Dynamic teaching system and method for programming, controlling, and optimizing collaborative robot welding and cutting systems' processing paths and for programming process templates related thereto
A dynamic programmable teaching system adapted to program and control the operation of collaborative robot welding and cutting systems, minimize the need to use a teach pendant for programming and to provide visual feedback in order to optimize or correct operational processing parameters for any given welding or cutting task.
1 . A dynamic programmable teaching system adapted to program and control the operation of a collaborative robot welding and cutting system and to optimize or correct operational processing parameters for any given welding or cutting task, the welding and cutting system including a power supply, robot controller, teach pendant, and an application programming interface (API) display, the dynamic programmable teaching system comprising:
a control system housing operatively connected to a distal end of an arm segment of a collaborative robot and to a robot controller and teach pendant;
securing hardware adapted to connect the control system housing to the distal end of the arm segment;
a plurality of programming and control data entry actuators, each of the plurality of programming and control data entry actuators being reciprocally coaxially positioned in a respective cavity or cylindrical aperture formed in the control system housing and operatively connected via a connecting cable to the robot controller, teach pendant and application programming interface (API) display; and
a biasing mechanism adapted to urge each of the plurality of control data entry actuators in an outward direction against a respective stop member positioned at a respective outer rim of each of the cavities.
2 . The dynamic programmable teaching system of claim 1 wherein the securing hardware comprises one or more threaded fasteners or bolts, each bolt being adapted to releasably threadably engage the clamp piece in locking engagement with the housing.
3 . The dynamic programmable teaching system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of programming and control data entry actuators comprises a push button.
4 . The dynamic programmable teaching system of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of push buttons is in the form of LED ring illuminated push button.
5 . The dynamic programmable teaching system of claim 4 wherein each of the LED ring illuminated push buttons are selectively illuminated by different colored LED's.
6 . The dynamic programmable teaching system of claim 5 wherein the colors of the different colored LED ring illuminated push buttons include red, blue, green, and amber.
7 . A programmable collaborative robot welding or cutting system comprising:
a robot arm including a plurality of arm segments sequentially pivotally and/or rotatably interconnected to one another;
an electrically isolated base;
a work processing implement operatively connected to a distal end of the robot arm;
a robot controller;
a teach pendant;
an application programming interface (API) display; and
a dynamic programmable teaching system adapted to program and control the operation of a collaborative robot welding and cutting system and to optimize or correct operational processing parameters for any given welding or cutting task; the dynamic programmable teaching system including a control system housing operatively connected to a distal end of an arm segment of a collaborative robot and to a robot controller and teach pendant; securing hardware adapted to connect the control system housing to the distal end of the arm segment: a plurality of programming and control data entry actuators, each of the plurality of programming and control data entry actuators being reciprocally coaxially positioned in a respective cavity or cylindrical aperture formed in the control system housing and operatively connected via a connecting cable to the robot controller, teach pendant and application programming interface (API) display; and a biasing mechanism adapted to urge each of the plurality of control data entry actuators in an outward direction against a respective stop member positioned at a respective outer rim of each of the cavities.
8 . The programmable collaborative robot welding or cutting system of claim 7 wherein the securing hardware of the dynamic programmable teaching system comprises one or more threaded fasteners or bolts, each bolt being adapted to releasably threadably engage the clamp piece in locking engagement with the housing.
9 . The programmable collaborative robot welding or cutting system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of programming and control data entry actuators of the dynamic programmable teaching system comprises a push button.
10 . The programmable collaborative robot welding or cutting system of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of push buttons is in the form of LED ring illuminated push button.
11 . The programmable collaborative robot welding or cutting system of claim 10 wherein each of the LED ring illuminated push buttons are selectively illuminated by different colored LED's.
12 . The programmable collaborative robot welding or cutting system of claim 11 wherein the colors of the different colored LED ring illuminated push buttons include red, blue, green, and amber.