Intelligent welding workstation of nuclear power support hanger and welding method thereof

Abstract

The application provides an intelligent welding workstation of a nuclear power support hanger and a welding method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of intelligent welding. The welding workstation is an automatic robot welding workstation integrating a welding robot system, a welding system, an intelligent welding operation system (containing a sensor system), a positioner, an electrical control system, a host computer system and safety protection, so as to solve the technical problems of low automation, poor coordination between the welding robot and the positioner, difficulty in adapting to multi-variety and small-batch production and poor welding quality consistency in the existing support hanger welding process. The application realizes two-dimensional collaborative operation of a robot and a mobile positioner through collaborative control of the movement and overturning of the positioner, combined with multi-axis linkage control of the host computer system and the electrical control system. Meanwhile, the host computer system is provided with a special welding process database for the support hanger, and is integrated with visual adaptive weld tracking control, so as to realize efficient, high-quality and flexible automatic welding of the support hanger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of intelligent welding technology, as well as the field of machining and automated welding technology. Specifically, it relates to an intelligent welding workstation and welding method for nuclear power plant support brackets, and specifically to a support bracket processing device in the nuclear power field. The device consists of a welding robot system, a welding system, an intelligent welding operating system (including a sensor system), a positioner, a ground rail, an electrical control system, a host computer system, and safety protection facilities, forming an automated robot welding device. Background Technology

[0002] Current welding of supports and hangers mainly employs manual arc welding or semi-automatic welding methods, which suffer from high labor intensity, poor weld quality consistency, and low production efficiency. Although some companies have introduced robotic welding workstations, existing technologies still have significant shortcomings: First, the integration of workstations is low, with welding robots, positioners, and ground rails mostly using independent control modes, lacking collaborative operation capabilities, making it difficult to synchronize workpiece posture adjustment and welding path planning; second, the welding methods are not highly intelligent, mostly relying on manual teaching and programming, unable to dynamically adjust parameters according to real-time weld conditions, and have poor adaptability to workpiece errors; third, there is a lack of flexible solutions tailored to the diverse and small-batch characteristics of supports and hangers, requiring downtime for debugging during production changes, making continuous and efficient production difficult; therefore, existing welding workstations and methods are insufficient to meet the demand for high-quality and high-efficiency automated welding of supports and hangers.

[0003] The prior art solution with patent publication number CN121423949A discloses a preliminary group assembly intelligent welding workstation and its welding method, which relates to the field of assembly welding technology. The core of this prior art solution is to realize the automatic gripping of stiffening plates through a multi-functional end effector (electromagnetic adsorption + pneumatic gripper), which focuses on solving the problems of precise positioning and automated welding of stiffening plates and base plates. It does not involve the welding processing of specific structural components such as supports and hangers, nor does it disclose the control system architecture for the collaborative work of welding robots and positioners. The handling execution mechanism in this prior art solution is mainly used for gripping stiffening plates, rather than for welding displacement control of long-sized, multi-weld complex structural components such as supports and hangers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent welding workstation and welding method for nuclear power plant support brackets. Specifically, it is an automated robotic welding workstation integrating a welding robot system, a welding system, an intelligent welding operating system (including a sensor system), a positioner, an electrical control system, a host computer system, and safety protection. This addresses the technical problems of low automation, poor coordination between the welding robot and the positioner, difficulty in adapting to multi-variety, small-batch production, and poor welding quality consistency in existing support bracket welding processes. This invention constructs a two-dimensional collaborative operation system of robot-mobile positioner through coordinated control of positioner movement and rotation, combined with multi-axis linkage control of the host computer system and the electrical control system. Simultaneously, the host computer system has a built-in dedicated welding process database for support brackets and integrates visual adaptive weld seam tracking control, thereby achieving efficient, high-quality, and flexible automated welding of support brackets.

[0005] The present invention employs the following technical solution.

[0006] A welding method for an intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets includes:

[0007] Step 1: After receiving the production order for the nuclear power plant support brackets, preparation work begins;

[0008] Step 2: After completing the preparation work, the loading of the nuclear power plant support frame, which is the workpiece, is carried out;

[0009] Step 3: After loading the nuclear power plant support brackets, weld the nuclear power plant support brackets;

[0010] Step 4: After the weld seam of the workpiece is completed, the workpiece is cut into pieces.

[0011] Furthermore, step 1 specifically includes:

[0012] The HMI is used to check the current status of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant supports and hangers to see if there are any alarm messages or fault messages in the laser sensors. If there are any alarm messages or fault messages, they need to be dealt with in a timely manner to restore normal operation.

