Control method of a welding apparatus and welding apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a control method of a welding device and the welding device. The control method comprises the following steps: when the two-dimensional coordinates of the mobile device are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of a feature point, taking the position information of the feature point as initial position information; determining a calibration feature point through the calibration device, taking the original corresponding position information of the calibration feature point as reference position information, and taking the current position information of the calibration feature point relative to a reference horizontal plane as calibration position information; correcting the initial position information according to the reference position information and the calibration position information to obtain target position information; and controlling the welding device to move according to the target position information, so as to correct the position of the welding device and make the welding device weld a weld seam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of welding technology, specifically relating to control methods for welding equipment and welding equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the storage and transportation industry and other industries, the demand for large stainless steel workpieces is increasing in various industries, especially for large stainless steel storage tanks, which are core storage equipment and whose demand continues to grow. Due to the enormous size and extremely high difficulty in transporting large stainless steel storage tanks, they must be assembled by welding sections on-site. Traditional fixed-base welding robots are limited by their operating range and cannot meet the needs of on-site construction. Mobile welding robots, capable of moving autonomously along the weld seam, have emerged and are gradually replacing manual labor as the core equipment for on-site welding of large storage tanks, effectively reducing the labor intensity of workers and improving the standardization of welding operations.

[0003] To avoid damage to optical detection components from the strong arc light and high-temperature spatter generated during welding, laser weld seam trackers typically need to maintain a certain distance from the welding torch to collect weld seam feature information and plan the welding path in advance. However, the on-site construction ground for large workpieces generally has problems such as local undulations, uneven foundation settlement, and construction-related protrusions or depressions. During operation, the mobile welding robot will experience vertical displacement and slight posture changes due to these ground undulations, causing a significant deviation between the relative height coordinates of the weld seam collected by the weld seam tracker and the actual height coordinates of the welding torch when it reaches that position. This deviation directly leads to uncontrolled distance between the welding torch and the weld seam, resulting in quality defects such as burn-through, incomplete penetration, excessive weld reinforcement, or poor weld formation, seriously affecting the structural strength, sealing performance, and service life of the storage tank.

[0004] Therefore, how to accurately detect weld height in uneven ground environments, correct the impact of ground undulations on welding equipment in real time, and ensure the accuracy and quality stability of long-distance continuous welding by mobile welding equipment are technical problems that urgently need to be solved in the current field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to achieve accurate detection of weld height in uneven ground environments at low cost, correct the impact of ground undulations on the welding device in real time, and ensure the accuracy and quality stability of long-distance continuous welding by mobile welding equipment.

[0006] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this application.

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for controlling a welding device is provided, the welding device comprising:

[0008] A moving device for moving the welding equipment and providing a dynamically changing reference level as the ground undulates during the movement; A welding device, which is connected to the moving device and moves with the moving device, is used to weld seams; The calibration device moves along the weld and is used to acquire the position information of feature points on the weld relative to the reference horizontal plane at set intervals. The feature points refer to the points on the weld where the calibration device collects position information as it moves. The control method includes: When the two-dimensional coordinates of the mobile device are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of a feature point, the position information of the feature point is used as the initial position information. The calibration device determines the calibration feature point, and the original position information corresponding to the calibration feature point is used as the reference position information. The current position information of the calibration feature point relative to the reference horizontal plane is used as the calibration position information. Based on the reference position information and the calibration position information, the initial position information is corrected to obtain the target position information; The welding device is controlled to move according to the target position information in order to correct its position and enable it to weld the weld seam.

[0009] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the calibration device is disposed on the mobile device and moves together with the mobile device, and the calibration device includes a first weld seam tracker and a second weld seam tracker; The second weld tracker is disposed adjacent to the welding device, and the horizontal distance between the second weld tracker and the welding device is a first length; The first weld seam tracker is located on the side of the second weld seam tracker away from the welding device, and the horizontal distance between the first weld seam tracker and the second weld seam tracker is a first length. The welding device, the second weld seam tracker, and the first weld seam tracker are arranged in the same direction as the moving device. The horizontal movement distance of the mobile device within a set time period is taken as the second length, and the product of the second length and a certain positive integer is the first length; The control method further includes: In response to a start command or at set intervals after the start command, the position information of the intersection point between the first weld tracker and the weld is obtained as the first position information based on the reference horizontal plane. Based on the reference horizontal plane, the position information of the intersection of the second weld tracker and the weld is used as the second position information, and the points on the weld with the second position information are used as feature points. The feature points that are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of the mobile device are selected as the feature points, and the second position information of the selected feature points is obtained and determined as the initial position information. The current feature point of the second weld seam tracker is used as the calibration feature point. The first position information of the calibration feature point is obtained and determined as the reference position information, and the second position information is used as the calibration position information.

[0010] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, each time the second location information is acquired, the second location information is stored, and the second location information is sorted according to the acquisition time of the second location information; Acquiring and determining the second position information of the selected feature point as the initial position information includes: After the selected feature point is determined, the first quantity is calculated based on the first length, the moving speed of the mobile device, and the data acquisition frequency. The data acquisition frequency refers to the parameter calculated based on the set duration. Starting from the latest acquired second location information, the first number of second location information are deduced backwards from the second location information to form the initial location information.

[0011] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the method further includes: The newly acquired second location information is used as the calibration location information.

[0012] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, each time the first location information is acquired, the first location information is stored, and the first location information is sorted according to the acquisition time of the first location information; Acquiring and determining the first position information of the calibrated feature points as reference position information includes: After determining the calibration feature points, a second quantity is calculated based on the first length, the moving speed of the mobile device, and the data acquisition frequency. The data acquisition frequency refers to a parameter calculated based on the set duration. Starting from the latest acquired first location information, a second number of first location information are deduced backwards from the first location information as reference location information.

[0013] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the first length and the second length are equal; The method further includes: At set intervals, the previously acquired first location information is used as the reference location information; the latest acquired second location information is used as the calibration location information; and the previously acquired second location information is used as the initial location information.

[0014] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the initial position information is corrected based on the reference position information and the calibration position information to obtain target position information, including: The height information in the reference position information is used as the first height, and the height information in the calibration position information is used as the second height; The difference between the second height and the first height is used as the height adjustment value; Based on the height adjustment value, the height information in the initial position information is adjusted to obtain the target position information.

[0015] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the method further includes: Draw a ray vertically downward from the tip of the welding torch in the welding device, and take the intersection of the ray and the moving device as the selected point; draw a horizontal plane through the selected point as the reference horizontal plane.

[0016] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the method further includes: The position of the welding device is corrected at set intervals to ensure precise welding of the weld seam until the second weld seam tracker can no longer detect the weld seam. The welding device is controlled to continue moving at the current height to weld the first length, and then the welding equipment is shut down.

[0017] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a welding apparatus is provided, the welding apparatus comprising: A moving device for moving the welding equipment and providing a dynamically changing reference level as the ground undulates during the movement; A welding device, which is connected to the moving device and moves with the moving device, is used to weld seams; The calibration device moves along the weld and is used to acquire the position information of feature points on the weld relative to the reference horizontal plane at set intervals. The feature points refer to the points on the weld where the calibration device collects position information as it moves. A control unit configured to execute the control method described in any one of the above descriptions.

