Autonomous welding robots
AssigneePath Robotics, Inc.
InventorsAlexander James Lonsberry, Andrew Gordon Lonsberry, Nima Ajam Gard, Colin Bunker, Carlos Fabian Benitez Quiroz, Madhavun Candadai Vasu
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Abstract
In some examples, an autonomous robotic welding system comprises a workspace including a part having a seam, a sensor configured to capture multiple images within the workspace, a robot configured to lay weld along the seam, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify the seam on the part in the workspace based on the multiple images, plan a path for the robot to follow when welding the seam, the path including multiple different configurations of the robot, and instruct the robot to weld the seam according to the planned path.
Claims20
An autonomous robotic welding system comprising:
- a controller configured to:
- instruct one or more sensors to capture multiple images of a workspace, the workspace including:
- one or more fixtures configured to temporarily secure first and second weldable objects on a positioner in a way that aligns the first and second weldable objects to form a seam;
- and
- a robotic arm coupled to a welding tool, the welding tool configured to perform a welding operation along the seam;
- identify at least the one or more fixtures and the seam based on one or more images of the multiple images;
- generate a welding path for a robot to follow when welding the seam, wherein the welding path is planned considering whether the welding tool or the robotic arm is predicted to collide with the one or more fixtures;
- and
- instruct the robot to weld the seam according to the generated welding path.
A welding robotic system, comprising:
- a robot arm positioned in a workspace, the robot arm coupled to a welding tool configured to weld two objects together along a seam formed between multiple objects positioned in the workspace;
- a fixture positioned in the workspace and including a positioner, the positioner configured to:
- secure a first object of multiple objects;
- and
- position the first object in a relationship with a second object of the multiple objects to form the seam;
- and
- a robot controller configured to:
- based on image data associated with one or more images of the workspace and received from one or more sensors:
- identify the fixture in the workspace;
- and
- identify the seam in the workspace;
- generate, based on a position of the identified fixture in the workspace, a welding path for the robotic arm to follow to weld at least a portion of the identified seam, the welding path generated to provide a collision free path of the robot arm, the welding tool, both, with respect to the fixture;
- and
- instruct the robot arm move the welding tool to weld at least the portion of the seam according to the generated welding path.
A computer-implemented method of generating welding instructions for a welding robot, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, from one or more sensors, image data associated with one or more images of a workspace;
- based on the image data associated with one or more images of the workspace:
- identifying a fixture in the workspace, the fixture including a positioner configured to:
- secure a first object of multiple objects;
- and
- position the first object in a relationship with a second object of the multiple objects to form a seam between the first object and the second object;
- and
- identifying the seam in the workspace;
- generating, based on a position of the identified fixture in the workspace, a welding path for a robotic arm to follow to weld at least a portion of the identified seam, the robot arm positioned in a workspace and coupled to a welding tool configured to weld the first and second objects together along the seam, and wherein the welding path is generated to provide a collision free path of the robot arm, the welding tool, both, with respect to the fixture;
- and
- instructing the robot arm move the welding tool to weld at least the portion of the seam according to the generated welding path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.