[0013] The operator places the nuclear power plant support bracket, which serves as the workpiece, into the loading position, then leaves the intelligent welding workstation for the nuclear power plant support bracket. The operator selects the product information for this production on the HMI and clicks the start button on the HMI, at which point the intelligent welding workstation for the nuclear power plant support bracket switches to automatic operation.

[0014] Furthermore, step 2 specifically includes:

[0015] Once the workpiece is confirmed to be in place, the operator inputs the profile dimensions of the workpiece to be transported into the HMI and presses the operation button. The PLC then sends motion signals to the transport robot and also sends a start signal to the vision camera.

[0016] After receiving the motion signal, the handling robot begins to move to the designated position. The PLC then sends a start signal to the vision camera, which begins to take pictures. After taking a picture, the vision camera sends a movement signal to the handling robot.

[0017] The vision camera processes the captured photos via a PLC, and then sends the processed photos to the handling robot to find the gripping position. The handling robot then moves automatically to the gripping position.

[0018] After the transport robot reaches the gripping position, the gripper carries a proximity switch sensor. When it approaches the workpiece, the sensor lights up, the transport robot begins to grip, the electromagnet is energized to attract the workpiece, and the workpiece is moved above the positioner.

[0019] The PLC-controlled positioner automatically adjusts the height of the fixture at the working position on surface A according to the dimensions, and the handling robot places the bottom of the workpiece on the fixture for clamping.

[0020] The PLC controls the positioner to rotate the A-side working position, moving the clamped workpiece to the welding position.

[0021] Furthermore, step 3 specifically includes:

[0022] Step 3-1: After receiving the instruction, the welding robot starts and moves according to the pre-taught programming path, carrying the intelligent welding manipulator to the weld seam of the workpiece;

[0023] Step 3-2: After the welding robot reaches the predetermined position, the line laser sensor on the intelligent welding manipulator is activated to scan the weld area of ​​the workpiece and transmit the scanning parameters to the PLC in real time. The PLC compares the actual scanning parameters with the taught path and calculates the trajectory correction amount.

[0024] Step 3-3: The PLC follows the welding trajectory. The welding program is started, and the welding robot follows the welding trajectory transmitted by the PLC. Perform full-scale welding, i.e., using a MIG welding torch or digital welding machine with preset process parameters and following the welding trajectory. To move and complete the filling of the entire weld seam;

[0025] Steps 3-4: After the current weld seam is completed, the PLC controls the welding robot to follow the taught path and welding trajectory. The reverse trajectory returns to the starting position.

[0026] Furthermore, step 3-2 specifically includes:

[0027] First, a cross-sectional scan of the weld area of ​​the workpiece is performed to obtain... ,in This is a set of point clouds obtained from the profile scan by the laser sensor. Let be the horizontal coordinate of the j-th sampling point scanned by the laser sensor in the laser sensor coordinate system. Let be the vertical height coordinate of the j-th sampling point scanned by the laser sensor in the laser sensor coordinate system, and n be the number of sampling points;

[0028] Next, the vertical height coordinates are subjected to amplitude limiting filtering to obtain... ,

[0029] in The height value of the j-th sampling point after amplitude limiting and filtering; The set height mutation threshold;

[0030] The height value of the j-th sampling point is obtained by Gaussian smoothing the clipped profile data. ;

[0031] Based on the height value after amplitude limiting filtering Calculate the first difference Calculate the second-order difference ;

[0032] Perform weighted least squares fitting, that is, fit each segment as a straight line. , This represents the height of the sampling point after Gaussian smoothing. Here is the horizontal coordinate of the sampling point in the laser sensor coordinate system; the fitting method used is the weighted least squares method, and its formula is:

[0033] ;

[0034] ;

[0035] in The thickness of the sealing plate of the workpiece;

[0036] The methods for calculating the TCP (Center Point of Welding Torch) include:

[0037] Let the coordinates of the outer edge point P1 of the workpiece's sealing plate be (X1, Z1), the coordinates of the step point P3 of the workpiece be (X3, Z3), the coordinates of the root point P4 of the workpiece be (X4, Z4), and the coordinates of the square steel tube wall point P5 of the workpiece be (X5, Z5). Then the coordinates of the welding torch center point TCP are:

[0038] ;

[0039] ;

[0040] Where X cis the center reference coordinate of the workpiece's sealing plate; k is the step compensation coefficient; h is the step height of the workpiece; f is the offset of the welding wire process; The horizontal coordinate of the TCP coordinate system, which represents the center point of the welding torch. The vertical coordinate of the welding torch center point TCP.