[0018] This technical solution provides a control method for welding equipment. The welding equipment includes: a moving device for moving the welding equipment and providing a dynamically changing reference horizontal plane as the ground undulates during the movement; a welding device connected to the moving device and moving with the moving device for welding the weld; and a calibration device that moves along the weld and is used to acquire the position information of feature points on the weld relative to the reference horizontal plane at set intervals. The feature points are the points on the weld where the calibration device acquires position information as it moves. Control methods include: When the two-dimensional coordinates of the moving device are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of a feature point, the position information of the feature point is used as the initial position information. The feature point is calibrated by the calibration device, and the original position information corresponding to the calibrated feature point is used as the reference position information. The current position information of the calibrated feature point relative to the reference horizontal plane is used as the calibration position information. The initial position information is corrected according to the reference position information and the calibration position information to obtain the target position information. The welding device is controlled to move according to the target position information to correct the position of the welding device and enable the welding device to weld the weld.

[0019] In this technical solution, accurate correction of ground undulation errors is achieved by comparing the positions of the same weld feature points, eliminating the need for additional tilt, acceleration, or other sensors. Since the spatial position of the weld feature points is fixed, the difference between their original reference position information and the current calibrated position information represents the change in the reference horizontal plane caused by the moving device's movement due to ground undulations. Using this change to correct the initial position information separates the coupling between ground undulation interference and the true weld position information, resulting in an accurate target welding position. Controlling the welding device to connect the weld seam accordingly effectively solves the problem of welding torch height deviation during moving welding on uneven ground, avoiding defects such as burn-through and incomplete penetration, improving welding accuracy and weld formation quality, while reducing equipment costs and system complexity, making it suitable for long-distance continuous welding operations on large storage tanks.

[0020] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this application.

[0021] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 A flowchart of a control method for a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0025] Figure 3A flowchart illustrating the acquisition of initial location information and calibration location information according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0026] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the acquisition and determination of second position information of selected feature points as initial position information according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the acquisition and determination of first position information of calibrated feature points as reference position information according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0028] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a process according to an embodiment of this application, in which initial position information is corrected based on reference position information and calibration position information to obtain target position information, is shown.

[0029] Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the dynamic correction of the welding position of a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0030] Figure 8 A block diagram of a computer device structure for executing a control method of a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0032] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0033] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0034] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0035] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "module" or "unit" refer to a computer program or part of a computer program that has a predetermined function and works with other related parts to achieve a predetermined goal, and can be implemented wholly or partially using software, hardware (such as processing circuitry or memory), or a combination thereof. Similarly, a processor (or multiple processors or memory) can be used to implement one or more modules or units. Furthermore, each module or unit can be part of an overall module or unit that includes the functionality of that module or unit.

[0036] First, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The welding apparatus described in this application includes a moving device, a welding device, and a calibration device. Each module is rigidly connected and electrically communicated to form an integrated system. The whole system moves continuously along the weld direction and completes high-precision welding operations.

[0037] The mobile device serves as the walking carrier and dynamic reference platform for the entire welding equipment. It can move autonomously and at a constant speed along a preset path. Its body plane will rise and fall synchronously with the undulations of the ground, providing a dynamically changing reference horizontal plane for all position measurements. It is a unified benchmark for the data collected by the calibration device.

[0038] The mobile device provides a mounting base for other components, such as a welding device fixed to its upper platform, which moves synchronously with the mobile device. In some embodiments, the mobile device integrates a drive motor, encoder, and positioning module, enabling it to output its two-dimensional coordinates and travel speed in real time. The two-dimensional coordinates refer to the X and Y axes of the machining coordinate system in which the mobile device operates. The machining coordinate system includes three axes: X, Y, and Z. The X and Y axes are perpendicular to each other. The Z-axis is perpendicular to the plane containing the X and Y axes and is used to describe the height of the welding device and the height of the weld.

[0039] The mobile device is located at the bottom of the entire welding equipment, and the upper platform is the installation space. All upper-level components are installed in this space to ensure that the relative positional accuracy of the mobile device, welding device, and calibration device is not affected by driving vibration.

[0040] The welding device, acting as the actuator for the welding operation, moves synchronously with the moving device. It receives control commands to adjust its spatial position, achieving precise alignment with the weld seam, and outputs welding current to melt and weld the seam. Simultaneously, it provides a reference point for establishing a horizontal plane. It is important to note that the welding device is positioned directly above the moving device, and its height is adjustable.

[0041] In some embodiments, the welding apparatus includes a welding torch and a motion gimbal. The motion gimbal is mounted on a moving device, and the welding torch is mounted on the motion gimbal. The motion gimbal can drive the welding torch to move up and down. The welding power source is integrated inside the moving device, and the welding torch is connected to the welding power source via a cable. The drive motor of the motion gimbal is electrically connected to the control unit, enabling high-precision vertical position adjustment.

[0042] The calibration device, as the core sensor module for weld position detection, moves continuously along the weld and collects the three-dimensional position information of feature points on the weld relative to the horizontal plane of the moving device at set intervals.

[0043] In some embodiments, the welding equipment includes a control unit, which serves as the control core of the entire welding equipment. The control unit has a built-in processor and memory for storing position data collected by the calibration device, executing preset control algorithms, calculating the ground height change and the target position of the welding device, and sending control commands to the moving device and the welding device to achieve fully automated welding.

[0044] In some embodiments, the reference horizontal plane of the moving device can be obtained in the following manner: A ray is drawn vertically downward from the tip of the welding torch in the welding device, and the intersection of the ray and the moving device is taken as the selected point; a horizontal plane is drawn through the selected point as the reference horizontal plane. It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the welding device (welding torch) is located directly above the moving device, that is, the line between the two is perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0045] The welding torch tip was chosen as the starting point for the ray because it is the final execution point of the welding operation. A reference horizontal plane established using it as a benchmark directly reflects the relative positional relationship between the welding torch and the weld, avoiding intermediate errors caused by the separation of the benchmark and the execution point. Drawing a ray vertically downwards and taking its intersection with the moving device as the selected point ensures that the benchmark is fixed to the moving device and can move up and down with the terrain, thus giving the subsequently established reference horizontal plane a dynamic characteristic.

[0046] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This application provides execution steps of a control method for a welding apparatus, including: Step S110: When the two-dimensional coordinates of the mobile device are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of a feature point, the position information of the feature point is used as the initial position information. Step S120: Determine the calibration feature point through the calibration device, use the original position information corresponding to the calibration feature point as the reference position information, and use the current position information of the calibration feature point relative to the reference horizontal plane as the calibration position information. Step S130: Based on the reference position information and the calibration position information, the initial position information is corrected to obtain the target position information; Step S140: Control the welding device to move according to the target position information to correct the position of the welding device and enable the welding device to weld the weld seam.

[0047] The four steps described above are described in detail below.

[0048] It should be clarified that the moving device starts moving and the welding device (welding torch) starts welding the weld. That is, this application keeps the weld together during the movement and does not stop the welding process, but only adjusts the position of the welding torch from time to time.

[0049] In step S110, the mobile device refers to the walking carrier of the welding equipment, which can move autonomously along the weld seam direction. Its body plane will change up and down synchronously with the undulations of the ground, providing a dynamic reference for all position measurements. Feature points are discrete points on the weld seam whose position information is collected during the movement of the reference device. Their absolute spatial position remains fixed, and only their measured values ​​relative to the reference horizontal plane change. Two-dimensional coordinates refer to the X and Y axis coordinates on the horizontal plane, used to represent the horizontal position of the mobile device and feature points, excluding vertical height information.

