ROBOTIC WELDING EQUIPMENT STATION

摘要

A robotic welding equipment station to detect deviation of a tool center point of a welding torch. The station is provided with pairs of light emitting and detecting devices to emit and detect two separate light beams. The pairs of light emitting devices and detectors are oriented at an angle and spaced apart from each other such that the two light beams are at an angle to one another and the weld wire electrode is able to simultaneously interrupt both light beams when there is no deviation in a tool center point. The spacing prevents the weld wire electrode from interrupting both light beams when an increasing deviation of the tool center point propagates along the length of the weld wire electrode. First and second output signals generated by the first and second light detectors are received by a means for detecting deviation of the tool center point.

主权项

1. A robotic welding equipment station to detect deviation of a tool center point of a welding torch having an electric arc welding tip and a weld wire electrode projecting from the electric arc welding tip, said robotic welding equipment station comprising:
a first light emitting device to emit a first light beam and a first light detector positioned to detect the first light beam; a second light emitting device to emit a second light beam and a second light detector positioned to detect the second light beam; the first light emitting device and the first light detector oriented with respect to the second light emitting device and the second light detector such that the first light beam and the second light beam are at an angle to one another and the weld wire electrode is able to simultaneously pass through and interrupt both the first light beam and the second light beam when there is no deviation in a tool center point; the first light emitting device and the first light detector spaced apart from the second light emitting device and the second light detector such that the first light beam and the second light beam are spaced apart from one another and the weld wire electrode will be unable to simultaneously pass through and interrupt both the first light beam and the second light beam upon a deviation of the tool center point occasioned by an increasing misalignment of the of the weld wire electrode propagating along the length thereof; and the first light detector configured to generate a first output signal when said first light beam is detected by the first light detector and the second light detector configured to generate a second output signal when the second light beam is detected by the second light detector, the first output signal and the second output signal capable of being received by means for detecting deviation of the tool center point.