Top 5 Traits You Should Look for A Robotic Cell Operator

Automatic welding is promising to keep your competitive edge because it will help reduce labor cost. Still, the robotic welding cells require certain human intervention. For sure, no manager wants just anyone in the position of robotic welding cell operator. Below are 5 traits that employers can look for to ensure they hire the right person for this role.

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What Interview Questions Should You Ask Robotic Welding Cell Operator Candidates?

Only in the most state-of-the-art automatic setups do humans have no interaction with the automatic welding technology. Even in high-volume, low-mix manufacturing that an engineer would set up the volts and amps in the welding equipment and lock out the operator to avert tampering with the equipment, the operator would hit the cycle button. Still, in this manufacturing world, most metal fabricators take on jobs that can range from simple to complicated just within the same hour. Operators without engagement in their role of overseeing the automatic welding operation can create headaches for the management that thought its headaches on production would be remedied with the investment in robotics.

The best way to avoid the headaches and get profits from the investment is to find the right person for the position of robotic welding cell operator. Below are 5 characteristics to look for:

1. Experience

You can hire an inexperienced welder that is comfortable with new technology and have him/ her operate the welding cell with a bit trouble. That may be the case though, you have better to find an experienced person. Recruiting experienced personnel for this post would best ensure quality and less downtime. 

It can't be denied that advanced control software would help control variables of welding process, but there have still been hundreds of earlier generation welding cells without advanced capabilities in the metal fabricating world. That’s when experience of a welder really shines. He/ She would know that the correct welding sequence ensures integrity of material, realize the upstream processes can possibly affect welding, and quickly define out-of-spec welds with his/ her quick glance at the final point.

For those who are concerned about:
How to Retain Your Experienced Welders

2. Ownership

Hire workers that feel responsible for the machine they operate. As the owner of the automatic welding cell, they will take good care of not just machine operation but setup and maintenance. 

3. Initiative 

Willingness of a worker to step forward for quality is more important with complex welding positions. Tig welding cells can be really hard because the application success does count on the operator. The process window is narrowed in Tig welding, so you do need a conscientious operator.

The operator has to maintain tungsten electrode, ensure appropriate wire guide positioning, and verify the parts sit in the fixtures as designed. Also, the operator has to step forward in case production needs halt. The downtime represents a far better scenario than re-working parts as the quality issue wasn’t tackled in time.

4. A 3-D mindset

It will be great if a welding operator has a 3-D visualization. He/ She can see how a robotic arm moves around a work-piece, and figure the best way to attack the hard-to-reach area. It is often difficult to find a welder with this trait, but you have options. That person can be a good car mechanic with the ability to visualize in 3-D of how the engine works.

5. Familiarity with computers

Experience and familiarity with computers help a welder transition to the role of robotic welding cell operator. Those skills allow an operator to jump into all the benefits which advanced control software has to offer.

For instance, some software packages would run the simulation routines that tell the operator what will (not) work. 

Providing proper training

Once you have identified potential robotic welding cell operators, it is imperative to select the right training. You have to find the training approach that engages your would-be operators. Rather, it’s not simply a lecture that you say how it works and then you send them to the work. They need have some hands-on. They need be engaged, tested and assessed on their skills.

If those being trained possess some of the above traits, they should produce some rather good evaluations.

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What Interview Questions Should You Ask Robotic Welding Cell Operator Candidates?

Get armed with proper interview questions for robotic welding cell operators to fulfill your interview purposes.

While the resume screening round gives interviewers an overview of the candidate’ background skills, the interviewers use interview process - one of determiner to a successful recruitment process to evaluate the candidate’s personality, technical and behavioral skills, commitment to determine whether he/ she would be a good fit for the company. Simply, interview purpose is for the company to have a good look at their candidates. Knowing how to ask right interview questions can be a challenge. And conducting an interview isn’t always a fun experience. Why? Many interviewers aren’t armed with proper interview questions, fail to follow up candidate responses. Below are some sample interview questions for robotic welding cell operators that you can refer to determine your candidate’s compatibility, level of self-awareness, desire factor, ability to learn from failures and successes, technical and behavioral skills. Hope this collection of welding interview questions can help you.

