PROGRAM SELECTION ARRANGEMENT FOR MANIPULATOR APPARATUS

摘要

Manipulator apparatus is provided wherein a number of multi-step programs for controlling movement of the manipulator arm in desired patterns of movement are available. Facilities are provided for automatically selecting any one of the programs in a random manner in respect to externally developed signals representing such programs. In a particular embodiment, the programs available control movement of the arm to perform different patterns of spot welding operations in accordance with automobile bodies randomly distributed on a production line conveyor. The control system also functions automatically to perform a spot welding operation at certain program steps in accordance with recorded spot weld control signals and without requiring a separate program step for a spot welding instruction, thereby substantially decreasing the number of program steps required to carry out a given pattern. Facilities are also provided for preventing double or multiple welds in response to a single position instruction or program step of the manipulator arm.