Patent ID: 8651357

Claim:
A robotic welding apparatus comprising: a robot having a welding torch and a base, where the robot rotates about a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation, and where the base rotates about the first axis of rotation, wherein the first axis and the second axis pass centrally through the base; an indexing table including a plurality of workpiece holding positions located on a top surface of the indexing table, the plurality of workpiece holding positions including at least a first workpiece holding position and a second workpiece holding position, where the indexing table rotates about the first axis of rotation, and where the base is fixedly connected to the top surface substantially at a center position of the indexing table so as to exclude independent rotation between the base and the indexing table; a motor operatively connected to at least one of the robot and the indexing table such that the base of the robot and the indexing table rotate together about the first axis of rotation to index the plurality of workpiece holding positions; and a plurality of shields operatively connected to the indexing table, wherein the robot is configured to weld a first workpiece held in the first workpiece holding position while the indexing table indexes one of the plurality of workpiece holding positions to a loading/unloading zone, where the second workpiece holding position is located opposite the first workpiece holding position, and the base of the robot is fixedly mounted to the top surface of the indexing table at a location between the first workpiece holding position and the second workpiece holding position and the plurality of shields, so as to rotate with the first workpiece holding position and the second workpiece holding position and the plurality of shields as the indexing table indexes said one of the plurality of workpiece holding positions to the loading/unloading zone.