PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRACKING A WELD SEAM

摘要

1. Process for automatically tracking a weld seam, in which points (12) of the surfaces of work pieces (4, 4) to be welded are scanned by pivoting a scanning element (10) arranged in a reference plane fixed with respect to the welding head, and in which signals are produced by the scanning, comprising information on the position of the welding seam (6) and serving to direct the welding head (1) onto the welding seam (6), characterized in that the scanning of the surfaces of the work pieces (4, 4) is made by distance measurement by means of a beam (11), and in that the scanned points (12) are arranged on a curve (13) running around the axis of the welding head, wherein the position of the welding head (1) with respect to the two work pieces (4, 4) defines two curve portions on said work pieces.