[0041] Arrange the coordinates of the welding torch center points (TCP) of all cross-sections in the scanning order as follows: ,in It is the set of coordinates of the center point TCP of the welding torch for all cross-sections. Let TCP be the coordinate of the center point of the welding torch in the k-th profile, where k = 1, 2...m, and m is the number of profiles.

[0042] Smooth welding trajectories are generated using cubic spline interpolation. ;in is a cubic spline interpolation function, and s is a path parameter that represents the travel length along the weld from the weld start point.

[0043] Furthermore, step 4 specifically includes:

[0044] After the weld seam of the workpiece is completed, the PLC sends a rotation command to the positioner. The positioner drives the slewing bearing to rotate 180°, transferring the welded workpiece from the welding station to the loading station. At the same time, it transfers the new workpiece already in the loading station to the welding station, waiting for the next welding cycle.

[0045] After the positioner rotates into position and locks, the welded finished workpiece is removed from the positioner and placed into the material frame.

[0046] A smart welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets includes:

[0047] Welding robots, handling robots, intelligent welding manipulators, positioners, electrical control systems, host computers, and safety protection facilities are used together to build an intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant supports and hangers.

[0048] Welding robots and handling robots form a robotic system;

[0049] The intelligent welding manipulator is mounted on the end effector of the welding robot;

[0050] The electrical control system includes a PLC and an HMI. The PLC of the electrical control system is connected to the welding robot, handling robot, intelligent welding manipulator, positioner and safety protection facilities. The PLC of the electrical control system is also connected to the HMI of the electrical control system.

[0051] Furthermore, the welding robot is a six-axis industrial robot; the base of the welding robot is connected to the pre-embedded foundation plate using high-strength bolts.

[0052] Furthermore, the handling robot adopts a six-axis industrial robot, and the end effector of the handling robot is equipped with a quick-change gripper.

[0053] Furthermore, the intelligent welding manipulator integrates welding equipment components such as MIG welding torches or digital welding machines, wire feeding mechanisms, laser sensors, and monitoring cameras that function as vision cameras.

[0054] Furthermore, the present invention employs a three-axis positioner; the three-axis positioner comprises a base module, a rotary module, two independent working surface modules, and a workpiece fixture. The base module is fixed to the workshop floor with anchor bolts; the top of the base module is connected to the rotary bearing of the seat rotary module; the two independent working surface modules are symmetrically fixed on both sides of the rotary bearing; the workpiece fixture is set on the working surface module.

[0055] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the technical effects of the present invention include:

[0056] This invention significantly improves the welding efficiency of nuclear power plant support brackets through a self-developed three-axis dual-station positioner. The positioner employs an alternating A / B face design, allowing simultaneous loading / unloading and assembly preparation at one station while welding is being performed at the other. This complete overlap of auxiliary and welding times improves equipment utilization. Taking a typical nuclear power plant support bracket as an example, the welding cycle for a single piece is significantly shortened compared to the traditional single-station mode, effectively alleviating the problem of tight production cycles for nuclear power products. High-precision drive ensures smooth switching of work surfaces and reliable positioning. Combined with a robotic welding system, it can meet the weld position requirements of nuclear power plant support brackets, ensuring stable welding quality. Furthermore, the positioner adopts a modular design; the gripper module can be customized according to the workpiece type. The system allows for rapid changeovers with production changeover times kept within a reasonable range, adapting to the diverse and small-batch production characteristics of nuclear power plant support systems. Automated operations replace manual handling and turning, eliminating the need for operators to enter hazardous areas, significantly reducing labor intensity, and substantially improving operational safety. This workstation has already been applied in nuclear power plant support system production, demonstrating stable and reliable operation, maintaining a high first-pass yield rate, and exhibiting good product consistency. It provides a practical automated welding solution for nuclear power equipment manufacturing. This invention significantly reduces manual intervention and can be widely applied to standardized and intelligent prefabrication scenarios for support systems in nuclear power, petrochemical, and industrial pipelines. Attached Figure Description

[0057] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets described in this invention;

[0058] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets described in this invention;

[0059] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the positioner described in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this invention. The embodiments described in this application are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the spirit of this invention, any other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this invention.

[0061] like Figure 1 As shown. The welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to the present invention includes:

[0062] Step 1: After receiving the production order for the nuclear power plant support brackets, preparation work begins;

[0063] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step 1 specifically includes:

[0064] On the HMI, check the current status of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant supports and hangers to see if there are any alarm messages, whether the safety doors are closed, and whether the laser sensors have any fault messages. If there are any alarm messages or fault messages, they need to be dealt with in a timely manner to restore normal operation. On the HMI, determine whether the machine is in the working origin position.