Information interview

1. What were the duties of your last position?

2. What are key tasks of a robotic welding cell operator?

3. What would be your ideal work environment?

4. How will your biggest strength help you perform?

5. Give some examples about teamwork as robotic welding cell operator.

6. Describe a situation that you have to organize or plan something.

7. How do you propose to make up for your lack of experience?
8. What have you learnt from your past jobs related to robotic welding cell operator?
9. What are your career plans related to robotic welding cell operator?
10. What are most complex assignment that you have had?
11. Did you have faults as a leader? If yes, describe the situation.
12. How do you stimulate information sharing?
13. Describe a time when you faced stresses that tested your coping skills.

Basic interview

14. How did you complete robotic welding cell operator assignments?

15. Give some examples of project tasks that you take on.

16. How much do you prepare for files for trial?

17. How would you decide on your objectives?

18. What are your salary raises?

19. What is the difference between an excellent position and a good one?
20. Tell about the last time that you had to negotiate with someone.
21. Give examples about ideas that you have had or implemented.
22. What type of software application do you think is important for robotic welding cell operator?
23. How will your biggest strength help you perform?
24. What would be your ideal work environment?
25. What do you feel is best preparation of education for this robotic welding cell operator job?
26. What are your starting and final levels of compensation?

Face to face interview

27. What type of software application do you think is important for robotic welding cell operator?

28. Give an example of a time when you are involved in making a decision.

29. What 3 character traits would your friends use to describe you?

30. What do you consider your greatest strength?

31. How do you decide what is top priority when scheduling your time?

32. What was the most important task that you ever had?

33. What is most difficult situation that you have encountered?
34. If you don't have all the facts, how will you reach a decision?
35. What management style can you work best under?
36. What is most enjoyable part of robotic welding cell operator job?
37. If you don't get this position, what will you do?
38. Give examples of situations that you ideas for improvement have made an important difference?
39. What are you expecting from this robotic welding cell operator job in the future?
40. What type of events lead you to stress on the job?

Phone interview

41. What are you doing if you worked as robotic welding cell operator?

42. What are key tasks of robotic welding cell operator?

43. Tell about a time that you successfully tackled a situation?

43. What was your best learning experience?

44. How did you meet a tight deadline?

45. How have you gone about making important decisions?

46. Give an example that best describes your organizational skills.
47. What are you expecting from this robotic welding cell operator job in the future?
48. What percentage of time do you spend doing each function?
49. Does you robotic welding cell operation work have anything to do with your experiences or studies in college?
50. How did you prioritize when working on multiple projects?
51. How do you deal with a heavy workload? How do you prioritize daily tasks?

General job interview

52. Describe a time that your work as robotic welding cell operator was criticized?

53. What are qualities of a good robotic welding cell operator?

54. Why did you leave your last job?

55. What type of events lead you to stress on the job?

56. How do you decide what is your top priority when scheduling your time?

57. Describe one decision of yours that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.

58. What type of salary are you expecting for?
59. What would you say are your strengths?
60. Tell about a robotic welding cell operator program you have developed.
61. How did you react when facing constant time pressure?
62. How do you manage your time?
63. What do you see yourself doing within first days as a robotic welding cell operator?
64. What are your salary raises?

First interview

65. What was most stressful situation that you have encountered as robotic welding cell operator?

66. Tell about a difficult experience that you had as a robotic welding cell operator.

67. What irritates you about other people? How do you deal with it?

68. Have you ever gone above and beyond your call of duty?

69. What do you find are the hardest decisions to make?

70. Have you ever shaken up old work methods?

71. Tell about a situation that you have to arrive at a compromise.
72. How do you support diversity in your unit?
73. What have you learnt from mistakes on this job?
74. Describe how you have balanced your work with your life?
75. How did you react when facing constant time pressure?
76. What are key tasks of a robotic welding cell operator?
77. Does a leader need authority or power? How do you influence people?

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