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Apparatus and method for regulating the weld seam position during laser welding of a butt-jointed workpiece

  • US 20040134891A1
  • Filed: 07/09/2003
  • Published: 07/15/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A regulated laser welding apparatus for laser welding a first workpiece and a second workpiece to join the workpieces along a joint, said apparatus comprising:

  • a laser welding device including a laser beam source arranged to be movable in a welding direction along said joint of said workpieces, wherein said laser beam source is further movable with respect to at least one of a location and an orientation thereof relative to said joint of said workpieces, and wherein said laser beam source is adapted to emit a laser bema directed at a weld point on said joint of said workpieces so as to form a weld seam therealong to join said workpieces;

    a sensor arrangement including a sensor arranged on or near said laser welding device and coupled to said laser welding device so as to move together with or following said laser beam source in said welding direction along said joint of said workpieces, wherein said sensor is directed at said weld seam formed by said laser beam along said weld joint so as to detect actual seam information characterizing at least one of an actual seam position and an actual seam flank angle of said weld seam that is actually formed by said laser beam;

    a weld seam position regulating arrangement that is connected to said sensor arrangement so as to receive said actual seam information, and that includes a regulating circuit adapted to carry out a comparison of said actual seam information with nominal desired seam information characterizing at least one of a desired seam position and a desired seam flank angle of said weld seam that is to be produced, and to generate a regulating value based on a result of said comparison; and

    an adjusting device that is connected to said weld seam position regulating arrangement so as to receive said regulating value, and that includes an actuator arrangement coupled to said laser welding device and adapted to adjust at least one of said location and said orientation of said laser beam source relative to said joint of said workpieces in response to and dependent on said regulating value.

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