[0050] In some embodiments, two-dimensional coordinates refer to the X and Y axis coordinates of the processing coordinate system in which the moving device is located. The two coordinate axes are perpendicular to each other. The Z-axis coordinate is perpendicular to the plane containing the X and Y axes. It can be used to describe the height of the welding device and the height of the weld.

[0051] In some embodiments, the calibration device moves forward at a constant speed along the weld. The calibration device continuously determines points at different positions on the weld as feature points at fixed time intervals or fixed distance intervals, and acquires and stores the position information of each feature point, which includes two-dimensional coordinates and relative height information.

[0052] In some embodiments, the calibration device may include a detached weld seam tracker. Before welding, the detached weld seam tracker is controlled to move horizontally and uniformly along the weld seam. At predetermined time intervals or at predetermined weld seam lengths, points on the weld seam are used as feature points to acquire and store position information, thereby obtaining the position information of all feature points on the weld seam. At this time, the position information of the feature points is relative to the reference horizontal plane provided by the moving device at its original position.

[0053] In some embodiments, the calibration device is mounted on the front end of the mobile device and moves with it. The calibration device is located on the mobile device and moves with it. The calibration device includes a first weld seam tracker and a second weld seam tracker. The second weld seam tracker is disposed adjacent to the welding device. The first weld seam tracker is located on the side of the second weld seam tracker away from the welding device, and the horizontal distance between the first and second weld seam trackers is a first length. The welding device, the second weld seam tracker, and the first weld seam tracker are arranged in the same direction as the movement direction of the mobile device. As the mobile device moves, the first and second weld seam trackers continuously collect feature points at different locations on the weld seam at fixed time intervals or fixed distance intervals.

[0054] When the mobile device reaches a certain position and its horizontal two-dimensional coordinates perfectly coincide with the two-dimensional coordinates of a historically stored feature point, it indicates that the welding device (welding torch) needs to weld at that feature point. At this point, the location information of that feature point, collected at an earlier time, is extracted from historical data and used as the basis for subsequent adjustments to the welding height—that is, the initial position information. It's important to note that due to potential ground undulations, the plane of the mobile device's body (reference horizontal plane) may have changed from the reference horizontal plane when this initial position information was collected. Therefore, the initial position information cannot be directly used to control the welding torch height. It should be clarified that the welding device is positioned directly above the mobile device, and its height is adjustable.

[0055] In step S120, the calibration device refers to a position detection mechanism that moves along the weld seam. It collects three-dimensional coordinate data (i.e., position information) of feature points on the weld seam relative to a reference horizontal plane at fixed time intervals, and is the core sensor for acquiring weld seam information. The reference horizontal plane is a virtual horizontal plane established based on the current plane of the moving device. It dynamically changes with ground undulations, and all measurement results from the calibration device are relative to this plane. Calibration feature point: The same weld seam feature point measured twice by the calibration device, used to calculate the change in the reference horizontal plane caused by ground undulations. Reference position information: The relative position information of the calibration feature point when it was first measured by the calibration device, reflecting the height of the point relative to the historical reference horizontal plane. Calibration position information: The relative position information of the calibration feature point when it is currently measured by the calibration device, reflecting the height of the point relative to the current dynamic reference horizontal plane.

[0056] While acquiring initial position information, the calibration device scans the weld at the current location in real time, collecting new feature point data. It then performs two-dimensional coordinate matching between the currently acquired feature point and all historically stored feature points, finding a previously acquired point as the calibration feature point. Since the absolute spatial position of the weld feature point is fixed, while the reference horizontal plane of the moving device changes with ground undulations, the height of the same calibration feature point relative to the reference horizontal plane will differ when measured at different times. Using the historical data from the first measurement of this calibration feature point as the reference position information and the current measurement data as the calibration position information, the height difference between the two represents the change in the reference horizontal plane caused by ground undulations between the two measurements.

[0057] In step S130, correction refers to calculating the height difference between the reference position information and the calibration position information to obtain the offset of the reference horizontal plane caused by ground undulation, and then superimposing this offset into the initial position information to eliminate ground interference. The target position information refers to the initial position information after ground undulation error correction, which can accurately reflect the true absolute position of the weld feature points and is not affected by the current attitude of the moving device.

[0058] Since the reference position information and the calibration position information are measurement results of the same fixed spatial point under different reference horizontal planes, the height difference between the two is entirely due to the height change of the moving device caused by the ground undulations, and is unrelated to the height change of the weld itself. Therefore, by using this height change as a correction value and adding it to the initial position information, the interference of ground undulations on the initial measurement data can be offset, and the true height of the weld feature point relative to the current reference horizontal plane can be obtained, which is the height that the welding torch needs to accurately reach.

[0059] In step S140, the position correction of the welding device refers to adjusting the spatial position and / or posture of the welding device so that the tip of the welding torch is precisely aligned with the center of the weld, ensuring that the distance between the welding torch and the weld meets the welding process requirements.

[0060] Based on the calculated target position information, a command is sent to the lifting drive motor of the welding device, driving the welding torch to move vertically to the height corresponding to the target position information. Simultaneously, the horizontal position of the welding torch is finely adjusted to ensure the torch tip is precisely aligned with the center of the weld feature point, completing the butt joint correction. The welding torch is then controlled to weld that section of the weld. Through this real-time correction method, even if the moving device's height changes due to ground undulations, the welding torch can always maintain the correct distance from the weld, ensuring welding quality.

[0061] The welding equipment control method described in this application utilizes the physical characteristic that the absolute spatial position of weld feature points remains unchanged. By accurately calculating the height change caused by ground undulations through the position difference between two consecutive measurements of the same feature point, the welding position is dynamically corrected. This fundamentally solves the core technical problem of welding torch height deviation for mobile welding robots on uneven ground. Furthermore, the weld does not need to be a straight line; it can also have fluctuations. This method eliminates the need for expensive additional detection equipment such as tilt sensors, acceleration sensors, or lidar. Error correction can be achieved simply through repeated measurements using existing calibration devices, significantly reducing equipment costs and system complexity. It also avoids the time synchronization and accuracy matching challenges associated with multi-sensor data fusion. By separating ground undulation interference from the actual weld position information in real time, it ensures that the welding device is always precisely aligned with the weld, effectively avoiding quality defects such as burn-through, incomplete penetration, excessive weld height, or poor weld formation, and significantly improving the consistency of welding accuracy and weld formation quality. In addition, the method adopts a working mode of repeated execution at set intervals, which can adapt to the dynamic changes of ground undulations in long-distance continuous welding operations, perfectly adapting to on-site welding scenarios such as large stainless steel storage tanks, ensuring the stability of welding quality throughout the process, while reducing the need for manual monitoring and intervention, and improving welding operation efficiency.

[0062] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 1 The calibration device is mounted on the mobile device and moves with it. The calibration device includes a first weld seam tracker and a second weld seam tracker. The second weld seam tracker is arranged adjacent to the welding device, with a horizontal distance of a first length between them. The first weld seam tracker is located on the side of the second weld seam tracker away from the welding device, and the horizontal distance between the first and second weld seam trackers is also the first length. The welding device, the second weld seam tracker, and the first weld seam tracker are arranged in the same direction as the movement direction of the mobile device. In some embodiments, all three are always in the same plane. According to the movement direction of the mobile device, their arrangement order is welding device, second weld seam tracker, and first weld seam tracker.

