A welding system with assisted positioning

Abstract

The utility model relates to industrial automation welding technical field especially discloses a kind of welding systems with auxiliary positioning function, including rack, limit module being set on rack, welding execution module being cooperatively arranged with limit module and acquisition module and control module being cooperatively arranged with welding execution module;It further includes datum block, and datum block is set at the side of the welding position of the workpiece to be welded to provide physical coordinate system reference for welding system;Welding execution module is electrically connected via acquisition module and control module, and limit module is used to fix the workpiece to be welded on rack;Acquisition module is used to gather coordinate system reference information and the weld bead profile formed by welding execution module on the workpiece to be welded, and control module analyzes the coordinate system reference and weld bead profile collected by acquisition module, and controls welding execution module to carry out multi-pass welding on the workpiece to be welded.Welding execution module is electrically connected via acquisition module and control module, and limit module is fixed to the workpiece to be welded on rack;Acquisition module is used to gather coordinate system reference and the weld bead profile formed by welding execution module on the workpiece to be welded, and the welding execution module is controlled by control module to carry out multi-pass welding on the workpiece to be welded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of industrial automation welding technology, and in particular discloses a welding system with auxiliary positioning function. Background Technology

[0002] In the welding of medium and heavy plates in fields such as engineering machinery and shipbuilding, traditional welding methods rely heavily on the experience of operators, resulting in inconsistent welding quality and low efficiency. While existing automated welding equipment can reduce labor intensity, significant technical bottlenecks still exist when dealing with multi-layer and multi-pass welding tasks with complex bevels.

[0003] Firstly, the lack of a stable and unified physical coordinate system benchmark leads to insufficient initial positioning accuracy of the welding path. Furthermore, the slight changes in the workpiece position caused by factors such as thermal deformation during the welding process are difficult for the system to detect and compensate for, resulting in a relative positional deviation between the welding torch and the bevel.

[0004] Secondly, the existing system lacks the ability to detect and intelligently analyze the contour of the welded bead in real time. It cannot dynamically optimize the landing point and path of the subsequent weld bead based on the actual forming state of the previous weld bead. As a result, the welding process still follows a preset fixed procedure, with poor fault tolerance and adaptability. It is prone to defects such as incomplete fusion, weld bead that is too high or too low, and it is difficult to ensure the consistency of high-quality welding. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to overcome the shortcomings and deficiencies of the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an intelligent welding system with auxiliary positioning function for multi-layer and multi-pass welding of medium and thick iron plates.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a welding system with auxiliary positioning function, including a frame, a limiting module mounted on the frame, a welding execution module configured in conjunction with the limiting module, and a data acquisition module and a control module configured in conjunction with the welding execution module; it also includes a reference block, which is mounted on one side of the workpiece to be welded to provide a physical coordinate system reference for the welding system; the welding execution module is electrically connected to the control module via the data acquisition module, the limiting module is used to fix the workpiece to be welded on the frame; the data acquisition module is used to acquire coordinate system reference information and the weld bead contour formed by the welding execution module on the workpiece to be welded, and the control module adjusts the welding execution module to perform multiple welding passes on the workpiece to be welded by analyzing the coordinate system reference and weld bead contour acquired by the data acquisition module.

[0007] Furthermore, the frame includes a first frame and a second frame disposed on the first frame. The first frame is used to be disposed on the bearing surface of an external object. The limiting module is disposed on the second frame. A movable seat is reciprocally disposed on the first frame. The welding execution module is disposed on the movable seat to adjust the relative distance with respect to the limiting module on the second frame.

[0008] Furthermore, the welding execution module includes a multi-axis robot and a welding gun disposed at the output end of the multi-axis robot. The base of the multi-axis robot is provided with a quick-release mechanism, which is used to detachably fix the multi-axis robot to the frame or the bearing surface of an external carrier.