[0065] The operator places the nuclear power plant support bracket, which serves as the workpiece, into the loading position, then leaves the intelligent welding workstation for the nuclear power plant support bracket. The operator selects the product information for this production on the HMI and clicks the start button on the HMI. The intelligent welding workstation for the nuclear power plant support bracket then switches to automatic operation mode.

[0066] PLCs can be used to control welding robots to manipulate MIG welding torches to weld seams on workpieces.

[0067] For example, the workpiece can be a material frame consisting of a 100*100*8 square tube and a 92*92*6 blocking plate; the weld between the blocking plate and the square tube is made using a MIG welding torch with a diameter of 1.2mm, a current of 220-260A, and a voltage of 24-28V.

[0068] Step 2: After completing the preparation work, the loading of the nuclear power plant support frame, which is the workpiece, is carried out;

[0069] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step 2 specifically includes:

[0070] Once the workpiece is confirmed to be in place, the operator inputs the profile dimensions of the workpiece to be transported into the HMI and presses the operation button. The PLC then sends motion signals to the transport robot and also sends a start signal to the vision camera.

[0071] After receiving the motion signal, the handling robot begins to move to the designated position. The PLC then sends a start signal to the vision camera, which begins to take pictures. After taking a picture, the vision camera sends a movement signal to the handling robot.

[0072] The vision camera processes the captured photos via a PLC, and then sends the processed photos to the handling robot to find the gripping position. The handling robot then moves automatically to the gripping position.

[0073] It should be noted that the vision camera processes the captured images via a PLC, and the method for the handling robot to determine the position after processing can be as follows:

[0074] Canny edge extraction is performed on the captured photos. The extracted edges are bounded by a minimum bounding rectangle. The center pixel coordinates and rotation angle of the minimum bounding rectangle are extracted. Zhang's calibration and PnP are used to solve the three-dimensional coordinates of the vision camera. Then, the three-dimensional coordinates are transformed to the base coordinate system of the handling robot by hand-eye nine-point calibration. Then, the TCP gripping point coordinates are calculated based on the transformed three-dimensional coordinates using gripper offset compensation. The point coordinates are transmitted to the handling robot as the gripping position. The workpiece usually includes a sealing plate and a square steel pipe that are set on both sides.

[0075] After the transport robot reaches the gripping position (that is, the center of the workpiece), the proximity switch sensor on the gripper lights up when it gets close to the workpiece, the transport robot starts to grip, the electromagnet is energized to attract the workpiece, and the transported workpiece is moved above the positioner.

[0076] The PLC-controlled positioner automatically adjusts the height of the fixture at the working position on surface A according to the dimensions, and the handling robot places the bottom of the workpiece on the fixture for clamping.

[0077] The PLC controls the positioner to rotate the A-side working position, and rotate the clamped workpiece to the welding position (B-side working position).

[0078] Step 3: After loading the nuclear power plant support brackets, weld the nuclear power plant support brackets;

[0079] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step 3 specifically includes:

[0080] Step 3-1: After receiving the instruction, the welding robot starts and moves according to the pre-taught programming path, carrying the intelligent welding manipulator (welding torch, line laser sensor) to the weld seam of the workpiece; during the movement of the welding robot, the electrical control system monitors the position of each joint in real time to ensure accuracy.

[0081] Step 3-2: After the welding robot reaches the predetermined position, the line laser sensor on the intelligent welding manipulator is activated to scan the weld area of ​​the workpiece and transmits the scanning parameters to the PLC in real time. The PLC compares the actual scanned parameters with the taught path and calculates the trajectory correction amount. The scanning parameters are shown in Table 1.

[0082] Table 1

[0083]

[0084] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step 3-2 specifically includes:

[0085] First, a cross-sectional scan of the weld area of ​​the workpiece is performed to obtain... ,in This is a set of point clouds obtained from the profile scan by the laser sensor. Let be the horizontal coordinate of the j-th sampling point scanned by the laser sensor in the laser sensor coordinate system. Let be the vertical height coordinate of the j-th sampling point scanned by the laser sensor in the laser sensor coordinate system, and n be the number of sampling points, which can preferably be 800;

[0086] Next, the vertical height coordinates are subjected to amplitude limiting filtering to obtain... ,

[0087] To remove abnormalities caused by splashes, reflections, and burrs, amplitude limiting filtering is employed. The height value of the j-th sampling point after amplitude limiting and filtering; The set height mutation threshold;

[0088] For example, It can be designed according to specific requirements, for example Use 0.2 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.3 mm.

