Comfort food can do more than just make a person feel good after a rough day. It can also be used, believe it or not, to help someone better understand a complex assembly technology.

Welding of one sort or another has been the No. 1 application for industrial robots almost since the technology was invented.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI—Robotic laser welding will play a greater role in body-in-white assembly lines, as automakers increase their use of lightweight materials, according to Peter Busuttil, director of technology for KUKA Systems North America.

As plastic medical devices get smaller and more intricate, engineers have fewer options for assembling them.

Established methods—like ultrasonic and resistance welding—increasingly face competition from advancing technologies like laser, friction and micro welding.

Precise laser delivery and controlled clamp force ensure flawless through-transmission welding of dark or clear parts.