Thursday, April 15, 2010

Lincoln Electric’s Automated Welding Robot to Be Featured in Movie Sequel


Iron Man 2 Film Features the Company’s Robotic Welding Automation Cell
A Lincoln Electric automated welding robot cell, featuring a Lincoln Electric Power Wave i400 welding power source and a FANUC ARC Mate 100iC robotic arm, will co-star in the movie sequel, Iron Man 2. Lincoln Electric’s welding equipment and consumables were used by actor Robert Downey Jr.’s character, engineering genius Tony Stark, to fabricate his superhero suit in the film.

(Robotic programmer Brian Simons (pictured here) worked on the set during the filming of
Iron Man 2 to help operate and maintain the Lincoln equipment seen in the hit movie sequel. The film’s star, Robert Downey Jr., and director, Jon Favreau, autographed the PowerWave i400 and robotic arm used in the film. Click here for hi-res image.)
“Being involved with the film was truly an incredible experience,” said Brian Simons, robotic programmer of the Automation Application Group at Lincoln Automation. “Responding to immediate client needs at Lincoln prepared me to react on the studio’s set at a moment’s notice. This was great exposure for Lincoln to demonstrate the level of technology involved in welding today.”
The original film, Iron Man, made more than $117 million at the box office in its first two weeks. Lincoln Electric MIG and TIG welding equipment was also featured in this film. The sequel is anticipated to be another box office success. In addition to Downey and Gwenyth Paltrow’s character, Pepper Potts, the film stars Mickey Rourke as villain Ivan Vanko, aka Whiplash, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff or the Black Widow and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

As a takeaway, Downey and director of the original film as well as the sequel, Jon Favreau, autographed the Power Wave
® i400 and the robotic arm used on the Iron Man 2 movie set. The complete automation welding cell is currently on display in the lobby at the Lincoln Electric Automation Division in Cleveland.
Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 38 manufacturing locations, including operations and joint ventures in 18 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.