Cobot Welding UI with Closest-Point Highlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cobot user interface applications for welding and metal fabrication operations are not optimized, leading to inefficiencies in programming and lack of intuitive feedback during programming.
Innovation Solution
A user interface application for a cobot system that includes auto-scroll functionality to highlight the closest welding point based on the tool center point and provides real-time feedback for point selection and reprogramming, along with intuitive parameter adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a teach pendant with a list of welding points is used for programming cobot welding operations, then the complete welding path can be programmed, but the user must manually scroll through the list to select and locate specific welding points, which is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the cobot arm's position and automatically highlights the closest welding point in the list based on real-time spatial data. This feedback mechanism eliminates manual scrolling by providing automatic, context-aware point selection as the user moves the cobot arm near the desired location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical scrolling action with an automated computational system that calculates distances between the cobot's tool center point and welding points, then automatically updates the list highlighting based on proximity calculations.
2Loss of information
If the user interface displays all welding points in a list, then complete programming information is available, but the interface becomes complex and difficult to navigate for selecting specific points
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface applies different visual properties to different parts of the welding point list based on their spatial relationship to the cobot arm. The closest welding point is highlighted with distinct visual characteristics, while other points maintain standard display, allowing users to quickly locate relevant information without being overwhelmed by the complete list.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cobot arm is moved manually during programming, then flexible positioning is achieved, but the user must manually locate and select the corresponding welding point in the list
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and maintains the list of welding points with their spatial coordinates before programming begins. During manual arm movement, the system continuously compares the current tool center point position against these pre-stored coordinates to automatically identify and highlight the closest matching welding point.
Data Source
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AI summary
A welding system includes a collaborative robot, a robot controller, a welding torch having an end located at a tool center point (TCP), a welding power supply, and a teach pendant. The teach pendant includes a UI application configured for programming welding points and parameters. In a first operation mode, the UI application displays the plurality of welding points in a list that includes a highlighted closest welding point having a three-dimensional position that is closest to the TCP. The highlighted closest welding point automatically updates upon manual movement TCP. In a second operation mode, the list includes a highlighted selected welding point, and the UI further displays a selector button that shows a straight line distance of the TCP to a three-dimensional position of the highlighted selected welding point. Activation of the selector button causes the TCP to move to the position of the highlighted selected welding point.