[0063] The horizontal movement distance of the mobile device within a set time period is taken as the second length, and the product of the second length and a certain positive integer is taken as the first length. This ensures that a certain feature point on the weld seam will be passed by the first weld seam tracker, the second weld seam tracker, and the welding device in turn. This ensures that when the welding device reaches the two-dimensional coordinates corresponding to the feature point, the second weld seam tracker will also coincide with a point on the weld seam (the point whose position information has been collected by the first weld seam tracker).

[0064] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3A flowchart illustrating the acquisition of initial position information and calibration position information according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This application embodiment provides steps for acquiring initial position information and calibration position information, including: Step S201: In response to the start command or at a set time interval after the start command, the position information of the intersection point between the first weld tracker and the weld is obtained as the first position information based on the reference horizontal plane; Step S202: Based on the reference horizontal plane, the position information of the intersection point between the second weld tracker and the weld is used as the second position information, and the points on the weld with the second position information are used as feature points. Step S203: Select the feature point that is the same as the two-dimensional coordinate of the mobile device as the selected feature point, and obtain and determine the second position information of the selected feature point as the initial position information; Step S204: Take the current feature point of the second weld tracker as the calibration feature point, obtain and determine the first position information of the calibration feature point as the reference position information, and the second position information as the calibration position information.

[0065] The above four steps are described in detail below.

[0066] In step S201, in this embodiment, the calibration device consists of a first weld seam tracker and a second weld seam tracker, used to collect the position information of weld seam feature points relative to a reference horizontal plane. The first weld seam tracker is a laser detection sensor installed at the front end of the calibration device, used to collect the position information of the weld seam ahead in advance. The second weld seam tracker is a laser detection sensor installed between the first weld seam tracker and the welding device, and has the same structure and performance as the first weld seam tracker. The first length refers to the horizontal distance between the second weld seam tracker and the welding device, and also the horizontal distance between the first and second weld seam trackers; the three are equidistant along the direction of movement. The second length refers to the horizontal movement distance of the moving device within a set time period, and its value is equal to the movement speed multiplied by the set time period. Furthermore, the first length is a positive integer multiple of the second length.

[0067] The set duration refers to a pre-defined fixed time interval, which serves as the time reference for the calibration device to collect data and determines the data acquisition frequency. In some embodiments, the set duration can be user-defined or adjusted according to the welding precision (or called from existing parameters). The higher the welding precision, the shorter the set duration.

[0068] Upon receiving a start command generated based on user operation, the first weld seam tracker immediately activates and begins data acquisition. Subsequently, after a pre-set fixed time interval, the first weld seam tracker automatically acquires its position information relative to the reference horizontal plane at the weld seam intersection (or, in other words, the position of the first weld seam tracker on the weld seam), and marks this data as the first position information. This fixed-interval acquisition method ensures that feature points on the weld seam are recorded uniformly and continuously, providing fundamental data for subsequent position matching and error correction.

[0069] In step S202, in this embodiment of the application, the second position information refers to the relative position data of the second weld tracker and its intersection with the weld (or the position of the second weld tracker on the weld), which includes height information and two-dimensional coordinates. Feature points refer to discrete points on the weld whose position information is collected by the second weld tracker. Their absolute spatial position is fixed and they serve as reference points for subsequent position matching and error calculation.

[0070] Synchronous with the first weld seam tracker, the second weld seam tracker also collects its position information relative to the reference horizontal plane at set intervals; this data is the second position information. Since the points collected by the second weld seam tracker are the points that the subsequent welding device will weld, these points are defined as feature points on the weld seam.

[0071] In step S203, the selected feature point refers to the feature point that coincides with the two-dimensional coordinates of the current moving device, which is the point that the welding device is about to weld. The initial position information refers to the second position information when the selected feature point is collected by the second weld seam tracker, which is the original reference data for the welding position of the welding torch.

[0072] Since the first length is a positive integer multiple of the second length, after the moving device moves forward an integer number of the second length, its horizontal two-dimensional coordinates will completely coincide with the two-dimensional coordinates of a previously selected feature point. This feature point is then identified as the selected feature point, indicating that the welding device has reached either directly above or below it. The second position information of this selected feature point, initially captured by the second weld seam tracker, is extracted from historical data and used as the initial position information for subsequent adjustments to the welding height. The integer multiple relationship between the first and second lengths ensures that the feature point will be passed by the first weld seam tracker, the second weld seam tracker, and the welding device in turn.

[0073] In step S204, the calibration feature point refers to the point where the second weld seam tracker intersects with the weld seam at the current moment. This point has previously had its first position information collected by the first weld seam tracker. The reference position information is the first position information of the calibration feature point when it was collected by the first weld seam tracker, reflecting the height of the point relative to the historical reference horizontal plane. The calibration position information is the second position information of the calibration feature point when it is currently collected by the second weld seam tracker, reflecting the height of the point relative to the current reference horizontal plane.

[0074] While selecting the feature point, the second weld seam tracker also intersects with the weld seam at a point whose position information has already been collected by the first weld seam tracker; this intersection point is the calibration feature point. Since the distance between the first and second weld seam trackers is a first length, and this first length is a positive integer multiple of the second length, the calibration feature point has already had its first position information collected by the first weld seam tracker at some previous time. The first position information corresponding to this calibration feature point is extracted from historical stored data as reference position information, while the second position information of this point currently collected by the second weld seam tracker is used as calibration position information. The difference in height values ​​between these two position information values ​​represents the change in height of the mobile device due to ground undulations between the two measurements.

[0075] This embodiment of the application defines a calibration device consisting of two equally spaced weld seam trackers, with the three components arranged sequentially along the direction of movement: the welding device, the second weld seam tracker, and the first weld seam tracker. It also specifies that the first length is a positive integer multiple of the second length, achieving time-series matching where the welding device, the second weld seam tracker, and the first weld seam tracker pass through the same feature point on the weld seam in turn. This provides the hardware foundation and data logic support for calculating ground undulation errors using sequential measurements of the same feature point. This structure eliminates the need for additional tilt, acceleration, or other sensors, completing data acquisition solely through two identical laser weld seam trackers, significantly reducing equipment costs and system complexity.

[0076] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the acquisition and determination of second position information of a selected feature point as initial position information according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This application provides steps for acquiring and determining second position information of a selected feature point as initial position information, including: Step S301: After determining the selected feature point, calculate the first quantity based on the first length, the moving speed of the mobile device, and the data acquisition frequency. The data acquisition frequency refers to the parameter calculated based on the set duration. Step S302: Starting from the latest acquired second location information, a first number of second location information are deduced backward from the second location information to form the initial location information.

[0077] The two steps described above are described in detail below.

[0078] Each time the second weld seam tracker completes a weld seam scan and outputs new second position information, the data is immediately saved to memory. Simultaneously, all stored second position information is arranged strictly according to the order of acquisition, forming a continuous, chronological sequence of second position information. This sequence forms the basis for subsequent data backtracking. Because each feature point on the weld seam is first acquired by the second weld seam tracker, and the welding torch only moves to that feature point location for welding after a certain period, the time-series storage method ensures a one-to-one correspondence between historically acquired weld seam information and the current welding torch position, avoiding position matching errors caused by data corruption.

