Method and monitoring device for welding by means of a positioning device

• US 8,395,081 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/765,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20100270272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 219/86.7, 219/86.51, 219/109, 219/110, 219/121.63, 219/67, 219/72
• US Class Current: 219/121.67
• 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 comprising the steps of:

using a welding robot, comprising a plurality of articulated joints, to position an electrode holder to implement a welding procedure, said plurality of articulated joints allowing said welding robot to be configured into a plurality of different poses;

from a computerized control unit, regulating said welding robot to cause said welding robot to occupy a welding pose, that is among said plurality of different poses, during which said welding procedure occurs and, in said welding procedure, opening and closing 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 plurality of articulated joints of said welding robot 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 welding robot 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 plurality of articulated joints of said welding robot 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 welding robot 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 welding robot during said flexible holding of said welding pose.

8. A device for automated welding comprising:

a welding robot, comprising a plurality of articulated joints, with an electrode holder attached to one of said articulated joints, said welding robot being operable to implement a welding procedure, said plurality of articulated joints allowing said welding robot to be configured into a plurality of different poses;

a computerized control unit configured to regulate said welding robot to cause said welding robot to occupy a welding pose, that is among said plurality of different poses, during which said welding procedure occurs and, in said welding procedure, to open and close said electrode holder; and

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 welding robot comprising an electrode holder, said welding robot comprising a plurality of articulated joints that allow said welding robot to be configured into a plurality of different poses, and said programming instructions causing said computerized control unit to:

regulate said welding robot to cause said welding robot to occupy a welding pose, that is among said plurality of different poses, during which a welding procedure occurs and, in said welding procedure, to cause opening and closing of said electrode holder; and

cause said welding robot 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.