Since automation technology has been popularized to the welding field, there are two common welding systems, welding robot and welding machine. Although they are special mechanical equipment, there must be some differences. So the following will be welding robot and welding machine for comparison.

從方面來說，焊接專機要比焊接機器人更有優勢，但大多數的廠家還是會選擇焊接機器人，因為焊接專機是針對某種特定的產品而研制出的自動化設備，多采用伺服X、Y、Z軸三個方，一般只是焊接圓形或是焊接直焊縫。

In terms of price, the special welding machine has more advantages than the welding robot, but most manufacturers will choose the welding robot, because the special welding machine is an automatic equipment developed for a specific product, which mostly uses servo x, y and Z axes, generally only welding round or straight welds.

而焊接機器人就不一樣了，它采用6個伺服控制，非常靈活，可以三維立體任何方向不規則的焊接，所以相對高一些。不過焊接專機可以配4到5個焊頭，效率比焊接機器人還要高。

The welding robot is not the same, it uses six servo control, very flexible, can three-dimensional irregular welding in any direction, so the price is relatively higher. However, the welding machine can be equipped with 4 to 5 welding heads, which is more efficient than the welding robot.

焊接機器人與焊接專機的不同及其外部軸的作用

The difference between welding robot and special welding machine and the function of its external axis

由此可見，若是平面上的直縫、圓縫的話要選擇焊接專機，但只要旦焊接產品變了規格或變了形狀，那焊接專機就無用武之地了。而焊接機器人正好彌補了這方面的不足，這種情況下只需要重新編個程序又可以再次使用了。

It can be seen that the welding machine should be selected for the straight and round seams on the plane, but as long as the welding product changes its specification or shape, the welding machine will be useless. The welding robot just makes up for this deficiency. In this case, it only needs to reprogram and can be used again.

隨著焊接機器人應用范圍的擴大，焊接機器人除了基本的配置外，有時候還會增加一個或多個外部軸。也就是說，外部軸其實就是一個跟焊接機器人相連的外部動作系統，來配合機器人的動作，能夠同時滿足焊接姿勢，也能更快速的完成整個焊接，達到滿意的效果。

With the expansion of welding robot application, in addition to the basic configuration, welding robot sometimes adds one or more external axes. In other words, the external axis is actually an external action system connected with the welding robot, to cooperate with the robot's action, can meet the welding posture at the same time, and can also complete the whole welding more quickly, to achieve satisfactory results.