries where precision welding takes center stage — especially when it has to share the stage with humans.
Where does it shine?
- Car assembly: Tackles car frames and exhaust systems with ease.
- Heavy manufacturing: It’s been known to handle large-scale manufacturing pretty well.
- Metal fabrication workshops: Ideal for repetitive welding jobs without adding more hands to the payroll. Fab shops are a welding cobot’s home, after all.
Advantages
The Lincoln Electric robotic system brings several advantages to the table for manufacturers that put their whole focus on welding.
What makes it worth considering?
- Repeatable precision: The intuitive Cooper App further simplifies programming for users of all experience levels, providing step-by-step guides to create consistent welds.
- Collab safety features: Sensors make it safe for teams to work alongside the cobot without as many protective barriers (wear your goggles!).
- Purpose-built for welding: Its software and hardware focus entirely on delivering excellent welding performance.
Limitations
You knew it was going to come to this — while the Lincoln Electric Cooper cobot performs well in its niche, it doesn’t cover all the bases for manufacturers that need extra flexibility.
What holds it back?
- Costs hit hard: With prices starting around $90,000 and up to $100000 for one outfitted with a FANUC CRX/10iA welder, the Lincoln Electric cobot might be out of reach for smaller operations.
- Not easy to set up: It’s a big machine, and you’ll need a lot of help to get it up and going. Lincoln offers free training for one year after purchase, though.
- Welding-only machine: Amazing at its specialty, but it can’t handle other jobs, so there’s no redeploying it.
How does the Lincoln Electric cobot compare with other cobots?
The Lincoln Electric cobot focuses on welding, which limits its appeal to manufacturers that don’t need a one-trick pony.
Here’s how it stacks up against other cobots:
RO1 offers a more adaptable solution. It handles welding and much more, such as assembly, material handling, CNC machine tending, and beyond.
Its no-code programming makes setup easy for any team, and with an operating cost starting at $5/hour, it’s far more budget-friendly than Lincoln’s offerings — which start out at $5,000/mo if you want to lease.
The GP8 handles general manufacturing well but lacks welding-specific tools, which makes it a poor substitute for Lincoln’s cobots in welding-intensive setups.
The CRX-10iA provides solid durability and precision, but like Lincoln’s cobot, it requires some expertise to set. You’d actually get more out of the 10iA if you pair it with the Cooper cobot. Be prepared to pay a lot, though.
Summing up
The Lincoln Electric cobot is a solid performer if your game is welding-specific jobs.
However, with its high cost and lack of versatility, it leaves the door wide open for more adaptable alternatives — like RO1 by Standard Bots.
Next steps with a flexible and affordable cobot
For manufacturers who want a six-axis cobot, RO1 by Standard Bots delivers the best bang for your buck.
- Affordable and versatile: At just $5/hour, RO1 handles welding, assembly, and material handling. Want to buy? It’s half of comparable offerings.
- Precise and powerful: With a repeatability of ±0.025 mm and an 18 kg payload, it’s ready for tough jobs.
- Easy to program: No-code programming and GPT-4-level AI make it accessible for any team.
- Safe and reliable: Machine vision and collision detection ensure smooth operation alongside human teams.
Schedule your risk-free, 30-day onsite trial today and discover how RO1 can level up your fab shop.