[0089] The height value of the j-th sampling point is obtained by Gaussian smoothing the clipped profile data. ;

[0090] Based on the height value after amplitude limiting filtering Calculate the first difference Calculate the second-order difference ;

[0091] Perform weighted least squares fitting, that is, fit each segment as a straight line. , This represents the height of the sampling point after Gaussian smoothing. Here is the horizontal coordinate of the sampling point in the laser sensor coordinate system; the fitting method used is the weighted least squares method, and its formula is:

[0092] ;

[0093] ;

[0094] The weight of the step area has been increased. For the thickness of the sealing plate of the workpiece, for example, if the sealing plate thickness is 6 mm, the following can be taken:

[0095] ;

[0096] Continuous weight functions can also be used:

[0097] ;

[0098] This can enhance the positioning stability of the step point P3 of the workpiece;

[0099] The methods for calculating the TCP (Center Point of Welding Torch) include:

[0100] Let the coordinates of the outer edge point P1 of the workpiece's sealing plate be (X1, Z1), the coordinates of the step point P3 of the workpiece be (X3, Z3), the coordinates of the root point P4 of the workpiece be (X4, Z4), and the coordinates of the square steel tube wall point P5 of the workpiece be (X5, Z5). Then the coordinates of the welding torch center point TCP can be calculated as follows:

[0101] ;

[0102] ;

[0103] Where X c Here, k is the center reference coordinate of the sealing plate of the workpiece; k is the step compensation coefficient, which can be selected according to specific requirements, for example, its value range can be 0.2 to 0.5, preferably 0.35; h is the step height of the workpiece; f is the offset of the welding wire process, which can be selected according to the actual situation, for example, its value range can be 1.0 to 1.5 mm, preferably 1.3 mm. The horizontal coordinate of the TCP coordinate system, which represents the center point of the welding torch. The vertical coordinate of the welding torch center point TCP.

[0104] Arrange the coordinates of the welding torch center points (TCP) of all cross-sections in the scanning order as follows: ,in It is the set of coordinates of the center point TCP of the welding torch for all cross-sections. Let TCP be the coordinate of the center point of the welding torch in the k-th profile, where k = 1, 2...m, and m is the number of profiles.

[0105] Smooth welding trajectories are generated using cubic spline interpolation. ;in is a cubic spline interpolation function, and s is a path parameter that represents the travel length along the weld from the weld start point.

[0106] Step 3-3: The PLC follows the welding trajectory. The welding program is started, and the welding robot follows the welding trajectory transmitted by the PLC. Full-scale welding is performed using a MIG welding torch or digital welding machine with preset process parameters (welding current, voltage, speed, oscillation parameters, etc.) following the welding trajectory. The laser sensor moves to complete the filling of the entire weld seam; during the welding process, the laser sensor can monitor the weld seam position in real time to ensure that the welding torch is always aligned with the center of the bevel.

[0107] Steps 3-4: After the current weld seam is completed, the PLC controls the welding robot to follow the taught path and welding trajectory. The robot will return to the starting position via the reverse trajectory. If the workpiece has multiple weld seams, the robot will repeat steps 1 to 3 until all weld seams are completed.

[0108] Step 4: After the weld seam of the workpiece is completed, the workpiece is cut into pieces.

[0109] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step 4 specifically includes:

[0110] After the weld seam of the workpiece is completed, the PLC sends a rotation command to the positioner. The positioner drives the slewing bearing to rotate 180°, transferring the welded workpiece from the welding station (B-side workstation) to the loading station (A-side workstation), while simultaneously transferring the new workpiece already at the loading station to the welding station, waiting for the next welding cycle;

[0111] After the positioner rotates into position and locks, the welded finished workpiece is removed from the positioner and placed into the material frame.

[0112] It should be noted that the welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant supports of the present invention utilizes a laser sensor to scan the bevel of the weldment to obtain cross-sectional data, which is then transmitted to a PLC or host computer. For each weld position, the laser line should be as perpendicular as possible to the tangent direction of the weld. When scanning the weld, the laser line crosses the weld at a 45° angle. A combination of amplitude limiting filtering and Gaussian filtering is used to process the data and smooth noise. For the processed cross-sectional data, the feature points of the bevel are initially located using the second derivative extremum method. Based on this, linear fitting is performed to accurately locate the feature points and obtain the two-dimensional coordinates of the bevel feature points in the sensor coordinate system. According to the mathematical model of the welding torch center point, the coordinates of the welding torch center point are calculated from the feature points. The three-dimensional coordinates in the welding torch coordinate system are obtained through coordinate transformation, and the motion path of the welding torch is calculated through curve fitting.

