Smooth Robotics
SMOOTHTOOL:
WELDING ROBOT PROGRAMMING
SmoothTool is a URCap, an app that runs inside the Universal Robots interface. Your welders guide the torch along the joint by hand, and SmoothTool records every segment and welds it the same way on every part.
Welding automation usually asks the wrong person to program it
Conventional robot welding puts a programmer between the welder and the weld. The welder knows the joint, the material and where the part will distort. The programmer knows the robot. Getting a good weld means those two people go back and forth, and every new part number starts that loop again.
That only pays off on long runs, and most shops do not have long runs.
Freedrive. Teach. Weld.
1. Freedrive
Freedrive. Guide the cobot along the joint by hand, the way you would position the torch yourself.
2. Teach
Teach. Mark start, end and path. SmoothTool records each weld segment as you go, with a live 3D view of the arm, torch and weld path on screen.
3. Weld
Weld. Set your parameters, run the program and repeat the same weld across the batch.
“The Smooth Robotics Software has hands down been epic in quick programming. I have found that if we have to weld more than 12″ in length, it’s more effective to use the robot. Even for just 1 part. This is a game changer.”
Everything between the joint and the finished weld
SmoothTool covers teaching and visualisation, weld path and geometry, control and consistency, and reach. Each feature has its own page with parameters and examples. Available features depend on PolyScope version and licence, and your partner confirms the configuration for your welding solution.
Teaching and Visualisation
3D Universe
See the arm, the torch and the full weld path on screen before an arc strikes, and touch up any point.
Touch Sense
Locate the actual position of the part and shift the path to match, so a part that is not exactly where it was last time still welds correctly.
*Option on SmoothTool X
Weld Path and Geometry
Weaving
Weaving patterns on linear and circular paths, configurable to joint geometry and material.
Multipass
Build up a multi-pass weld from a single taught path instead of teaching each pass.
*Option on SmoothTool X
Stitching
Set stitch parameters directly for distortion control and material savings.
Tacking
Consistent parameterised tacks before the full pass.
Offset
Copy a taught weld and offset it in any direction or rotation, for repeated features on the same part.
*Option on SmoothTool X
Surfacing
Hardfacing and cladding passes for wear surfaces and repair work.
*Option on SmoothTool X
Pipe Welding
Full-circumference welds around a pipe, including positions that are impractical by hand.
Control and Consistency
Angle System
Type in work and travel angles and have them applied the same way across the whole program.
Profile System
Save welding parameters as profiles and reuse them across parts, operators and shifts.
Seam Tracking
Through-the-arc tracking adjusts the path during the weld. Available with selected power sources.
*Option on SmoothTool X
Reach
External Axis*
Add a rotary positioner or a linear rail and control it from the same program. The Proarc PT-200 positioner is plug and play. Other positioners and rails are integrated by your partner through the SmoothTool interface.
*Option on SmoothTool X
Everything between the joint and the finished weld
SmoothTool covers teaching and visualisation, weld path and geometry, control and consistency, and reach. Each feature has its own page with parameters and examples. Available features depend on PolyScope version and licence, and your partner confirms the configuration for your welding solution.
Teaching and Visualisation
Weld Path and Geometry
Control and Consistency
Reach
External Axis*
Start with the core. Add what your production needs
SmoothTool for PolyScope X is built as a core welding application with optional features. The core covers hand-guided teaching, the 3D Universe, weaving, stitching and tacking, the angle system, the profile system and a pipe welding template. Seam Tracking, Touch Sense, Multipass, Offset, Surfacing and External Axis are options you add when your parts call for them. You can add them later with a software update, so you start with what you need today instead of paying for everything from day one.
Core
Hand-guided teaching, 3D Universe, Weaving, Stitching, Tacking, Angle System, Profile System, Pipe Welding
Options
Seam Tracking, Touch Sense, Multipass, Offset, Surfacing, External Axis
Your partner configures the licence for your welding solution.
On PolyScope 5, SmoothTool comes with the complete feature set, with Seam Tracking and External Axis as add-ons.
MIG/MAG, TIG and laser from the same software
MIG/MAG welding across the full feature set above.
TIG welding, for example with Fronius iWave.
Laser welding with IPG Lightweld, Theo and Megmeet.
Twelve power source brands, controlled from the teach pendant
SmoothTool is pre-integrated with ESAB, EWM, Fronius, GYS, Kemppi, Lincoln Electric, Lorch, Megmeet, Miller, OTC Daihen, Soldamatic and Weco. Every brand is controlled from the teach pendant, so parameters are set in the same place the path is taught, and your shop keeps the brand it already stocks spare parts for and knows how to set up.
Machines with a standard Euro, Miller or Lincoln connector connect through the RetroFit Kit.
