# US 10,449,616 B2 · Welding process

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- Number: US 10,449,616 B2
- Document ID: US10449616B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/690,787
- Filed: 2017-08-30
- Published: 2018-03-08
- Granted: 2019-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-05
- Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Inventors: Eliot Burrows
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10449616B2

## CPC

- B23K 9/126: {Controlling the spatial relationship between the work and the gas torch (between wire tip and piece B23K9/073)}
- B21J 15/28: Control devices specially adapted to riveting machines not restricted to one of the preceding subgroups
- B23K 9/0026: {specially adapted for particular articles or work}
- B23K 9/167: and of a non-consumable electrode
- B23K 31/02: relating to soldering or welding
- B25J 9/1692: {Calibration of manipulator}
- B25J 11/007: {Riveting}
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G05B 19/4207: {in which a model is traced or scanned and corresponding data recorded}
- G05B 2219/36401: Record play back, teach position and record it then play back
- G05B 2219/45088: Riveting robot
- G05B 2219/45135: Welding
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B21J: FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES (rolling of metal B21B; making particular products by forging or pressing B21K; cladding or plating B23K; finishing surfaces by hammering B23P9/04; compacting surfaces by blasting with particulate material B24C1/10; general features of presses, presses for consolidating scrap B30B; furnaces in general F27)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

A method and apparatus for welding a first component to a second component. A scanning head is positionally calibrated within a localised work envelope including the components, the positional calibration being referenced to at least one datum feature within the work envelope. Profiles of the components are scanned within the localised work envelope using the calibrated scanning head. A cloud point data image of defined coordinate positions of surfaces and edges to be welded within a space envelope is generated from the scanned profiles. A robotic welding torch electrode tip is scanned using the calibrated scanning head to determine a defined coordinate position of the electrode tip within the space envelope. The components are welded using the torch, the torch controlled using the cloud point data image and the defined coordinate position such that the electrode tip is held at pre-determined stand-off positions around the components during the welding.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for welding a first component to a second component, the method comprising:
positionally calibrating a scanning head within a localised work envelope, the work envelope being defined by boundaries surrounding the first component and the second component, the positional calibration being referenced to at least one datum feature within the work envelope;
scanning profiles of the first component and the second component within the work envelope using the calibrated scanning head;
generating, from the scanned profiles, a cloud point data image of defined coordinate positions of surfaces and edges of the first component and the second component to be welded within a space envelope, the space envelope being larger than the work envelope, which is located inside the space envelope;
scanning an electrode tip of a robotic welding torch using the calibrated scanning head to determine a defined coordinate position of the electrode tip within the space envelope, the electrode tip of the robotic welding torch being located outside of the work envelope at a time of scanning the electrode tip; and
welding the first component to the second component using the robotic welding torch, movement of the robotic welding torch being controlled using the cloud point data image and the defined coordinate position of the electrode tip, such that the electrode tip is held at a plurality of pre-determined stand-off positions around the first component and the second component within the work envelope during the welding.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning head is positionally calibrated along x, y, z linear orthogonal axes within the localised work envelope.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, before positionally calibrating the scanning head, positioning the scanning head by reference to a master theoretical model of the position of the first component and the position of the second component within the space envelope.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning head is attached to a robotic arm having a first orientation for scanning profiles of the first component and the second component, and a second orientation for scanning the electrode tip.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, from the cloud point data image of surfaces and edges to be welded, whether predetermined weld joint characteristics are satisfied, such that the welding of the first component to the second component is stopped in response to determining that the predetermined weld joint characteristics are not satisfied.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning head includes a 3D optical visualiser.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the welding is tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A computer control system programmed to control the scanning head and the robotic welding torch to perform the method of claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An apparatus for welding the first component to the second component, the apparatus comprising:
the scanning head;
the robotic welding torch; and
the computer control system of claim 8.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program to be executed on a computer, causing the computer to control the scanning head and the robotic welding torch to perform the method of claim 1.

### Claim 11

An apparatus for welding a first component to a second component, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning head;
a robotic welding torch; and
a computer control system programmed to:
positionally calibrate the scanning head within a localised work envelope, the work envelope being defined by boundaries surrounding the first component and the second component, the positional calibration being referenced to at least one datum feature within the work envelope;
control the scanning head to scan profiles of the first component and the second component within the work envelope using the calibrated scanning head;
generate, from the scanned profiles, a cloud point data image of defined coordinate positions of surfaces and edges of the first component and the second component to be welded within a space envelope, the space envelope being larger than the work envelope, which is located inside the space envelope;
control the scanning head to scan an electrode tip of the robotic welding torch to determine a defined coordinate position of the electrode tip within the space envelope, the electrode tip of the robotic welding torch being located outside of the work envelope at a time of scanning the electrode tip; and
control the robotic welding torch to weld the first component to the second component, movement of the robotic welding torch being controlled by the control system using the cloud point data image and the defined coordinate position of the electrode tip, such that the electrode tip is held at a plurality of pre-determined stand-off positions around the first component and the second component within the work envelope during the welding.