[0113] like Figure 2 As shown, the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets of the present invention includes:

[0114] Welding robot, handling robot, intelligent welding manipulator, positioner 2, electrical control system, host computer 3, and safety protection facilities 4 are used together to form an intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets;

[0115] Welding robots and handling robots form a robot system 1;

[0116] The intelligent welding manipulator is mounted on the end effector of the welding robot;

[0117] The electrical control system includes a PLC and an HMI. The PLC5 of the electrical control system is connected to the welding robot, the handling robot, the intelligent welding manipulator, the positioner 2, and the safety protection facilities 4. The PLC5 of the electrical control system is also connected to the HMI6 of the electrical control system.

[0118] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the welding robot is a high-precision six-axis industrial robot with a repeatability of ±0.05mm. It includes a robot base, waist joint, upper arm, forearm, wrist joint, and end flange. The base of the welding robot is connected to the pre-embedded foundation plate with high-strength bolts to ensure the stability of the robot's operation. When equipped with a gas shielded arc welding function package, it can complete welding work.

[0119] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the handling robot is a heavy-duty six-axis industrial machine.

[0120] The robot has a repeatability accuracy of ±0.1mm and is equipped with a quick-change gripper at the end of the handling robot. It can load and unload supports of different structural forms and is used for material handling and palletizing.

[0121] In a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent welding manipulator integrates welding equipment components such as a MIG welding torch or digital welding machine, a wire feeding mechanism, a laser sensor, and a monitoring camera as a vision camera. It can realize automatic switching of multiple welding processes and real-time weld seam tracking. It is equipped with a high-end intelligent welding system that integrates AI intelligent algorithms, high-precision optical imaging, and multi-dimensional anti-interference technology. It is specially designed for complex industrial welding scenarios, realizes intelligent control of the entire process of precise weld seam positioning and real-time tracking, and can provide a stable and reliable welding solution.

[0122] It should be noted that the laser sensor supports precise adjustment of laser position and width, and can flexibly adapt to welding needs according to different weld types (fillet welds, butt welds, lap welds, etc.) and workpiece sizes, improving the comprehensiveness of weld coverage. Through advanced contour analysis algorithms, it directly outputs the coordinates and size parameters of weld feature points without secondary calculations, shortening robot response time and improving welding efficiency. By adjusting image thresholds and identifying and compensating for reflective areas, it automatically eliminates highly reflective interference pixels, retaining true weld features, and can stably identify weld positions and contours even in strong reflective environments.

[0123] like Figure 3As shown, in a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a three-axis positioner is used to meet the high-precision, heavy-load, and multi-position adjustment requirements of different types of components during the assembly and welding process of nuclear power plant support brackets. The three-axis positioner adopts a modular design and is specifically developed for the high-efficiency and high-precision welding requirements of nuclear power plant support brackets. The three-axis positioner comprises a base module, a rotary module, two independent working surface modules, and a workpiece clamp 7. The base module is fixed to the workshop floor with anchor bolts. The top of the base module is connected to the rotary bearing of the seat rotary module. The two independent working surface modules are symmetrically fixed to both sides of the rotary bearing, forming a rigid integrated rotating structure with the rotary module. The workpiece clamp 7 is set on the working surface modules, and the modules are connected using standardized interfaces for easy maintenance and expansion. Its structure has two independent working positions, namely the A-side working position and the B-side working position, with the two working surfaces arranged back-to-back on both sides of the rotary bearing. During operation, operators or handling robots can load, unload, and assemble workpieces on side A, while welding operations are performed on side B. Once welding on side B is complete, the positioner rotates 180° via the rotary module, transferring the welded workpiece from side B to the loading position for unloading, and simultaneously transferring the assembled workpiece from side A to the welding position for welding, achieving rapid switching between sides A and B. This dual-station alternating operation mode completely overlaps welding and auxiliary time, nearly doubling equipment utilization. The rotary module is driven by a high-precision indexer, which features a cam-roller structure with high indexing accuracy, strong load-bearing capacity, and reliable locking. Driven by a servo motor and reducer, it achieves precise rotational positioning of the working surface. The indexer has a pre-clamping device that automatically locks after rotation to the correct position, ensuring a stable and undisturbed working surface during welding. Each working surface is independently equipped with a workpiece clamping system, which can be configured with different gripper modules according to the workpiece type. For example, magnetic grippers can be used to clamp profiles, while planar grippers are used to clamp plates. The grippers adopt a quick-change design, and can be replaced within 5 minutes during production changeovers. The working surfaces can also be integrated with auxiliary supports, positioning pins, pneumatic clamping devices, etc., as needed. Through this three-axis dual-station structure design, this invention achieves continuous and efficient welding operations, and is particularly suitable for the flexible production needs of medium-batch, multi-variety nuclear power plant support brackets.

