WELDING ALONG A SEAM USING A MULTIPLE-POINT ALIGNMENT METHOD

• US 20140207306A1
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaglepicher Technologies LLC (Eaglepicher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eaglepicher Technologies LLC (Eaglepicher Corporation)
• Inventors: GUAN, Feng
• Granted Patent: US 10,471,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/302
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/28 of curved planar seams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/125 Weld quality monitoring

Abstract

A method for generating a weld path aligned along a seam between two parts uses a computer having a control unit and a storage medium. The method includes aligning a crosshair line at a plurality of points along the seam and storing a position value for each of the plurality of points in the storage medium; calculating a width and a height of the seam based on the stored position values of each of the plurality of points; and generating the weld path based on the height and the width of the seam.

Claims

1. A method for generating a weld path aligned along a seam between two parts using a computer having a control unit and a storage medium, the method comprising:

aligning a crosshair line at a plurality of points along the seam and storing a position value for each of the plurality of points in the storage medium;

calculating a width and a height of the seam based on the stored position values of each of the plurality of points; and

generating the weld path based on the height and the width of the seam, the generating of the weld path being performed by the control unit.

2. A method for generating a weld path aligned along a seam between two parts using a computer having a control unit and a storage medium, the method comprising:

aligning a crosshair line at a first point on the seam and storing a first position value in the storage medium;

aligning the crosshair line at a second point on the seam and storing a second position value in the storage medium;

aligning the crosshair line at a third point on the seam and storing a third position value in the storage medium;

aligning the crosshair line at a fourth point on the seam and storing a fourth position value in the storage medium;

calculating a first distance between the stored first position value and the stored second position value;

calculating a radius of the seam based on the stored first position value and the stored second position value by dividing the first distance calculated in half;

calculating a second distance between the stored third position value and the stored fourth position value;

calculating a third distance, the third distance defined by a difference between the first distance and the second distance; and

generating the weld path based on the radius, the second distance, and the third distance, the generating of the weld path being performed by the control unit.

3. A method of welding two parts along a seam, the method comprising:

generating the weld path along the seam according to the method of claim 2;

storing the generated weld path in the storage medium; and

welding along the seam by following the stored weld path.

4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising:

performing a practice run after storing the weld path and prior to welding;

confirming that the stored weld path is aligned to the seam between the two parts; and

under the condition that the stored weld path and the seam are not aligned, adjusting the crosshair line at each of the first, second, third, and fourth points to align the crosshair line to the seam.

5. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:

adjusting the crosshair line at each of the first, second, third, and fourth points in increments of 0.0005 inches to align the crosshair line with the seam.

6. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:

correcting the stored first, second, third and fourth position values based on the adjustment of the crosshair line at each of the first, second, third, and fourth points; and

adjusting the stored weld path based on the corrected first, second, third and fourth position values such that the stored weld path is aligned to the seam.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the generated weld path is in the shape of an obround.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein

a first line connecting the first point and the second point defines a Y-direction;

a second line connecting the third point and the fourth point defines a X-direction perpendicular to the Y-direction; and

the generated weld path is centered over the seam in the Y-direction and centered over the seam in the X-direction.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program, which upon being executed, causes a processor to:

align a crosshair line at a first point on the seam and storing a first position value in the storage medium;

align the crosshair line at a second point on the seam and storing a second position value in the storage medium;

align the crosshair line at a third point on the seam and storing a third position value in the storage medium;

align the crosshair line at a fourth point on the seam and storing a fourth position value in the storage medium;

calculate a first distance between the stored first position value and the stored second position value;

calculate a radius of the seam based on the stored first position value and the stored second position value by dividing the first distance in half;

calculate a second distance between the stored third position value and the stored fourth position value;

calculate a third distance, the third distance defined by a difference between the first distance and the second distance; and

generate the weld path based on the radius, the second distance, and the third distance, the generating the weld path being performed by the control unit.