[0079] In step S301, the moving speed of the mobile device refers to the linear velocity of the mobile device moving along the weld seam extension direction, which is usually kept constant during normal welding. The data acquisition frequency refers to the number of times the second weld seam tracker acquires the second position information per unit time, and its value is equal to 1 divided by the set duration (i.e., the time interval between two consecutive acquisitions). The first quantity refers to the number of second position information that needs to be traced back from the latest second position information, used to locate the historical second position information corresponding to the selected feature point.

[0080] After determining the selected feature point to be welded based on the current position of the mobile device, it is necessary to calculate the position of the second position information corresponding to the selected feature point in the stored time series. The three parameters used in the calculation have a clear physical relationship: the first length is the fixed distance between the second weld seam tracker and the welding torch; the moving speed determines the time required for the welding torch to travel that distance; and the data acquisition frequency determines the total number of second position information points collected by the second weld seam tracker during this time. This total number is the first quantity. The calculation formula can be expressed as: First Quantity = (First Length ÷ Moving Speed ​​of the Mobile Device) × Data Acquisition Frequency. For example, if the first length is 100mm, the moving speed is 10mm / s, and the data acquisition frequency is 1Hz (corresponding to a set duration of 1s), then it takes 10s for the welding torch to move from the position of the second weld seam tracker to the current position. During this time, a total of 10 second position information points are collected, therefore the first quantity is 10. The first quantity calculated using this method accurately reflects the number of data backtracking steps and adapts to different welding speeds and acquisition frequency requirements.

[0081] In step S302, the most recently acquired second position information refers to the second position information just collected at the current moment, located at the end of the time series, corresponding to the weld information at the current position of the second weld tracker. The starting point refers to the starting position of the backtracking second position information sequence, that is, the last data point of the time series.

[0082] After calculating the first number, starting from the latest acquired second position information, the system traces back the first number of data points along the second position information sequence ordered by time (i.e., towards an earlier time). The found data point is the second position information corresponding to the selected feature point, and this is used as the initial position information. The logic of this operation is that the latest second position information corresponds to the current position of the second weld seam tracker, while the first number of data points traced back correspond precisely to the information acquired by the second weld seam tracker at a position a first length distance ago, which is the historical second position information of the current welding torch position (selected feature point). In this way, the weld seam information acquired in advance by the second weld seam tracker can be accurately correlated with the current welding position of the welding torch, providing accurate original reference data for subsequently eliminating height errors caused by ground undulations.

[0083] This application embodiment achieves automated and accurate acquisition of initial position information by specifying a time-series storage and sorting method for the second position information, and a method for calculating a first quantity based on a first length, moving speed, and acquisition frequency, and then backtracking to obtain the initial position information. First, the storage method sorted by acquisition time ensures data traceability, enabling historically acquired weld information to accurately correspond to the current welding torch position, avoiding position matching errors caused by data confusion, and laying a reliable data foundation for subsequent height correction. Second, calculating the first quantity using three key physical parameters, rather than using a fixed number of backtracking steps, adapts to different moving speeds and acquisition frequencies, improving the method's versatility and adaptability, and ensuring accurate location of corresponding data points under different welding conditions. Third, the method of backtracking to obtain the initial position information fully utilizes the pre-acquisition advantage of the second weld tracker, using its pre-acquisitioned weld information as the original reference during welding, effectively solving the weld position measurement error problem caused by the laser tracker's pre-positioning distance and ground undulations, thereby significantly improving the accuracy of the welding position and the quality of the weld formation. Meanwhile, the entire process is fully automated and requires no human intervention, which improves the automation level and work efficiency of welding equipment and reduces the labor intensity and error probability of manual operation.

[0084] In some embodiments, since the weld feature point where the second weld tracker is currently located is the calibration feature point, and the latest acquired second position information is the real-time measurement result of the second weld tracker on the current calibration feature point, no additional feature point matching, coordinate transformation, or data lookup operations are required; the latest data can be directly used as the calibration position information. Combined with the rule of storing the second position information in sorted order by acquisition time, the latest acquired second position information is always at the end of the second position information sequence, allowing direct reading of this last data without traversing the entire sequence, significantly simplifying the data acquisition process. This step ensures that the calibration position information accurately reflects the real-time position of the calibration feature point relative to the current dynamic reference horizontal plane, providing a reliable data foundation for subsequent calculation of accurate height adjustment values.

[0085] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the acquisition and determination of first location information of calibrated feature points as reference location information according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Each time first location information is acquired, it is stored and sorted according to the acquisition time. This embodiment provides steps for acquiring and determining first location information of calibrated feature points as reference location information, including: Step S401: After determining the calibration feature points, calculate the second quantity based on the first length, the moving speed of the mobile device, and the data acquisition frequency. The data acquisition frequency refers to the parameter calculated based on the set duration. Step S402: Starting from the latest acquired first location information, a second number of first location information are deduced backward from the first location information as reference location information.

[0086] The two steps described above are described in detail below.

[0087] Each time the first weld seam tracker completes the acquisition of its position information at the weld seam intersection and generates new first position information, this data is saved to the memory. Simultaneously, all stored first position information is arranged strictly according to the order of acquisition, forming a continuous, chronological sequence of first position information. This sequence forms the basis for subsequent data backtracking, because each feature point on the weld seam is first acquired by the first weld seam tracker, and the second weld seam tracker only moves to that feature point position after a certain period. This time-series storage method ensures a one-to-one correspondence between historically acquired weld seam information and the current position of the second weld seam tracker, avoiding feature point matching errors caused by data corruption.

[0088] In step S401, the second quantity refers to the total number of first position information entries collected by the first weld seam tracker from the time the first weld seam tracker collects the first position information of a certain feature point until the second weld seam tracker travels to that feature point. The moving speed refers to the speed at which the moving device travels uniformly along the weld seam direction, typically measured in mm / s. The data acquisition frequency refers to the number of times the first weld seam tracker acquires the first position information per unit time, and its value is equal to 1 divided by the set duration, measured in Hz.

[0089] Once the current calibration feature point is determined, the number of data points to be back-calculated is calculated using the formula "second quantity k = f × L / v" based on the first length L between the first and second weld seam trackers, the uniform speed v of the moving device, and the data acquisition frequency f. Since the distance between the first and second weld seam trackers is fixed at L, and the moving device travels at a uniform speed, the time when the first weld seam tracker acquires the calibration feature point data and the time when the second weld seam tracker arrives at that feature point are exactly k data acquisition cycles apart.

[0090] In step S402, starting from the latest first position information, the second number of k is calculated backwards to obtain the historical first position information corresponding to the calibrated feature point, i.e., the reference position information.

[0091] For example, the first length L = 50mm, the moving device speed v = 10mm / s, and the set duration is 0.1 seconds. Therefore, the data acquisition frequency f = 1 / 0.1 = 10Hz. The second quantity k = 10 × 50 / 10 = 50. When determining the calibration feature points, the most recently acquired first position information is the 100th Z-line. 199 Starting from that point, count backwards 50 times, that is, the 50th first position information Z. 149 This refers to the reference position information corresponding to the calibrated feature point.

