Method and apparatus of scheduling welding operations for a welding robot

US10688660B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ABB Schweiz AG · CH

Inventors

• Jingguo Ge · Shanghai, CN
• Lei Mao · Shanghai, CN
• Peng Kong · Shanghai, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 12, 2017
• Grant date: Jun 23, 2020
• Expiry date: Dec 12, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/49386
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and apparatus of scheduling welding operations. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method includes identifying seams on a welding object in a three-dimensional model for the welding object based on geometry of bodies contained in the welding object. The method also includes determining a welding sequence based on the seams, welding parameters and welding process requirements. The method further includes generating an operation procedure for a welding robot based on another three-dimensional model for the welding robot, the welding sequence, robot path parameters and the welding parameters to schedule the welding operations of the welding object. With embodiments of the present disclosure, the welding procedure could be generated in an automatic way and thus a robot can be used in welding huge and complex structures or structures manufactured in a small batch so that the automatic level can be increased remarkably and the production cost can be reduced accordingly.