Build Your First Automated Weld Log With These 5 Steps

How do you track the data from all the welds that happen on your production floor?

Traditionally, operators have used a “weld log”- a paper sheet with fields for data points on each weld. This concept of a worksheet filled with fields on a repetitive, manual task is common across many other documents in a production environment, not only in the welding industry.

At the end of the day, a team member could read each weld log and type it into a spreadsheet. But that could take hours, and it creates the risk that the data might be copied incorrectly.

If an executive wants to know what is happening on the shop floor every day, paper weld logs do not give you a chance to offer any data beyond the total number of work orders completed.

An “automated weld log” allows you to capture real-time data from welders as well as track inspections. Operators and inspectors can input their data into a ruggedized tablet (or laptop) at a workstation. You can build a manufacturing app in Tulip for this weld log and then automatically store all the data.

Here’s an example that asks an operator to complete the same weld on two parts in a row:

This will require some process changes in order to work with all members of your manufacturing team. So here’s how to plan and execute your first automated weld log in a Tulip app.

Here are 5 common steps to tracking data in a paper weld log:

1. The manufacturing engineer prints out a work order
2. The engineer fills in high-level information and hands it to an operator
3. The operator fills out the weld log
4. For each entry, an inspector must sign their approval
5. The operator gives their weld log to a supervisor at the end of the day

Here’s an example:

To collect data automatically, you must be able to capture steps 2-5 in the tablet/laptop at the operator’s workstation.

1. The operator will input the work order information once at the beginning of the day
2. The operator and inspector will use the automated log after every weld
3. Since the data is automatically collected in real-time, there is no need to deposit a piece of paper at the end of the day.

This changes the fields that you will need to include in the log. For example, in the table above, the date, weld procedure, machine ID, size, and welder details fields are repeated over and over again. You can include default text for each of those fields, and allow the operator to make changes when they occur. And you don’t need to ask for date and time since those will be automatically captured.

When an operator needs to drop the tools in their hands in order to enter data, time is wasted, and the operator is getting distracted from their real job.

You can integrate devices with your Tulip app to reduce this waste. If you use a borescope to inspect welds, you can take readings from the borescope directly rather than asking the inspector to manually input data.

Or, if you have a series of instructions, you can use a foot pedal to allow the operator to advance without touching a screen.

When the operator needs to use the screen, your fields should be big enough for an operator to easily select them with a finger on a touchscreen.

If operators also use a weld map, you can turn that into a clickable diagram that leads to the weld log.

When it comes to new technology, most people are stuck in their ways. Operators, like anyone, are cautious around new tools that feel like “big brother” is watching every one of their moves.

Make sure you get the operator’s buy-in for the Tulip App. If the operator does not use it correctly, your data may be flawed.

The system should eliminate repetitive data entry that interrupts the operator’s day. And, the data will help the entire team build higher-quality devices that do not put customers and end-users at risk.

Every single entry from the operator can be saved and later analyzed. It’s up to you to determine which data are most valuable.

Some common ideas:

– Average Process Completion Time by Operator: You can combine all the welds within a process into one chart, and compare the average by operator. This will help you understand where operators spend their time. This example uses a stacked bar chart and examines daily results.

– Average Process Completion Time by Part: You can investigate which parts have the longest cycle time, and then dig deeper to see which user completes a part quickly. Then, you can speak to that operator to see if there are any lessons you can share with the rest of the team.

– Common Errors by Part: If you allow operators to report issues via their tablet, you can track common defects and segment it by part number to learn which processes you need to revise.

You can use the automated weld log to notify relevant team members of issues in real time. If a particular tool requires maintenance, an operator can easily send a text or email to the maintenance team. If an operator needs guidance, they can easily notify a supervisor.

Other manufacturing engineers and executives may also be interested in daily or weekly weld data. In order to share with them, you can choose:

1. Emailed reports
2. A real-time dashboard
3. Printed charts

For example, a traveling executive may ask for real-time access to data on their phone. Or you may want to make a report for a weekly meeting.

Even good tools don’t make automation effortless. Welding environments are messy, and getting clean digital records takes work. The issues below come up again and again. None of them should stop you, they just need planning.

1) Operator pushback
Someone’s always going to ask, “Why are we changing this?” That’s fair. If the app slows them down or feels like someone’s watching over their shoulder, they’ll find ways around it.