[0092] This application embodiment stores and sorts the first position information according to the acquisition time sequence, and then calculates the second quantity by means of the first length, moving speed, and data acquisition frequency to obtain the reference position information. This eliminates the need for complex two-dimensional coordinate matching calculations for weld feature points, significantly reducing the computational load and improving the system response speed, thus meeting the real-time requirements of mobile welding. The direct reverse calculation method avoids potential mismatches in coordinate matching, ensuring accurate correspondence between the reference position information and the calibrated feature points, and improving the accuracy of calculating ground height changes.

[0093] In some embodiments, the first length and the second length are equal. This parameter relationship establishes a geometric correspondence between the physical distance between the devices and the moving speed and the acquisition cycle. When the first length equals the second length, the moving device moves forward exactly one distance of the first length for every set time interval. This means that the same feature point on the weld will be passed by the first weld tracker, the second weld tracker, and the welding device in sequence over three consecutive set time intervals, and the time interval between each component passing the feature point is exactly one set time interval. This geometric relationship provides a physical basis for directly reusing data from the previous cycle, eliminating the need for complex calculations to locate historical data.

[0094] Since the first length and the second length are equal, after each set time interval, the second weld seam tracker moves to the position where the first weld seam tracker was in the previous cycle. At this time, the previously acquired first position information is precisely the historical measurement result of the first weld seam tracker on the current calibration feature point where the second weld seam tracker is located. Therefore, there is no need to calculate the first quantity and backtrack the first position information sequence; the previous first position information can be directly assigned as the reference position information, ensuring the accurate correspondence between the reference position information and the calibration feature point.

[0095] The latest acquired second position information is the real-time measurement result of the second weld seam tracker on the current calibration feature point. It can be directly used as the calibration position information without additional feature point matching or data search operations, which not only ensures the timeliness and accuracy of the calibration position information, but also simplifies the data acquisition process.

[0096] Since the first length and the second length are equal, after each set time interval, the welding device (welding torch) moves exactly to the position of the second weld seam tracker from the previous cycle. At this time, the second position information acquired previously is precisely the historical measurement result of the second weld seam tracker for the selected feature point where the welding torch is currently located. Therefore, there is no need to calculate the first quantity and backtrack the second position information sequence; the previous second position information can be directly assigned as the initial position information, ensuring a precise correspondence between the initial position information and the selected feature point.

[0097] This application embodiment simplifies the complex data processing flow, which originally required calculating the first quantity and the second quantity and backtracking the data sequence, by limiting the first length and the second length to be equal, to directly reusing the data collected in the previous collection cycle. This greatly reduces the computational burden and data processing complexity of the welding equipment, significantly improves the system's response speed and real-time performance, and can better adapt to high-speed welding conditions.

[0098] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6A flowchart illustrating a process according to an embodiment of this application, in which initial position information is corrected based on reference position information and calibration position information to obtain target position information, is shown. This embodiment provides step S130, which involves correcting initial position information based on reference position information and calibration position information to obtain target position information, including: Step S131: Use the height information in the reference position information as the first height and the height information in the calibration position information as the second height; Step S132: Use the difference between the second height and the first height as the height adjustment value; Step S133: Adjust the height information in the initial position information according to the height adjustment value to obtain the target position information.

[0099] The above three steps are described in detail below.

[0100] In step S131, the height information refers to the coordinate value in the position information that is perpendicular to the dynamic reference horizontal plane, and is a coordinate component affected by ground undulations. The first height refers to the height component extracted from the reference position information, that is, the height of the point relative to the current reference horizontal plane of the moving device when the first weld seam tracker measures the calibration feature point. The second height refers to the height component extracted from the calibration position information, that is, the height of the point relative to the current reference horizontal plane of the moving device when the second weld seam tracker measures the same calibration feature point.

[0101] Since the reference position information and the calibration position information correspond to the same feature point on the weld, and the absolute spatial position of this feature point remains fixed, its two-dimensional planar coordinates have already been aligned through the previous feature point matching process. Therefore, only the height information of both needs to be extracted for subsequent calculations. The first height reflects the relative height of the point to the reference horizontal plane when the first weld tracker passes the calibration feature point; the second height reflects the relative height of the point to the current reference horizontal plane when the second weld tracker passes the same calibration feature point. The difference between the two is solely due to the ground undulations during the movement of the device passing the point and is unrelated to changes in the height of the weld itself.

[0102] In step S132, the height adjustment value refers to the value used to correct the height component in the initial position information. Its physical meaning is the change in ground height during the time period from when the mobile device passes the calibration feature point from the time when the first weld seam tracker passes the calibration feature point to when the second weld seam tracker passes the same point.

[0103] Since the absolute height of the calibrated feature point is fixed, the difference between the second height and the first height comes entirely from the change in the height of the reference horizontal plane, i.e., the undulation of the ground. If the difference is positive, it means the ground has lowered; if the difference is negative, it means the ground has risen. Using "second height minus first height" as the calculation method for the height adjustment value is the preferred calculation method that matches the subsequent initial position information adjustment method, ensuring the correctness of the correction direction.

[0104] In step S133, the initial position information is the relative height measured when the second weld seam tracker passes the selected feature point. When the welding torch moves to the selected feature point, the height of the moving device has changed due to the same ground undulation as at the calibrated feature point. Therefore, by adding the height information in the initial position information to the height adjustment value, the accurate height that the welding torch needs to reach relative to the current moving device body can be obtained.

[0105] This application embodiment achieves accurate and efficient compensation for welding height errors on uneven ground by explicitly defining a three-step correction method: "extracting height components - calculating height differences - correcting initial height". First, this method only corrects height information affected by ground undulations, eliminating the need for additional processing of two-dimensional plane coordinates, significantly simplifying the calculation process, reducing the computational burden on the welding equipment, and ensuring the system's real-time response capability. Second, by using the height difference measured twice at the same calibration feature point as the adjustment basis, the influence of changes in the mobile device's height caused by ground undulations on the welding position is completely eliminated, ensuring correction accuracy and avoiding height deviation between the welding torch and the weld. Third, this correction method has clear logic and simple calculations, involving only basic arithmetic operations, making it easy to implement on low-cost control devices such as microcontrollers and PLCs, reducing the system's hardware costs.

[0106] In some embodiments, at set intervals, the control method described in any of the above embodiments is used again to correct the welding position of the welding device to perform precise welding of the weld seam until the second weld seam tracker can no longer capture the weld seam; the welding device is controlled to continue moving at the current height to weld the first length, and the welding equipment is shut down.

[0107] Throughout the welding operation, a complete correction process is performed on the welding device after each set time interval. This includes deleting the previously determined initial position information, selected feature points, calibrated feature points, and target position information, and then re-determining the selected and calibrated feature points to obtain the target position information. The welding torch height is then adjusted in real-time based on the current ground undulations, avoiding the accumulation of errors caused by prolonged welding after a single correction and ensuring welding accuracy throughout the entire process. When the second weld seam tracker fails to detect the weld seam, it indicates that it has passed the end of the weld seam. At this point, the main welding process terminates, and the weld seam end repair welding stage begins.