[0009] Furthermore, the acquisition module is located on one side of the output end of the welding execution module. The acquisition module is a line laser scanner. The outer side of the line laser scanner is provided with a foldable protective cover and a driving component connected to the protective cover. The driving component is electrically connected to the control module. The control module regulates the driving component to drive the protective cover to open so that the scanning window of the line laser scanner is exposed for data acquisition. After the line laser scanner has completed data acquisition, the control module regulates the driving component to drive the protective cover to close and cover the scanning window of the line laser scanner.

[0010] Furthermore, the limiting module is a bench vise, which includes a vise body detachably mounted on the frame and grippers that reciprocate relative to the vise body. A rotary screw assembly is provided on the vise body, which is used to drive the grippers to reciprocate to clamp or release the workpiece to be welded.

[0011] Furthermore, the reference block is set on one side of the welding area of ​​the workpiece by means of high-temperature resistant adhesive, quick-release clamp or magnetic attraction.

[0012] Furthermore, the first reference surface of the reference block is aligned and fitted with one side surface of the welding area of ​​the workpiece to be welded, and a corner point of the first reference surface of the reference block is set as the origin of the working coordinate system of the welding system.

[0013] Furthermore, the control module integrates a pose calculation unit and an AI welding model;

[0014] The pose calculation unit is used to establish and update the welding work coordinate system in real time based on the reference block information collected by the acquisition module and the real-time position information of the welding execution module end, and calculate the real-time spatial pose of the welding tool relative to the coordinate system.

[0015] The AI ​​welding model is used to extract features and analyze deviations based on the weld contour data collected by the acquisition module, and output optimization instructions for the landing point coordinates and welding path of the next welding pass.

[0016] Furthermore, the control module is configured to: establish an initial working coordinate system based on the reference block and perform initial welding path planning before welding is performed; during welding, compensate and calibrate the motion trajectory of the welding execution module based on the real-time pose information output by the pose calculation unit.

[0017] Furthermore, the welding system also includes a vision monitoring module, which is located on the other side of the output end of the welding execution module to collect image data of the welding area in real time during the welding process; the control module is also configured to: analyze the morphological characteristics of the molten pool in the welding area in real time based on the image data collected by the vision monitoring module, and adjust the welding current, voltage or welding speed parameters of the welding execution module according to the analysis results.

[0018] Furthermore, the AI ​​welding model integrated within the control module simultaneously receives weld contour data acquired by the acquisition module and image data of the molten pool in the welding area acquired by the visual monitoring module, using them together as feature inputs to collaboratively optimize the welding path and welding parameters for the next pass.

[0019] The core principle of this invention lies in establishing a precise and stable physical coordinate system origin for the entire system by setting a reference block on one side of the workpiece to be welded, fundamentally solving the problem of unified initial positioning reference. During system operation, the data acquisition module (line laser scanner) first scans the reference block and the workpiece to establish the working coordinate system and plan the initial path. After welding is performed, the acquisition module again precisely scans the three-dimensional contour of the welded bead and transmits the data to the control module.

[0020] The pose calculation unit integrated within the control module can calculate the spatial attitude of the welding torch in real time, while the AI ​​welding model extracts features and analyzes deviations from the weld bead contour data, intelligently determining the optimal landing point and path for the next weld bead, forming a precise closed-loop control of "welding-scanning-analysis-decision-adjustment". Furthermore, by adding a visual monitoring module to observe the weld pool in real time and collaborate with the AI ​​model, online adaptive adjustment of welding process parameters can be achieved.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: First, it achieves unified coordinates throughout the entire process through a reference block, and combined with pose calculation, greatly improves positioning accuracy and anti-interference capability. Second, the system possesses online sensing of weld quality and AI-based intelligent decision-making capabilities, enabling adaptive optimization of the welding path and significantly improving the stability and consistency of welding quality. Finally, the entire system, through modular design, integrates quick-release mechanisms, automatic protective caps, etc., achieving a high degree of automation and intelligence while also considering ease of use, flexibility, and long equipment lifespan, comprehensively solving the core challenges of high precision, adaptability, and reliability requirements in high-quality welding of medium and heavy plates. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system framework of the welding system of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the welding execution module of this utility model before it performs the welding action;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the frame and limiting module of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified structural diagram of part A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the welding execution module and the data acquisition module of this utility model.