What helps
Bring welders in early. Let them test screens before rollout. Keep the inputs short i.e. scans, taps, or dropdowns only. Then actually show how the data cuts rework or saves time at inspection.

2) Gaps or bad data
Automation doesn’t mean accuracy. If a field gets skipped or someone hits “default” too often, the report’s useless.

What helps
Keep fields persistent where it makes sense, so values carry over. Add simple validation, enough to flag bad entries without locking people out. Check the logs weekly, not quarterly. Talk to whoever’s on the line when something looks off.

3) Weak network spots
Plenty of weld bays have dead zones. If the system can’t sync, data gets stranded.

What helps
Run apps that store data locally until a signal’s back. Keep them light so they don’t stall out on weak Wi-Fi. Set up alerts for missed syncs, you’ll catch problems before the audit does.

4) Old machines, new systems
No shop floor is uniform. Some welders might still be analog.

What helps
Start by logging the key data manually. Add sensors or edge devices over time. Don’t chase full automation on day one i.e get amperage, voltage, and arc-on time right first.

5)Audit and version control
Records have to match the right procedure. If revisions aren’t tracked, you’ll have trouble proving compliance later.

What helps
Tie every record to a controlled SOP version. Require sign-offs with timestamps. Keep everything in a format that lines up with ISO or ASME rules, so you’re ready when someone asks.

Compliance and Traceability

Traceability isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore. It’s expected.

If you’re welding for regulated products like medical devices, pressure vessels, structural steel, you already know how tight the documentation rules are. Standards like ISO 3834 and ASME Section IX want full traceability. That means clear proof of what was done, who did it, and when it happened.

Paper logs make that tough. Handwriting fades, IDs get missed, and forms change over time. When an auditor asks for records, it can turn into a scramble.

Digital weld logs take a lot of that pressure off. They:

• Capture amperage, voltage, and gas flow right from the process

• Add timestamps and operator names automatically

• Lock the record once it’s complete so it can’t be changed later

• Allow electronic sign-offs for accountability

• Keep all weld data in one place, easy to search and review

For shops working under strict standards, that kind of system isn’t about making life easier, it’s about avoiding chaos when questions come up. When someone wants to see proof, you can find it fast and know it’s right.

Future Trends: AI and Vision in Weld Quality

The next wave of weld quality isn’t just about collecting data. It’s about making sense of it.

AI and computer vision are starting to find real footing here. Some plants are adding these tools on top of their existing digital weld logs to catch problems earlier, cut down rework, and spot issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Vision systems for in-process inspection
Mounted cameras, trained with AI models, can spot things like incomplete welds, porosity, or misalignment without stopping production. Defects get flagged as they happen, not after the part’s already in final inspection.

AI-supported defect classification
Instead of tagging every issue by hand, AI tools can look at weld data like amperage, gas flow, operator history, and suggest likely causes. It doesn’t replace human judgment, but it cuts the investigation time way down.

Using trends for predictive quality
Once you’ve built up enough digital weld history, AI can start connecting the dots. Maybe a certain setting, filler, or machine setup leads to a higher failure rate. The system can flag that before it turns into a bigger problem.

Feedback to operators in real time
Pairing AI with digital work instructions gives welders live feedback like small prompts or corrections based on sensor or camera input, while the weld’s still in progress.

These tools don’t replace welders. They make the skilled work more consistent and easier to verify. And now that AI and vision tools can be deployed without a full IT project, you’re starting to see them used on real production lines, not just in R&D.

The Bottom Line

Automating weld logs isn’t about getting rid of paper, it’s about making the process tighter and easier to trust. Digital records give you traceability you can prove, data that’s actually usable, and audits that don’t derail production.

With tools like Tulip, you can build the system yourself i.e. no coding, no waiting for IT. Start small if you need to. Manual entry today, sensors or AI later. What matters is having reliable data at the source.

A good digital weld log becomes part of how the work gets done. It cuts out rework, shortens feedback loops, and gives both operators and quality teams the same view of what’s happening in real time. That’s where the real gains come from.

You can try building an automated weld log in Tulip for free. Here’s an example of a form that allows operators to add detail on each individual weld.

You can build the app yourself, and then share a read-only version with operators and inspectors. Once operators start using the app, you can share data with executives and other engineers.