Granted Patent B2

US 12,208,530 · App. 17/978,342 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Inventor: Zachary A. Christy (Fort Collins, CO)

Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.

B25J9/1697B23K37/0229B25J9/1664B25J11/005B25J13/08G06T7/593G05B2219/39001G05B2219/45104G06T2207/10028G06T2207/30136

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A method of correcting angles of a welding torch positioned by a user while training a robot of a robotic welding system, the method comprising:

acquiring a single image of weldment depth data of a weldment and a corresponding weld seam using a depth camera of a weld angle correction tool;

processing the weldment depth data using the computer of the weld angle correction tool;

importing user-placed 3D torch position and orientation data to the computer of the weld angle correction tool from a robot controller of a robotic welding system in a robot coordinate space for a recorded weld point along the corresponding weld seam;

calculating, using the computer of the weld angle correction tool, at least one torch angle for the recorded weld point with respect to the weldment and the corresponding weld seam in the robot coordinate space based on the weldment depth data of the weldment and the corresponding weld seam, as processed by the computer of the weld angle correction tool, and the user-placed 3D torch position and orientation data; and

correcting the at least one torch angle for the recorded weld point based on pre-stored ideal angles for the weldment and the corresponding weld seam.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weldment depth data is stereoscopic image data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the processing of the weldment depth data includes generating 3D point cloud data from the stereoscopic image data in the robot coordinate space using the computer of the weld angle correction tool.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processing of the weldment depth data includes generating 3D plane and intersection data representative of the weldment and the corresponding weld seam from the 3D point cloud data in the robot coordinate space using the computer of the weld angle correction tool.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one torch angle includes a torch push angle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one torch angle includes a torch work angle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weldment depth data is transmitted via at least one of a wired or a wireless means from the depth camera to the computer of the weld angle correction tool.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-placed 3D torch position and orientation data is transmitted via at least one of a wired or a wireless means from the robot controller to the computer of the weld angle correction tool.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a position of the depth camera is calibrated to one of a tip of the welding torch or a tool center point (TCP) of the robot.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer of the weld angle correction tool uses matrix manipulation techniques, point cloud manipulation techniques, and feature recognition techniques as part of processing the weldment depth data.

11. A weld angle correction tool for correcting angles of a welding torch positioned by a user while training a robot of a robotic welding system, the weld angle correction tool comprising:

a depth camera configured to acquire a single image of weldment depth data of a weldment and a corresponding weld seam to be welded by a robotic welding system having a welding torch; and

a computer device configured to receive:

the weldment depth data from the depth camera, and

user-placed 3D torch position and orientation data from a robot controller of the robotic welding system for a recorded weld point along the corresponding weld seam,

wherein the computer device is configured to:

calculate at least one torch angle of the welding torch for the recorded weld point with respect to the weldment and the corresponding weld seam in a coordinate space of the robotic welding system based on the weldment depth data and the user-placed torch position and orientation data, and

calculate at least one corrected torch angle based on the at least one torch angle for the recorded weld point, as calculated, and pre-stored ideal angles for the weldment and the corresponding weld seam.

12. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the weldment depth data is stereoscopic image data.

13. The weld angle correction tool of claim 12 , wherein calculating of the at least one torch angle using the computer device includes generating 3D point cloud data from the stereoscopic image data in the coordinate space of the robotic welding system.

14. The weld angle correction tool of claim 13 , wherein calculating of the at least one torch angle using the computer device includes generating 3D plane and intersection data representative of the weldment and the corresponding weld seam from the 3D point cloud data in the coordinate space of the robotic welding system.

15. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the computer device is in the form of a laptop computer.

16. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the computer device is integrated into the robot controller of the robotic welding system.

17. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the computer device is integrated into a welding power supply of the robotic welding system.

18. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the depth camera is configured to be removably attached to the welding torch.

19. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the depth camera is configured to be mounted on joint 6 of a robot arm of the robotic welding system.

20. The weld angle correction tool of claim 11 , wherein the depth camera includes two imaging apertures for acquiring stereoscopic image data.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (50)