[0027] The reference numerals in the figures include:

[0028] 100. Workpiece to be welded; 1. Frame; 2. Limiting module; 3. Welding execution module; 4. Data acquisition module; 6. Reference block; 11. First frame; 111. Moving seat; 12. Second frame; 21. Grip body; 22. Rotary screw assembly; 23. Gripper; 31. Multi-axis robot; 32. Welding gun; 41. Protective cover. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, the present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings. The content mentioned in the embodiments is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] Please see Figures 1 to 5As shown, the core of this utility model is a welding system with auxiliary positioning function, which establishes a stable and reliable physical coordinate system reference for the entire system through a reference block 6 set on the side of the workpiece 100 to be welded. In this embodiment, the system includes a frame 1, a limiting module 2, a welding execution module 3, a data acquisition module 4, and a control module. The frame 1 serves as the supporting structure of the entire system and is preferably an L-shaped frame made of rectangular profiles welded or bolted together. This structure has the advantages of good stability and ease of manufacturing. The horizontal part of the L-shaped frame (first frame 11) is used to place it stably on the workbench or the ground, while its vertical part (second frame 12) is used to install the limiting module 2.

[0031] Specifically, two linear sliding tracks are arranged in parallel on the first frame 11. A movable seat 111 with a slider that matches the track is driven by a servo motor to achieve precise reciprocating movement on the track (in actual use, manual sliding operation can also be used). The welding execution module 3 is installed on the movable seat 111 through the quick-release mechanism described below, thereby realizing a wide range of horizontal position adjustment of the welding execution module 3 relative to the fixed workpiece to adapt to workpieces of different sizes.

[0032] The welding execution module 3 consists of a six-axis industrial robot and a welding gun 32 mounted on its sixth-axis flange. The six-axis robot is preferably a model with a repeatability accuracy of ±0.05mm to ensure motion precision. The robot's base is connected to the aforementioned movable seat 111 or an external bearing surface via a quick-release mechanism.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the quick-release mechanism adopts a highly efficient and reliable magnetic structure, the specific implementation of which is as follows: The main body of the mechanism is integrated inside the base of the multi-axis robot 31, and is mainly composed of four high-performance neodymium iron boron permanent magnet modules. These four magnet modules are not randomly arranged, but are distributed in a rectangular array with equal spacing, symmetrical about the center of the base. This layout ensures that the magnetic force is evenly distributed when adsorbed and fixed, thereby providing a stable locking force without overturning torque.

[0034] Each neodymium iron boron magnet module contains one or more cylindrical neodymium iron boron permanent magnets, which serve as the magnetic source for the entire mechanism. Crucially, these permanent magnets are not fixed in place but are precisely mounted on a rotating shaft, which forms the core of the rotating assembly. Both ends of the rotating shaft are supported within the housing of the base by bearing seats, allowing for smooth rotation. At one end of the rotating shaft, a drive interface for receiving external tools is designed. This interface is typically a non-standard irregular groove or hexagonal socket, requiring a specialized matching wrench for operation, which also provides a degree of safety protection.

[0035] Its working principle is the switching of magnetic pole directions. When the operator uses a special tool to insert into the drive interface and rotates it at a certain angle (e.g., 90° or 180°), it will drive the built-in neodymium iron boron permanent magnet to rotate synchronously. When the N and S poles of the permanent magnet are rotated to be perpendicular to the magnetic guide plate (usually made of low carbon steel) at the bottom of the base, the magnetic lines of force can effectively pass through the magnetic guide plate and form a complete magnetic circuit with it. At this time, the magnetic force is the strongest, and the mechanism is in a "magnetic guiding" or "adsorption" state, which can firmly attach the robot base to the steel moving seat 111 or the bearing surface in contact with it.

[0036] When disassembly is required, simply use the tool to rotate the permanent magnet back to its initial position or another specific angle. At this time, the magnetic poles of the permanent magnet are parallel to the magnetic guide plate, and the magnetic lines of force form a short circuit inside the mechanism, which cannot effectively dissipate outwards. This manifests as a "demagnetized" or "closed" state, with the magnetic force significantly weakened to the point that it can no longer attract heavy objects. The operator can then easily remove the robot base.

[0037] This purely mechanical magnetic control solution can switch the magnetic force on and off without electricity, ensuring reliable adsorption in the event of a sudden power outage and preventing safety accidents. It also allows for quick installation and disassembly through a simple rotation operation, greatly improving the efficiency of equipment layout and adjustment. The entire mechanism is compact, entirely built into the base, with a clean appearance and no exposed complex parts, effectively protecting the core magnetic control components from impacts and contamination.

[0038] Another preferred embodiment of this quick-release mechanism is an electromagnetic chuck, which generates a strong magnetic force when energized, firmly adhering the robot base to the steel movable seat 111 or the worktable; when the power is off, the magnetic force disappears, allowing the robot to be easily moved, thus achieving rapid deployment and repositioning of the robot. Another embodiment can use a pneumatic latch or hydraulic clamp, which can also achieve rapid clamping and releasing.

[0039] The acquisition module 4 is a one-line laser scanner, which is fixed to the sixth-axis flange of the six-axis robot via a dedicated mounting bracket, located on one side of the welding torch 32. This ensures that its scanning plane maintains a specific relative positional relationship with the direction of the welding torch, such as parallel or at a fixed angle. A foldable protective cover 41 is provided on the outside of the line laser scanner. This cover is connected to the scanner housing via a hinge and is driven to open and close by a rotary servo motor (i.e., a drive unit). The drive unit is electrically connected to the control module.

[0040] Throughout the welding process, the control module sends instructions to the drive unit at the stages requiring scanning (such as system establishment and post-weld inspection) to open the protective cover 41, exposing the scanning window for data acquisition. Once the acquisition is complete, the control module immediately instructs the drive unit to close the cover, thereby effectively preventing the spatter and intense arc light generated during the welding process from contaminating or damaging the precision scanner lens, greatly improving the service life and reliability of the equipment.

[0041] The limiting module 2 is used to firmly clamp the workpiece 100 to be welded, and a preferred embodiment is a bench vise. The vise body 21 is detachably fixed to the second frame 12 of the frame 1 by bolts and a base. The vise includes a fixed vise body 21 and a jaw 23 that is reciprocally movable by a rotating screw. By rotating the handwheel (or by a motor), the screw is rotated, thereby driving the jaw 23 to move closer to or away from the fixed vise body 21 to clamp or release the workpiece. This mechanical clamping method provides a large clamping force and high stability, and can effectively resist stress and vibration during the welding process.

[0042] The reference block 6 is the core component for achieving high-precision positioning in this system. It is a cube or rectangular block made of metal with precisely known dimensions. There are several preferred methods for fixing it: first, using a high-temperature resistant (e.g., capable of withstanding temperatures above 300°C) epoxy resin adhesive to adhere it to a cleaned surface near the area to be welded on the workpiece; second, using a miniature quick-release clamp (such as a small C-clamp) to hold it at the edge of the workpiece; third, for ferromagnetic workpieces, the most preferred method is to embed a high-performance neodymium iron boron permanent magnet inside the reference block 6, allowing it to be firmly and non-damagingly attached to the workpiece by magnetic force.

