SmartTCP Announces New Laser Seam Tracking Capability for SmartTCP Automatic Welding Solution

Automatic Welding Solution for Small Batches Now Allows for Laser Seam Finding
and Tracking for More Precise and Efficient Robotic Welding
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.--(Business Wire)--
SmartTCP, a leading supplier of automatic welding solutions for small batch
production, today announced it now offers the SmartTCP welding solution with
laser seam tracking capability. The company will be demonstrating the newly
enhanced SmartTCP solution at the FABTECH 2009 show booth #34065 November 15-18
in Chicago, Illinois. The new product offering consists of hardware and software
that includes off-the-shelf components, easy-to-use programming and integrated
laser seam tracking. SmartTCP has customized a laser vision system from Meta
Vision of the UK, and integrated it into its automatic offline programming
software for small batch production.

"Many small batch fabricators produce parts made of thinner material that
distorts during welding and with joint requirements such as corner-to-corner or
butt joint welding that are not best served by "through-the-arc" seam tracking
systems. So in order to enhance our robotic solution to accommodate most joint
types and material thicknesses while maintaining the system`s high standard of
welding reliability and precision, we integrated a laser vision system into the
SmartTCP solution," said Efi Lebel, founder and CEO of SmartTCP. "By integrating
laser vision technology into the SmartTCP solution, manufacturers now have a
hybrid way of seam searching and tracking, that is touch sensing and
through-the-arc as well as laser vision. This allows for an efficient automatic
way to weld an even greater variety of small batch fabrications and thereby
increase production, reliability and quality."

"SmartTCP recognized early on that the challenges of robotic welding could be
overcome by making sure that the robot path is executed correctly relative to
the part itself and that welding process parameters are adapted each time
according to the actual weld joint conditions," added Helder Soares, general
manager for Meta Vision Systems Inc. "A key attribute in adding laser vision is
that the actual parts to be welded are sensed in real time as part of the
process which helps accommodate a wide variation in part positioning."

The new SmartTCP offering with the laser vision system for accurate weld seam
finding and tracking adjusts the weld path to the actual path of the joint. This
new capability is very precise and efficiently welds these types of joints as
well as thinner materials such as stainless steel or aluminum. The laser seam
tracking capability was integrated into SmartTCP`s automatic offline programming
software for small batch production to provide accurate automatic control of the
position of the welding robot without the need for operator intervention or
welding interruption. SmartTCP also customized the laser seam tracking
technology to work on stitch welds as well as a weld process that requires the
robot to oscillate in a weave pattern. The welding system allows fabricators to
produce a variety of parts more quickly without additional employees and in the
same amount of production space. These benefits, coupled with the increased
quality and reliability of robotic welding over manual welding, will give
manufacturers an additional competitive advantage within their industry.
Continuous, in position welding makes it possible to have full pen welds on
first pass and eliminates the potential for cracks that start and stop welding
can create.

About SmartTCP

SmartTCP is the leading supplier of automatic welding solutions for steel
fabrications in small batch production. The SmartTCP robotic welding solution
reduces the need for expert welders, improves time to market, and increases
production volume and quality. The gantry welding system is a turnkey solution
that automates both the robot programming and the weld production and includes
the hardware, software, installation, training and support during and after
implementation. SmartTCP´s revolutionary software automates complex and tedious
robot programming tasks. It creates accurate and reliable robot programming,
making it possible for job-shops and manufacturers to optimize the fabrication
of high mix low volume parts. SmartTCP was founded in 2003 and operates an
automatic welding demo lab out of its U.S. headquarters location in Farmington
Hills, MI. For more information contact SmartTCP at 248-994-1041 or visit their
website at www.smarttcp.com.

About Meta Vision Systems

Meta Vision Systems is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and supply of
3D laser vision systems for the international welding industry. Meta`s weld seam
tracking, inspection, and process control solutions are successfully applied
across a wide range of welding and manufacturing processes in the tube and pipe,
wind tower, storage tank and container, automotive, aerospace, and nuclear
industries. At the heart of each Meta system is a rugged sensor that integrates
a laser with a camera to take measurements using the principles of
triangulation. These real time 3D measurements are then used to accurately
position the welding torch within the weld seam. The benefits to using laser
vision with any welding process include higher quality welds, reduced scrap,
rework, and weld defects, improved productivity, and a safer working
environment. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Meta`s head office is in
Oxford, England and its North American offices are located in Montreal, Quebec,
Canada. For more information, contact Meta Vision Systems at 514-333-1040 or
visit the company`s web site at www.meta-mvs.com.

The SmartTCP is a registered trademark of SmartTCP. All other trademarks are
owned by their respective companies.

SmartTCP
Yanik Van Coppenolle
yanik@smarttcp.com
or
Val Cureton, 408-425-5025
Public Relations
val@curetoncommunications.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009