[0108] Since the second weld seam tracker is located a first length in front of the welding torch, when the second weld seam tracker fails to detect the weld seam, the welding torch is exactly one first length distance away from the end of the weld seam. If the equipment is shut down directly at this point, the weld seam at this distance will be missed. Therefore, controlling the welding device to continue welding for another first length at the current height obtained from the last correction can completely cover the entire weld seam. The current height is chosen for supplementary welding because the ground undulation at the end of the weld seam usually does not change abruptly, and the height of the last correction can ensure the welding accuracy of the supplementary section, while eliminating the need for additional calculations and data acquisition, thus simplifying the finishing control process.

[0109] Scenario Application Description: In order to better describe the technical solution of this application, combined with Figure 7 The following example scenario will provide further details. Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the dynamic correction of the welding position of a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0110] On a large stainless steel storage tank welding machine, a first weld seam tracker, a second weld seam tracker, and a welding device (which can be a K-Tig welding torch) are installed sequentially along the horizontal direction. The installation axes of all three are parallel and perpendicular to the robot's forward direction. The horizontal distance between adjacent trackers is strictly set to a first length L = 50mm to ensure that all three remain in the same plane. After installation, the signal lines of the two weld seam trackers and the welding torch are connected to the welding equipment control unit (such as a PLC controller) to complete the hardware wiring.

[0111] First, perform the calibration: Park the welding equipment on the initially level ground, place the standard calibration plate, and align both weld seam trackers with the same feature point on the calibration plate simultaneously. Adjust the tracker parameters to ensure that the height coordinate deviation between the two outputs does not exceed ±0.1mm, thus completing the inspection accuracy calibration.

[0112] By recording the coordinate parameters of the welding torch tip, the first weld seam tracker, and the second weld seam tracker in the robot's local coordinate system, it was confirmed that the distance between the three along the forward direction was 50mm, thus eliminating installation errors.

[0113] Draw a ray vertically downwards from the tip of the welding torch. The point where this ray intersects the robot's moving body is selected. Draw a horizontal plane parallel to the robot's current plane through this selected point, serving as a dynamic reference plane. This reference plane changes synchronously with the robot's movement and ground undulations; all positional information is measured based on this reference plane.

[0114] Next, configure the parameters: The mobile device moves at a speed of v = 10 mm / s, and the data acquisition time is set to T = 5 s (corresponding to a data acquisition frequency of f = 1 / T = 0.2 Hz). At this time, the horizontal distance (second length) that the mobile device moves within a set time is v × T = 10 × 5 = 50 mm, which is exactly equal to the first length L = 50 mm.

[0115] It should be noted that the above parameters can be customized by the user or modified accordingly based on the welding precision requirements.

[0116] Finally, run it: Initial state (at time t0, t0 = 0 seconds) The robot is positioned at the beginning of the weld seam. The first weld seam tracker is aligned with point x1 on the weld seam, the second weld seam tracker is aligned with point x0, and the welding torch is aligned with the starting point. The distance between the three is 50mm.

[0117] In response to the start command, the welding program is initiated, enabling the first weld seam tracker and the second weld seam tracker to collect position information of the intersection point between the first weld seam tracker and the weld seam. Simultaneously, the moving device begins to move, and the welding device (welding torch) begins to weld the weld seam. That is, in this application, the weld seam is continuously connected during the movement until the welding of the weld seam is completed, only the position of the welding torch is corrected periodically.

[0118] The first weld seam tracker collects the position information of point x1, which is used as the first position information Z0(x1)=102.0mm. The information is stored in the first position information sequence and sorted by time.

[0119] The second weld seam tracker collects the position information of point x0, which is used as the second position information Z0(x0)=100.0mm. The information is stored in the second position information sequence and sorted by time.

[0120] At this point, the welding torch is located at the origin, and its two-dimensional coordinates do not coincide with the two-dimensional coordinates of the feature point. No correction is made at this time. The torch can be adjusted to the weld height in response to manual commands, moving along the weld and welding. In some embodiments, before the welding equipment starts operating, the position of the second weld tracker is adjusted to the weld start point, thus achieving maximum correction for the weld welding process.

[0121] First data update (time t1, t1 = t0 + 5s) The robot moved forward 50mm (a second length), the first weld seam tracker was aligned with point x2, the second weld seam tracker was aligned with point x1, and the welding torch was aligned with point x0.

[0122] The first weld seam tracker collects the first position information Z1(x2) = 96.0 mm at point x2 and stores it in the first position information sequence.

[0123] The second weld seam tracker collects the second position information Z1(x1) = 98.0 mm at point x1 and stores it in the second position information sequence.

[0124] Calculate the first quantity and determine the initial position information: First quantity k1 = (L / v) × f = 1. Starting from the latest second position information Z1(x1), count backwards by 1 data point to obtain the initial position information Z0(x0) = 100.0 mm.

[0125] Calculate the second quantity and determine the reference position information: Second quantity k2=(L / v)×f=(50 / 10)×0.2=1. Starting from the latest first position information Z1(x2), count backwards by 1 data point to obtain the reference position information Z0(x1)=102.0mm.

[0126] Determine the calibration position information: Use the latest acquired second position information Z1(x1)=98.0mm as the calibration position information.

[0127] Calculate the height adjustment value: Height adjustment value ΔZ = Calibration position information - Reference position information = 98 - 102 = -2.0mm, indicating that the ground has risen by 2mm.

[0128] The target position information is corrected to: at time t1, the height information Zw(X0) in the target position information = initial position information + height adjustment value = 100 - 2 = 98 mm. The target position information is obtained by correcting the initial position information.

[0129] Move the welding torch to a height of 98.0 mm and align it with the weld seam at point x0.

[0130] After completing the first correction, delete the previously determined initial position information, target position information, selected feature points, and calibrated feature points.

[0131] Second data update (time t2, t2 = t1 + 5s) The robot moved forward another 50mm (a second length), the first weld seam tracker aligned with point x3, the second weld seam tracker aligned with point x2, and the welding torch aligned with point x1.

[0132] The first weld seam tracker collects the first position information Z2(x3) = 99.0 mm at point x3 and stores it in the first position information sequence.

[0133] The second weld seam tracker collects the second position information Z2(x2) = 99.0 mm at point x2 and stores it in the second position information sequence.

[0134] Calculate the first quantity and initial position information: First quantity k1 = (L / v) × f = 1. Starting from the latest second position information Z2(x2), count backwards by 1 data point to obtain the initial position information Z1(x1) = 98.0 mm.

[0135] Calculate the second quantity and reference position information: Second quantity k2 = (L / v) × f = (50 / 10) × 0.2 = 1. Starting from the latest first position information Z2(x3), count backwards by one data point to obtain the reference position information Z1(x2) = 96.0 mm.

[0136] Determine the calibration position information: Use the latest acquired second position information Z2(x2)=99.0mm as the calibration position information.

[0137] Calculate the height adjustment value: Height adjustment value ΔZ = Calibration position information - Reference position information = 99 - 96 = 3.0 mm, indicating that the ground has been lowered by 3 mm.

[0138] The target position information is corrected to obtain the following: At time t1, the height information Zw(X1) in the target position information = initial position information + height adjustment value = 98 + 3 = 101 mm. The target position information is obtained by correcting the initial position information.

[0139] Since the moving device has moved to the two-dimensional coordinates where point x1 is located, the welding torch is controlled to move to a height of 101.0 mm to align and correct the weld seam at point x1.

