Optically controlled welding system
First Claim
1. An automated welding system including a robotic manipulator disposed for movement along a predetermined path and optical control means for control of said robotic manipulator along said predetermined path and optical control means for control of said robotic manipulator along said predetermined path, comprising:
- a welding torch body supported by said robotic manipulator and having a opening extending therethrough;
electrode support means disposed in said opening, for axially supporting a welding electrode therein so that said electrode extends in welding relation beyond one side of said torch body;
light reflectance and transmittance means, including a beam splitter, disposed on an opposite side of said torch body and over said opening, for providing first and second paths of light to and from said predetermined path, with said first and second paths of light being generally coaxial with said welding electrode;
weld pool contour detection means disposed to receive said first path of light, including a beam of light directed onto said weld pool and disposed to receive a reflected portion of said beam of light, for detecting contours of the weld pool and providing a first set of electrical signals representative thereof;
seam tracking means disposed to receive said second path of light, including an image processor for detecting the position of a seam to be welded and providing a second set of electrical signals representative thereof; and
robotic manipulator control coupled to said robotic manipulator and said weld pool contour detection means and said seam tracking means, for receiving said first and second sets of signals and controlling movement of said welding torch responsive thereto, whereby said welding electrode is made to traverse the seam to be welded while achieving optimum penetration of the weld pool.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optically controlled welding system (10) wherein a welding torch (12) having through-the-torch viewing capabilities is provided with an optical beam splitter (56) to create a transmitted view and a reflective view of a welding operation. These views are converted to digital signals which are then processed and utilized by a computerized robotic welder (15) to make the welding torch responsive thereto. Other features includes an actively cooled electrode holder (26) which minimizes a blocked portion of the view by virtue of being constructed of a single spoke or arm (28) and a weld pool contour detector (14) comprising a laser beam directed onto the weld pool with the position of specular radiation reflected therefrom being characteristic of a penetrated or unpenetrated condition of the weld pool.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automated welding system including a robotic manipulator disposed for movement along a predetermined path and optical control means for control of said robotic manipulator along said predetermined path and optical control means for control of said robotic manipulator along said predetermined path, comprising:
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a welding torch body supported by said robotic manipulator and having a opening extending therethrough; electrode support means disposed in said opening, for axially supporting a welding electrode therein so that said electrode extends in welding relation beyond one side of said torch body; light reflectance and transmittance means, including a beam splitter, disposed on an opposite side of said torch body and over said opening, for providing first and second paths of light to and from said predetermined path, with said first and second paths of light being generally coaxial with said welding electrode; weld pool contour detection means disposed to receive said first path of light, including a beam of light directed onto said weld pool and disposed to receive a reflected portion of said beam of light, for detecting contours of the weld pool and providing a first set of electrical signals representative thereof; seam tracking means disposed to receive said second path of light, including an image processor for detecting the position of a seam to be welded and providing a second set of electrical signals representative thereof; and robotic manipulator control coupled to said robotic manipulator and said weld pool contour detection means and said seam tracking means, for receiving said first and second sets of signals and controlling movement of said welding torch responsive thereto, whereby said welding electrode is made to traverse the seam to be welded while achieving optimum penetration of the weld pool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In an optically controlled welding system having a welding torch with through the torch welding capabilities and a robotic manipulator for controlling the movement of said welding torch relative to a predetermined path, a method of controlling the movement of said welding torch and quality of the resultant weld pool comprising the steps of:
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supporting an electrode near the center of said welding torch and in spaced relationship from the sides of said torch to create a line of sight opening between said electrode and said sides, directing a beam of light through said opening to intersect the longitudinal axis of said electrode and impinge on said weld pool, at least a portion of said beam returning back through said opening into said torch, splitting said return beam of light in at least first and second paths relative to the direction of said return beam, generating a first set of electrical signals in response to said split beam of light in said first path which is indicative of the contours of said weld pool, generating a second set of electrical signals in response to said split beam of light in said second path which is indicative of the position of said welding torch relative to said predetermined path, and generating command signals to said robotic manipulator in response to said first and second sets of electrical signals to control movement of said torch whereby said electrode is made to traverse said predetermined path in response to said second set of signals while at the same time achieving optimum penetration of said weld pool in response to said first set of signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In an optically controlled welding system having a welding torch with an electrode concentrically supported at the center thereof providing through the torch welding capabilities, a robotic manipulator for adjusting the position of said welding torch relative to a predetermined path, and control feedback circuitry for providing control signals to said robotic manipulator to direct the position adjustment of said welding torch, a means for providing multiple views of the resultant weld pool and corresponding signals to said control feedback circuitry comprising:
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means for directing a beam of light lengthwise through said welding torch between the sides of said torch and said electrode to impinge on said weld pool, means for receiving said beam impinging on said weld pool, said means including a means for splitting the received beam into at least two different directions, means responsive to the received beam split along a first direction to generate a first set of electrical signals representative of the contours of said weld pool and conduct said first set of signals to said control feedback circuitry, and means responsive to the received beam split along a second direction to generate a second set of electrical signals representative of the position of said welding torch relative to said predetermined path and conduct said second set of signals to said control feedback circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification