Welding SEAM tracking system

Abstract

The invention relates to a welding seam tracking system that reassigns welding seam tracking points and enables the welding robot to complete the seam tracking smoothly. The invention also relates to preventing collisions that may occur due to operator error or negative external factors of the welding robot.

Description

[0001] WELDING SEAM TRACKING SYSTEM

[0002] Technical Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a welding seam tracking system that reassigns welding seam tracking points and enables the welding robot to complete the seam tracking smoothly.

[0004] State of the Art

[0005] In processes carried out with welding robots, deformations may occur as a result of thermal deformations, especially in materials with high thickness. These deformations can be detected with sensor systems connected to the end effector section, which is the last joint of the robot system. As a result of these deformations, the welding seam path will change and the position information previously introduced to the welding torch will be incorrect.

[0006] There are different applications in welding seam tracking systems. Laser sensor systems, which are one of the current applications, have some advantages, but they also have some disadvantages. While these sensors cannot be very efficient in metal materials with shiny surfaces, their maintenance and costs are also quite high. Another system is welding tracking devices that find the beginning of the welding groove by touching and use the arc method. However, the testing processes carried out with these devices are continued until the welding groove is found properly. In addition, it should be ensured that the welding torch is at a 45-degree angle and that the wire tip is exactly on the corner where the two metal parts intersect. There is a lot of time loss in the processes carried out with this device and since there are many adjustments made by the human factor, the precision is also low.

[0007] After a certain stage of gas metal arc welding processes carried out with robots, thermal deformations may occur together with the intense heat generated on the surface of the processed material. As a result of thermal deformations, there will be expansions in the processed material and deformations will occur in shape. Due to these deformations, the locations of the welding seam tracking points will also change and the seam tracking will be disrupted.

[0008] The invention that is the subject of the application numbered “CN109848524” in the state of the art relates to a welding seam tracking method and belongs to the field of smart welding technology. Its aim is to solve the problem that the existing mechanical probe tip sensor is sensitive to thermal deformation and cannot prevent the interference caused by the adhesion of metal particles to the side wall of the groove. In the invention, a single mechanical probe is used, but this invention is only applied to processes with a butt welding and narrow weld gap distance.

[0009] The invention that is the subject of the application numbered “CN111037169” in the state of the art describes a six-degree-of-freedom robot self-adaptive welding joint trajectory tracking method. The invention only is used for performing oscillatory scanning on a weld groove, and it uses a hall current sensor. As a result, it is very different from the system we invented.

[0010] In the state of the art, there is no welding seam tracking system that derives results from the change of angle values, works with the and is not affected by environmental conditions such as glossy surfaces. A welding seam tracking system is needed that can make measurements by contact using angle sensors that work with the principle of resistance change according to the position of the rotary joint of sensors. They can automatically make counterclockwise movements by means of the spring mechanism, and provide the advantage of fast and simple installation with its compact structure.

[0011] As a result, due to the negativities described above and the inadequacy of existing solutions on the subject, it has become necessary to make a development in the relevant technical field.

[0012] Brief Description and Aims of the Invention

[0013] The invention relates to a welding seam tracking system that reassigns welding seam tracking points and enables the welding robot to complete the seam tracking smoothly. The most important aim of the invention is to detect the cases where deformation may occur even if a fixture is used in the welding seam tracking and to find the most suitable solution for this.

[0014] Another aim of the invention is to provide information that the probe on the device has moved away from the contact point on the surface of the metal part to be measured or has hit the surface. In this way, the joint angle information of the robot system is rearranged, and the system can continue the welding seam tracking smoothly.

[0015] Another aim of the invention is to reassign the welding seam tracking points and enable the welding robot to complete the seam tracking smoothly.

[0016] Another aim of the invention is to ensure that the processes can be carried out regardless of whether the material to be processed is shiny or not and without much loss of time during calibration. In the gas metal arc welding processes to be carried out with this system, in cases where the welding robot ends seam tracking, the process can be intervened immediately, and the robot operator will be warned.

[0017] Another aim of the invention is to ensure that the welding robot can continue its operations with very high precision and that its cost and maintenance are more economical compared to existing systems.

[0018] Another aim of the invention is to prevent the welding robot from not being able to detect collisions that may occur due to errors caused by the operator or negative external factors and therefore not being able to prevent material damages that may occur. By means of the sensors in this pioneer system, such negativities will be detected early, and the systems will automatically switch to emergency stop.

[0019] Description of Drawings

[0020] Figure-1 is the drawing that shows the isometric view of the welding robot in the invention.

[0021] Figure-2 is the drawing that shows the isometric view of the welding robot in the invention.

[0022] Figure-3 is the drawing that shows the view of the spring mechanism and spring in the invention. Figure-4 is the drawing that shows the view of the spring in the invention.

[0023] Reference Numbers

[0024] 100. Welding robot

[0025] 110. Probe arm

[0026] 120. Spring mechanism

[0027] 121. Spring

[0028] 122. Swivel joint

[0029] 130. Angle sensor

[0030] Disclosure of Invention

[0031] The invention relates to a welding seam tracking system that re-determines the welding seam tracking points and enables the welding robot (100) to complete the seam tracking smoothly.

[0032] In the welding seam tracking device, the probe arm (1 10) is triggered when it comes into contact with the component surface, helping to control the surface throughout the production process and to ensure that the components remain within the compliance limits. There are two probe arms (1 10) in the welding seam tracking device. In order to further increase the measurement accuracy, the length of the probe arm (110) can be adjusted.

[0033] Unlike the existing inventions, angle sensors (130) are used in the welding seam tracking device. These angle sensors (130) make contactless measurements using the magnetic field principle. The angle sensors (130) are located on the probe arm (110). The spring mechanism (120) is inside the angle sensor (130) and is connected to the swivel joint (122) component of the sensor. The spring (121 ) on the swivel joint (122) component enables the automatic measurement movements of the probe arm (110) in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

[0034] The processor communicates with the angle sensors (130) and detects when the probe on the device moves away from the contact point on the surface of the metal part to be measured or hits the surface, and accordingly, it rearranges the joint angle information of the welding robot (100) system, allowing the system to continue the welding seam tracking without any problems. The processor ensures that the welding seam tracking is performed without errors in applications where the welding gap distance can be greater in double t position, inclined position, on top of each other and corner position welding processes. The processor can detect that the welding robot (100) has ended seam tracking with the data coming from the angle sensor (130).

[0035] The electronic device provides information to the robot operator via an interface when the processor detects that the welding robot (100) has ended seam tracking.

[0036] In order for the welding robot (100) to re-determine the welding seam tracking points, the angle sensors (130) located on the probe arm (1 10) collect angular data from the surface being welded. In this way, the processor detects whether the probe has moved away from the contact point on the surface of the metal part to be measured or has hit the surface. The processor detects the new welding seam path with the data coming from the angle sensors (130) and ensures that the welding robot (100) completes the seam tracking smoothly. In this way, even if a fixture is used in the welding seam tracking, in cases where deformation may occur, it will notice this situation and the most suitable welding seam tracking path will be produced.

[0037] In the operations to be carried out with the welding seam tracking system, operations can be carried out regardless of whether the material is shiny or not and without losing much time during calibration. In the gas metal arc welding processes to be carried out with this system, in cases where the welding robot ends seam tracking, the process can be intervened immediately, and the robot operator will be able to be warned. With this system, the welding robot (100) will be able to continue its operations with very high precision, when they are broken, that lead time will be faster compared to existing systems.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A welding seam tracking system that re-determines the welding seam tracking points and enables the welding robot (100) to complete the seam tracking smoothly, comprising- at least two probe arms (1 10) that comprise an angle sensor (130) that perform contactless measurement using the magnetic field principle and allow the angle sensor to collect data by contacting the surface throughout the production process,- at least two spring mechanisms (120) that are inside the angle sensor (130) and are connected to the swivel joint (122) component of the sensor, and enable the counterclockwise movement to be performed automatically by means of the spring (121 ) and the swivel joint (122) inside them,- at least one processor that communicates with the angle sensors (130) and detects when the probe on the device moves away from the contact point on the surface of the metal part to be measured or hits the surface, and accordingly, rearranges the joint angle information of the welding robot (100) system, allowing the system to continue the welding seam tracking without any problems, and- at least one electronic device that provides information to the robot operator via an interface when the processor detects that the welding robot (100) has ended seam tracking.

2. A welding seam tracking system according to Claim 1 , comprising a processor that can detect when the welding robot (100) has ended seam tracking with the data coming from the angle sensor (130).

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