[0043] Specifically, in this embodiment, one surface of the reference block 6 is precision machined as a first reference surface. During installation, it must be ensured that the first reference surface is aligned and fitted with the side surface of the workpiece to be welded area. By default, the system sets a specific corner point (e.g., the lower left corner) of the first reference surface as the origin (0,0,0) of the working coordinate system of the entire welding system. All subsequent positioning, scanning, and welding actions are calculated based on this coordinate system.

[0044] The control module is the brain of the entire system. In actual use, it can consist of an industrial computer, a PLC, and corresponding interface circuits. In this embodiment, it integrates two key functional units through software: a pose calculation unit and an AI welding model.

[0045] The pose calculation unit receives data from a line laser scanner, including scan information of reference block 6 and scan information of the bevel of the workpiece 100 to be welded. By registering the point cloud data acquired by the scan with the accurate 3D model of reference block 6 and bevel pre-stored in the system, the unit can establish and maintain a stable world coordinate system with the reference block as the origin.

[0046] Since both the data acquisition module 4 and the welding torch 32 are rigidly fixed to the end of the welding execution module 3, the relative position and attitude transformation relationship between their tool center points (TCP) have been accurately obtained through calibration during system installation and debugging and remain unchanged. Therefore, by calculating the real-time pose of the data acquisition module 4 in the world coordinate system, the pose calculation unit can synchronously calculate the precise spatial coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the welding torch 32 in the current working coordinate system and the spatial angles (α, β, γ) of the welding torch axis through a fixed coordinate transformation, i.e., the real-time spatial pose. Then, the welding parameters are retrieved and sent to the welding execution module, which controls the welding torch 32 to adjust to a suitable posture and reach the designated position.

[0047] The AI ​​welding model is a software module trained on a deep neural network. It is trained using a large amount of historical welding data (including various weld contours, corresponding welding parameters, and final non-destructive testing quality results). During system operation, it receives contour data (such as weld height, width, and cross-sectional area) of the previous weld from a line laser scanner, extracts features, and compares them with a preset ideal weld model to identify deviations (such as insufficient or excessive filling). Based on these deviations and the learned process rules, the AI ​​model intelligently outputs corrections to the coordinates of the next weld placement and optimization instructions for the welding path.

[0048] The control module's workflow is configured as follows: Before welding, the acquisition module 4 is instructed to scan the reference block 6 and the workpiece bevel to establish an initial working coordinate system, and to plan the initial welding path in conjunction with the workpiece's 3D model. During welding, the control module ensures that the welding torch accurately arrives at and maintains the preset welding path based on the real-time pose of the welding torch output by the pose calculation unit.

[0049] To further enhance the intelligence and quality of the welding process, a visual monitoring module can be optionally added to the system. This module includes a CMOS industrial camera with an anti-strong light interference filter and a matching illumination source. It is mounted on the end effector of the robot via another bracket, located on the other side of the welding gun 32, so that its optical axis can clearly capture the weld pool area.

[0050] During the welding process, the camera acquires image data of the molten pool area in real time and transmits it to the control module. The image processing algorithm built into the control module can analyze the morphological characteristics of the molten pool in real time, such as its width, length, and tail angle. Based on these characteristics and analysis models (for example, a wider molten pool may indicate excessive heat input), the control module can adjust parameters such as the welding power supply current and voltage or the robot's welding speed in real time, achieving online closed-loop control of welding quality.

[0051] In a preferred integrated scheme, the AI ​​welding model integrated within the control module can simultaneously receive weld contour data from the acquisition module 4 (line laser scanner) and molten pool image data from the visual monitoring module. By using both as feature inputs for fusion analysis, it can more comprehensively and proactively optimize the welding path and welding parameters for the next pass, thereby achieving a higher level of intelligent welding.

