SEPT/OCT 2014
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“Taking that automation aspect a little bit
further, we have a pair of single arm, three-
dimensional working robots that have been
programmed to do a number of different
repetitive tasks for a number of projects,”
O’Neill said. One job requires the robot to cut
and prepare steel for future welding. “It’s ac-
tually cutting the sections of the steel beams
and plates on a specific angle at a specific lo-
cation so that the particular beam can be used
later on and welded to something else,” he ex-
plained. Other robots have been programmed
to do repetitive welding in difficult locations.
“Sometimes because of the shape of a mem-
ber it’s very difficult for a human being to get
inside and do the weld by hand. In this case,
the robot can actually manipulate itself and
get into the right position to make the weld,”
O’Neill explained. “We find the quality is as
good as the best welders we have and then
we’re able to devote those highly skilled weld-
ers to the most complex and most complicated
welding (jobs) that can’t be automated.”
The bidding process makes the quest for on-
going work a challenging one. Though Burnco
has worked on multiple jobs for the same cli-
ents, they’re still required to put in their bid
like their competitors. It’s a given in the con-
