Welding the interior seams of underground steel pipelines is a challenging, labor-intensive, and hazardous task. Traditionally, welders must enter confined spaces, often enduring high internal temperatures, poor air quality, and electrical hazards, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, manual welding requires a six- to eight-person crew for safety monitoring, significantly raising labor costs and time constraints.
To enhance worker safety, improve welding efficiency, and optimize cost-effectiveness, SUNDT Construction has partnered with Northern Arizona University (NAU) to develop a groundbreaking solution: WeldBot—a semi-autonomous robotic welding system designed to revolutionize interior pipe welding.
This project is a direct response to the needs of SUNDT’s Gilbert North Water Treatment Plant expansion, which involves welding 1.6 miles of below-ground steel pipeline and performing 290 interior welds—a process valued at $280,000. The complexity and scale of the task demand a highly efficient and reliable robotic welding solution.
This cutting-edge robotic system integrates a modular design, allowing it to navigate autonomously through the pipeline, identify seam locations with LiDAR and vision sensors, and execute high-precision welds. Equipped with onboard fire suppression and advanced monitoring capabilities, WeldBot is not just a welding solution—it’s the future of safe, reliable, and cost-effective industrial welding.
