METHOD AND MONITORING DEVICE FOR WELDING BY MEANS OF A POSITIONING DEVICE

• US 20100270272A1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Stimmel, Burkhard, Jacob, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,395,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/117.100
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/25 Monitoring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/31 Electrode holders and actuating devices therefornot restricted to resistance welding or severing by resistance heating B23K37/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control

Abstract

In a method and device for automated welding using a positioning device, in particular a welding robot, a welding pose is occupied by the positioning device in a regulated manner, and the welding pose is flexibly held during the closing of an electrode holder, during the welding process and/or during the opening of the electrode holder.

Claims

1. A method for automated welding using a positioning device comprising an electrode holder, said method comprising the steps of:

from a computerized control unit, regulating said positioning device to cause said positioning device to occupy a welding pose during which a welding procedure occurs comprising opening and closing of said electrode holder; and

from said computerized control unit, flexibly holding said welding pose during a time selected from the group consisting of during closing of said electrode holder, during said welding procedure and during opening of said electrode holder.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising holding said electrode pose under control from said computerized control unit.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said positioning device comprises a plurality of joints that occupy respective joint positions and have respective joint velocities, and implementing the controlled holding of said welding pose from said computerized control unit independently of said joint positions and joint velocities.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said positioning device experiences predetermined forces acting thereon during said time, and wherein said computerized control unit is configured to automatically compensate for said predetermined forces to flexibly hold said welding pose.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said positioning device comprises a plurality of joints that respectively occupy joint positions and respectively have joint velocities, and comprising resetting at least one of said joint positions and joint velocities from said computerized control unit to regulate said positioning device to occupy said welding pose.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing a current pose of said positioning device as a reference pose for regulating said positioning device after flexibly holding said welding pose.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising monitoring a current pose of said positioning device during said flexible holding of said welding pose.

8. A device for automated welding using a positioning device comprising an electrode holder, said device comprising:

from a computerized control unit configured to regulate said positioning device to cause said positioning device to occupy a welding pose during which a welding procedure occurs comprising opening and closing of said electrode holder; and

from said computerized control unit being configured to flexibly hold said welding pose during a time selected from the group consisting of during closing of said electrode holder, during said welding procedure and during opening of said electrode holder.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a computerized control unit of an automated positioning device for welding, said positioning device comprising an electrode holder, and said programming instructions causing said computerized control unit to:

regulate said positioning device to cause said positioning device to occupy a welding pose during which a welding procedure occurs comprising opening and closing of said electrode holder; and

cause said positioning device to flexibly hold said welding pose during a time selected from the group consisting of during closing of said electrode holder, during said welding procedure and during opening of said electrode holder.