[0140] It should be clarified that since the first length is equal to the second length, the following simplification method can be directly used: The previously acquired position information Z1(X2) = 96.0 mm was used as the reference position information.

[0141] The newly acquired second position information Z2(X2)=99.0mm is used as the calibration position information.

[0142] The previously acquired second position information Z1(X1) = 98.0 mm is used as the initial position information.

[0143] Every 5 seconds (set time), the modified welding process described above is re-executed: acquire new position information - calculate height adjustment value - correct welding torch height - perform welding. This cycle continues, compensating for height errors caused by ground undulations in real time, ensuring that the welding torch is always precisely aligned with the weld seam.

[0144] When the robot reaches the end of the weld, the second weld tracker no longer detects a weld signal within its scanning area, meaning it cannot capture the weld, and the main welding cycle terminates. At this point, the welding torch is exactly 50mm away from the end of the weld. The welding device is then controlled to move forward 50mm using the current height obtained from the last correction, maintaining the welding state to complete the repair welding at the end of the weld. After the repair welding is completed, the welding power supply, the moving device drive system, and the weld tracker are sequentially turned off, shutting down the entire welding equipment.

[0145] Figure 8 A block diagram of a computer device structure for executing a control method of a welding apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0146] It should be noted that, Figure 8 The computer device 800 shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0147] like Figure 8 As shown, the computer device 800 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 801, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in read-only memory (ROM) 802 or programs loaded from storage section 808 into random access memory (RAM). The RAM 803 also stores various programs and data required for device operation. The CPU 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are interconnected via a bus 804. An input / output interface 805 (I / O interface) is also connected to the bus 804.

[0148] The following components are connected to the input / output interface 805: an input section 806 including a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output section 807 including a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), etc., and speakers, etc.; a storage section 808 including a hard disk, etc.; and a communication section 809 including a network interface card such as a local area network card, modem, etc. The communication section 809 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 810 is also connected to the input / output interface 805 as needed. A removable medium 811, such as a disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc., is installed on the drive 810 as needed so that computer programs read from it can be installed into the storage section 808 as needed.

[0149] Specifically, according to embodiments of this application, the processes described in the various method flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication section 809, and / or installed from removable medium 811. When the computer program is executed by central processing unit 801, it performs the various functions defined in the device of this application.

[0150] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium shown in the embodiments of this application can be a computer-readable signal medium, a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor device, apparatus, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this application, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution device, apparatus, or apparatus. In this application, a computer-readable signal medium can include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such transmitted data signals can take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable signal medium can also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution device, apparatus, or apparatus. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0151] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based device that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0152] It should be noted that although several modules or units for the device used to perform actions have been mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of this application, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0153] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to cause a computing device (such as a personal computer, server, touch terminal, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of this application.

[0154] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein.

[0155] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for welding equipment, characterized in that, Welding equipment includes: A moving device for moving the welding equipment and providing a dynamically changing reference level as the ground undulates during the movement; A welding device, which is connected to the moving device and moves with the moving device, is used to weld seams; The calibration device moves along the weld and is used to acquire the position information of feature points on the weld relative to the reference horizontal plane at set intervals. The feature points refer to the points on the weld where the calibration device collects position information as it moves. The control method includes: When the two-dimensional coordinates of the mobile device are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of a feature point, the position information of the feature point is used as the initial position information. The calibration device determines the calibration feature point, and the original position information corresponding to the calibration feature point is used as the reference position information. The current position information of the calibration feature point relative to the reference horizontal plane is used as the calibration position information. Based on the reference position information and the calibration position information, the initial position information is corrected to obtain the target position information; The welding device is controlled to move according to the target position information in order to correct its position and enable it to weld the weld seam.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The calibration device is mounted on the mobile device and moves together with the mobile device. The calibration device includes a first weld seam tracker and a second weld seam tracker. The second weld tracker is disposed adjacent to the welding device, and the horizontal distance between the second weld tracker and the welding device is a first length; The first weld seam tracker is located on the side of the second weld seam tracker away from the welding device, and the horizontal distance between the first weld seam tracker and the second weld seam tracker is a first length. The welding device, the second weld seam tracker, and the first weld seam tracker are arranged in the same direction as the moving device. The horizontal movement distance of the mobile device within a set time period is taken as the second length, and the product of the second length and a certain positive integer is the first length; The control method further includes: In response to a start command or at set intervals after the start command, the position information of the intersection point between the first weld tracker and the weld is obtained as the first position information based on the reference horizontal plane. Based on the reference horizontal plane, the position information of the intersection of the second weld tracker and the weld is used as the second position information, and the points on the weld with the second position information are used as feature points. The feature points that are the same as the two-dimensional coordinates of the mobile device are selected as the feature points, and the second position information of the selected feature points is obtained and determined as the initial position information. The current feature point of the second weld seam tracker is used as the calibration feature point. The first position information of the calibration feature point is obtained and determined as the reference position information, and the second position information is used as the calibration position information.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each time the second location information is acquired, the second location information is stored and sorted according to the acquisition time of the second location information; Acquiring and determining the second position information of the selected feature point as the initial position information includes: After the selected feature point is determined, the first quantity is calculated based on the first length, the moving speed of the mobile device, and the data acquisition frequency. The data acquisition frequency refers to the parameter calculated based on the set duration. Starting from the latest acquired second location information, the first number of second location information are deduced backwards from the second location information to form the initial location information.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: The newly acquired second location information is used as the calibration location information.

5. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each time the first location information is acquired, the first location information is stored, and the first location information is sorted according to the acquisition time of the first location information; Acquiring and determining the first position information of the calibrated feature points as reference position information includes: After determining the calibration feature points, a second quantity is calculated based on the first length, the moving speed of the mobile device, and the data acquisition frequency. The data acquisition frequency refers to a parameter calculated based on the set duration. Starting from the latest acquired first location information, a second number of first location information are deduced backwards from the first location information as reference location information.

6. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first length and the second length are equal; The method further includes: At set intervals, the previously acquired first location information is used as the reference location information; the latest acquired second location information is used as the calibration location information; and the previously acquired second location information is used as the initial location information.

7. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Based on the reference position information and the calibration position information, the initial position information is corrected to obtain the target position information, including: The height information in the reference position information is used as the first height, and the height information in the calibration position information is used as the second height; The difference between the second height and the first height is used as the height adjustment value; Based on the height adjustment value, the height information in the initial position information is adjusted to obtain the target position information.

8. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Draw a ray vertically downward from the tip of the welding torch in the welding device, and take the intersection of the ray and the moving device as the selected point; draw a horizontal plane through the selected point as the reference horizontal plane.

9. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The position of the welding device is corrected at set intervals to ensure precise welding of the weld seam until the second weld seam tracker can no longer detect the weld seam. The welding device is controlled to continue moving at the current height to weld the first length, and then the welding equipment is shut down.

10. A welding device, characterized in that, The welding equipment includes: A moving device for moving the welding equipment and providing a dynamically changing reference level as the ground undulates during the movement; A welding device, which is connected to the moving device and moves with the moving device, is used to weld seams; The calibration device moves along the weld and is used to acquire the position information of feature points on the weld relative to the reference horizontal plane at set intervals. The feature points refer to the points on the weld where the calibration device collects position information as it moves. A control unit configured to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images