[0124] It should be recognized that embodiments of the present invention may be implemented or carried out by computer hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or by computer instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0125] The method can be implemented using standard programming techniques, including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured with a computer program in the computer program, wherein the storage medium is configured such that the computer operates in a specific and predefined manner.

[0126] Each program can be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language to communicate with the computer system; however, if required, the program can be implemented in assembly or machine language.

[0127] In any case, the language can be either compiled or interpreted.

[0128] Furthermore, for this purpose, the program can run on programmed application-specific integrated circuits.

[0129] The processes described herein (or variations and / or combinations thereof) can be executed under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions, and can be implemented by hardware or a combination thereof as code (e.g., executable instructions, one or more computer programs, or one or more applications) that commonly executes on one or more processors. The computer program includes a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors.

[0130] Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable computing platform, including but not limited to personal computers, minicomputers, mainframes, workstations, networked or distributed computing environments, standalone or integrated computer platforms, or in communication with charged particle tools or other imaging devices.

[0131] Various aspects of the present invention can be implemented in machine-readable code stored on a non-transitory storage medium or device, whether portable or integrated into a computing platform, such as a hard disk, optical read and / or write storage medium, RAM, ROM, etc., such that it can be read by a programmable computer, and when the storage medium or device is read by the computer, it can be used to configure and operate the computer to perform the processes described herein.

[0132] Furthermore, machine-readable code, or parts thereof, can be transmitted via wired or wireless networks.

[0133] When such media includes instructions or programs that combine with a microprocessor or other data processor to implement the steps described above, the invention described herein includes these and other different types of non-transitory computer-readable storage media.

[0134] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A welding method for an intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets, characterized in that, include: Step 1: After receiving the production order for the nuclear power plant support brackets, preparation work begins; Step 2: After completing the preparation work, the loading of the nuclear power plant support frame, which is the workpiece, is carried out; Step 3: After loading the nuclear power plant support brackets, weld the nuclear power plant support brackets; Step 4: After the weld seam of the workpiece is completed, the workpiece is cut into pieces.

2. The welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step 1 specifically includes: The HMI is used to check the current status of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant supports and hangers to see if there are any alarm messages or fault messages in the laser sensors. If there are any alarm messages or fault messages, they need to be dealt with in a timely manner to restore normal operation. The operator places the nuclear power plant support bracket, which serves as the workpiece, into the loading position, then leaves the intelligent welding workstation for the nuclear power plant support bracket. The operator selects the product information for this production on the HMI and clicks the start button on the HMI, at which point the intelligent welding workstation for the nuclear power plant support bracket switches to automatic operation.

3. The welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 2, characterized in that, Step 2 specifically includes: Once the workpiece is confirmed to be in place, the operator inputs the profile dimensions of the workpiece to be transported into the HMI and presses the operation button. The PLC then sends motion signals to the transport robot and also sends a start signal to the vision camera. After receiving the motion signal, the handling robot begins to move to the designated position. The PLC then sends a start signal to the vision camera, which begins to take pictures. After taking a picture, the vision camera sends a movement signal to the handling robot. The vision camera processes the captured photos via a PLC, and then sends the processed photos to the handling robot to find the gripping position. The handling robot then moves automatically to the gripping position. After the transport robot reaches the gripping position, the gripper carries a proximity switch sensor. When it approaches the workpiece, the sensor lights up, the transport robot begins to grip, the electromagnet is energized to attract the workpiece, and the workpiece is moved above the positioner. The PLC-controlled positioner automatically adjusts the height of the fixture at the working position on surface A according to the dimensions, and the handling robot places the bottom of the workpiece on the fixture for clamping. The PLC controls the positioner to rotate the A-side working position, rotating the clamped workpiece to the welding position.

4. The welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 3, characterized in that, Step 3 specifically includes: Step 3-1: After receiving the instruction, the welding robot starts and moves according to the pre-taught programming path, carrying the intelligent welding manipulator to the weld seam of the workpiece; Step 3-2: After the welding robot reaches the predetermined position, the line laser sensor on the intelligent welding manipulator is activated to scan the weld area of ​​the workpiece and transmit the scanning parameters to the PLC in real time. The PLC compares the actual scanning parameters with the taught path and calculates the trajectory correction amount. Step 3-3: The PLC follows the welding trajectory. The welding program is started, and the welding robot follows the welding trajectory transmitted by the PLC. Perform full-scale welding, i.e., using a MIG welding torch or digital welding machine with preset process parameters and following the welding trajectory. To move and complete the filling of the entire weld seam; Steps 3-4: After the current weld seam is completed, the PLC controls the welding robot to follow the taught path and welding trajectory. The reverse trajectory returns to the starting position.