[0052] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation method and application scope based on the idea of ​​this utility model. The content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A welding system with auxiliary positioning function, comprising a frame (1), a limiting module (2) disposed on the frame (1), a welding execution module (3) configured in cooperation with the limiting module (2), and a data acquisition module (4) and a control module in cooperation with the welding execution module (3); characterized in that: It also includes a reference block (6), which is set on one side of the welding area of ​​the workpiece (100) to be welded to provide a physical coordinate system reference for the welding system; the welding execution module (3) is electrically connected to the control module via the acquisition module (4), and the limiting module (2) is used to fix the workpiece (100) to be welded on the frame (1); the acquisition module (4) is used to acquire coordinate system reference information and weld contour formed by the welding execution module (3) on the workpiece (100) to be welded, and the control module adjusts the welding execution module (3) to perform multiple welding passes on the workpiece (100) to be welded by analyzing the coordinate system reference and weld contour acquired by the acquisition module (4).

2. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame (1) includes a first frame (11) and a second frame (12) disposed on the first frame (11). The first frame (11) is used to be disposed on the bearing surface of an external object. The limiting module (2) is disposed on the second frame (12). A movable seat (111) is reciprocally disposed on the first frame (11). The welding execution module (3) is disposed on the movable seat (111) to adjust the relative distance with respect to the limiting module (2) on the second frame (12).

3. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The welding execution module (3) includes a multi-axis robot (31) and a welding gun (32) set at the output end of the multi-axis robot (31). The base of the multi-axis robot (31) is provided with a quick-release mechanism, which is used to detachably fix the multi-axis robot (31) to the frame (1) or the bearing surface of an external carrier.

4. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 3, characterized in that: The acquisition module (4) is located on one side of the output end of the multi-axis robot (31). The acquisition module (4) is a line laser scanner. The outer side of the line laser scanner is provided with a foldable protective cover (41) and a drive component connected to the protective cover (41). The drive component is electrically connected to the control module. The control module controls the drive component to drive the protective cover (41) to open so that the scanning window of the line laser scanner is exposed for data acquisition. When the line laser scanner completes data acquisition, the control module controls the drive component to drive the protective cover (41) to close and cover the scanning window of the line laser scanner.

5. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting module (2) is a bench vise. The bench vise includes a vise body (21) detachably mounted on the frame (1) and a jaw (23) that reciprocates relative to the vise body (21). A rotary screw assembly (22) is mounted on the vise body (21). The rotary screw assembly (22) is used to drive the jaw (23) to reciprocate to clamp or release the workpiece (100) to be welded.

6. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reference block (6) is set on one side of the welding area of ​​the workpiece (100) to be welded by means of high temperature resistant adhesive, quick-release clamp or magnetic attraction.

7. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first reference surface of the reference block (6) is aligned and fitted with one side surface of the welding area of ​​the workpiece (100) to be welded, and a corner point of the first reference surface of the reference block (6) is set as the origin of the working coordinate system of the welding system.

8. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control module integrates a pose calculation unit and an AI welding model. The pose calculation unit is used to establish and update the welding work coordinate system based on the reference block (6) and the bevel of the workpiece to be welded according to the spatial data of the reference block (6) and the bevel of the workpiece to be welded collected by the acquisition module (4), and calculate the real-time spatial pose of the welding tool relative to the coordinate system based on the fixed change relationship between the coordinate system and the end tool center point of the welding execution module (3). The AI ​​welding model is used to perform feature extraction and deviation analysis based on the weld contour data collected by the acquisition module (4), and output optimization instructions for the landing point coordinates and welding path of the next welding pass.

9. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 8, characterized in that: The control module is configured to: establish an initial working coordinate system based on the reference block (6) and perform initial welding path planning before welding; and compensate and calibrate the motion trajectory of the welding execution module (3) based on the real-time pose information output by the pose calculation unit during welding.

10. The welding system with auxiliary positioning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The welding system also includes a vision monitoring module, which is located on the other side of the output end of the welding execution module (3) to collect image data of the welding area in real time during the welding process; the control module is also configured to: analyze the morphological characteristics of the molten pool in the welding area in real time based on the image data collected by the vision monitoring module, and adjust the welding current, voltage or welding speed parameters of the welding execution module (3) according to the analysis results.

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