Runs on the Universal Robots arm you choose
On g-Series robots. SmoothTool for PolyScope X is built native for PolyScope X rather than ported onto it. You have the option to use UR’s Smart Panel on the arm, so freedrive, waypoint capture and weld-point teaching happen on the panel already on the robot, and the torch mounts straight to the tool flange. The SmoothTool programming flange is available for shops that prefer it.
On PolyScope 5. SmoothTool is available for new e-Series and UR series cells as well as robots already on the floor. It runs with the SmoothTool programming flange, which puts the teaching buttons within reach of the seam.
e-Series and UR series robots with the CB 5.6 control box can run either PolyScope 5 or PolyScope X. Robots with older control boxes need a new control box to run PolyScope X, and moving to PolyScope X also needs a PolyScope X licence, so most shops choose PolyScope X when they buy the robot.
Cutting as well as welding? SmoothCut adds robotic plasma cutting and weld-ready bevels to the same arm on PolyScope 5.
Every welder on the floor, not just the one there on install day
The interface runs in 18 languages. Your partner trains your welders at installation and supports the cell afterwards, and SmoothTool Academy gives your team access to video training when new people join.
What shops get out of it
Fu Zhuan Steel Accelerates High-Mix Laser Welding with SmoothTool and UR12e cobot
Fu Zhuan Steel cut laser welding training time from over a month to just 1–2 days by pairing the UR12e cobot with SmoothTool. Less complexity, more flexibility, and a workforce that can keep up with demand.
Cobot Welding & Plasma Cutting at Helsinki Shipyard: Hybrid Automation for Big Production
A 160-year-old shipyard, one hybrid cobot, two processes. See how Helsinki Shipyard automated welding and plasma cutting for piping and prefabricated parts, and had first production parts running within an hour of delivery.
Innovating Railway Manufacturing with SmoothTool Cobot Welder
Peverk Oy introduced cobot welding with SmoothTool to handle demanding railway components. Production batches that once took two weeks to weld can now be completed in about one week, improving efficiency and freeing up capacity for new development.
SmoothTool Keeps Welding Expertise Alive at Breman Machinery
At Breman Machinery in the Netherlands, craftsmanship and innovation go hand in hand.
After years of manual welding, Jacky, a seasoned welder, struggled with shoulder pain that made welding impossible. But with a Cobot powered by SmoothTool, he’s back at the workstation, producing cleaner, longer, and more consistent welds than ever before.
HJHansen Recycling Group Explores Cobot Welding for Hardfacing
At HJHansen Recycling Group, heavy machinery is essential for handling large volumes of iron and scrap metal. Central to this operation are the company’s powerful grabs, which lift, move, and transport scrap across Denmark and to international destinations.
Over time, however, the grab blades face extreme wear and tear. To keep operations running efficiently, HJHansen’s team spends significant time reinforcing these blades with hardfacing coatings.
SLM Welding School Trains the Next Generation with Cobot Welding
At Schweisstechnische Lehranstalt Magdeburg GmbH (SLM) in Germany, the mission is clear: prepare future welders not only for today’s challenges but for tomorrow’s technologies.
To meet this goal, SLM has integrated cobot welding with SmoothTool and Universal Robots into their training programs—offering students a hands-on introduction to automation that’s as intuitive as it is effective.
“I give 10/10 to SmoothTool.”
SmoothTool tech specs at a glance
| Product type | URCap (PolyScope 5) and URCapX (PolyScope X) for Universal Robots, UR+ certified |
|---|---|
| Compatible robots | g-Series, e-Series and UR series |
| Software version | PolyScope X and PolyScope 5 |
| Teaching hardware | UR Smart Panel on g-Series, or the SmoothTool programming flange |
| Welding processes | MIG/MAG, TIG, laser |
| Pre-integrated power sources | ESAB, EWM, Fronius, GYS, Kemppi, Lincoln Electric, Lorch, Megmeet, Miller, OTC Daihen, Soldamatic, Weco |
| Laser sources | IPG Lightweld, Theo, Megmeet |
| Other machines | Standard Euro, Miller or Lincoln connector via the RetroFit Kit |
| Licence and features | PolyScope X: core plus optional features, which can be added later with a software update. PolyScope 5: complete feature set, with Seam Tracking and External Axis as add-ons. Licences are specific to each PolyScope version |
| Interface languages | 18 |
| Licence type | Permanent licence or subscription |
| In the box | USB key for installation, Setup Guide Card, programming flange (optional on g-Series, adapted version for UR20) |
| Training | Partner training at installation, SmoothTool Academy video training |
| Availability | Used in 40+ countries across EMEA, APAC and the Americas |
Bought and supported through a partner near you
Smooth Robotics makes the software. More than 1,000 cobot welding solutions have been sold through our network of 75+ partners in 40+ countries. Your partner specifies the complete station, installs it and supports it in your country and your language.