5. The welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 4, characterized in that, Step 3-2 specifically includes: First, a cross-sectional scan of the weld area of ​​the workpiece is performed to obtain... ,in This is a set of point clouds obtained from the profile scan by the laser sensor. Let be the horizontal coordinate of the j-th sampling point scanned by the laser sensor in the laser sensor coordinate system. Let be the vertical height coordinate of the j-th sampling point scanned by the laser sensor in the laser sensor coordinate system, and n be the number of sampling points; Next, the vertical height coordinates are subjected to amplitude limiting filtering to obtain... , in The height value of the j-th sampling point after amplitude limiting and filtering; The set height mutation threshold; The height value of the j-th sampling point is obtained by Gaussian smoothing the clipped profile data. ; Based on the height value after amplitude limiting filtering Calculate the first-order difference Calculate the second-order difference ; Perform weighted least squares fitting, that is, fit each segment as a straight line. , This represents the height of the sampling point after Gaussian smoothing. Here is the horizontal coordinate of the sampling point in the laser sensor coordinate system; the fitting method used is the weighted least squares method, and its formula is: ； ； in The thickness of the sealing plate of the workpiece; The methods for calculating the TCP (Center Point of Welding Torch) include: Let the coordinates of the outer edge point P1 of the workpiece's sealing plate be (X1, Z1), the coordinates of the step point P3 of the workpiece be (X3, Z3), the coordinates of the root point P4 of the workpiece be (X4, Z4), and the coordinates of the square steel tube wall point P5 of the workpiece be (X5, Z5). Then the coordinates of the welding torch center point TCP are: ； ； Where X c is the center reference coordinate of the workpiece's sealing plate; k is the step compensation coefficient; h is the step height of the workpiece; f is the offset of the welding wire process; The horizontal coordinate of the TCP coordinate system, which represents the center point of the welding torch. The vertical coordinate of the welding torch center point TCP. Arrange the coordinates of the welding torch center points (TCP) of all cross-sections in the scanning order as follows: ,in It is the set of coordinates of the center point TCP of the welding torch for all cross-sections. Let TCP be the coordinate of the center point of the welding torch in the k-th profile, where k = 1, 2...m, and m is the number of profiles. Smooth welding trajectories are generated using cubic spline interpolation. ;in is a cubic spline interpolation function, and s is a path parameter that represents the travel length along the weld from the weld start point.

6. The welding method of the intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 5, characterized in that, Step 4 specifically includes: After the weld seam of the workpiece is completed, the PLC sends a rotation command to the positioner. The positioner drives the slewing bearing to rotate 180°, transferring the welded workpiece from the welding station to the loading station. At the same time, it transfers the new workpiece already in the loading station to the welding station, waiting for the next welding cycle. After the positioner rotates into position and locks, the welded finished workpiece is removed from the positioner and placed into the material frame.

7. An intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets, characterized in that, include: Welding robots, handling robots, intelligent welding manipulators, positioners, electrical control systems, host computers, and safety protection facilities are used together to build an intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant supports and hangers. Welding robots and handling robots form a robotic system; The intelligent welding manipulator is mounted on the end effector of the welding robot; The electrical control system includes a PLC and an HMI. The PLC of the electrical control system is connected to the welding robot, handling robot, intelligent welding manipulator, positioner and safety protection facilities. The PLC of the electrical control system is also connected to the HMI of the electrical control system.

8. The intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 7, characterized in that, The welding robot is a six-axis industrial robot; the base of the welding robot is connected to the pre-embedded foundation plate with high-strength bolts. The handling robot is a six-axis industrial robot, and the end effector of the handling robot is equipped with a quick-change gripper.

9. The intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 8, characterized in that, The intelligent welding manipulator integrates welding equipment components such as MIG welding torch or digital welding machine, wire feeding mechanism, laser sensor and monitoring camera as vision camera.

10. The intelligent welding workstation for nuclear power plant support brackets according to claim 9, characterized in that, This invention employs a three-axis positioner; the three-axis positioner comprises a base module, a rotary module, two independent working surface modules, and a workpiece fixture, with the base module fixed to the workshop floor using anchor bolts; The top of the base module is connected to the slewing bearing of the seat rotation module; two independent working surface modules are fixed symmetrically on both sides of the slewing bearing; the workpiece fixture is set on the working surface module.

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