Collaborative robot welding system

A welding system, comprising:

• a collaborative robot having a movable arm;
• a robot controller operatively connected to the collaborative robot;
• a welding torch attached to the movable arm of the collaborative robot;
• a welding power supply operatively connected to the welding torch to supply welding current to the welding torch;
• and
• a teach pendant in communication with at least one of the robot controller and the welding power supply, wherein the teach pendant includes a user interface application configured for programming a plurality of welding points of a welding operation performed by the collaborative robot, and wherein the user interface application is configured to:
• receive input of a first arc segment endpoint along a curved path, receive input of a first intermediate along the curved path, and receive input a second arc segment endpoint along the curved path, wherein the first intermediate point is located along the curved path between the first arc segment endpoint and the second arc segment endpoint,
• determine the curved path from the first arc segment endpoint, the first intermediate point, and the second arc segment endpoint,
• receive input of a third arc segment endpoint and determine a distance of the third arc segment endpoint to the curved path,
• compare the distance to a threshold distance and automatically interpolate a second intermediate point along the curved path between the second arc segment endpoint and the third arc segment endpoint when the distance of the third arc segment endpoint to the curved path is less than the threshold distance, and
• communicate the first arc segment endpoint, the second arc segment endpoint, the third arc segment endpoint, the first intermediate point, and the second intermediate to the robot controller to program movements of the collaborative robot.

A welding system, comprising:

• a collaborative robot having a movable arm;
• a robot controller operatively connected to the collaborative robot;
• a welding torch attached to the movable arm of the collaborative robot;
• a welding power supply operatively connected to the welding torch to supply welding current to the welding torch;
• and
• a teach pendant in communication with at least one of the robot controller and the welding power supply, wherein the teach pendant includes a user interface application configured for programming a plurality of welding points of a welding operation performed by the collaborative robot, and wherein the user interface application is configured to:
• receive input of a first arc segment endpoint along a curved path, receive input of a first intermediate point along the curved path, and receive input a second arc segment endpoint along the curved path, wherein the first intermediate point is located along the curved path between the first arc segment endpoint and the second arc segment endpoint,
• determine the curved path from the first arc segment endpoint, the first intermediate point, and the second arc segment endpoint,
• receive input of a third arc segment endpoint along the curved path;
• receive input of a fourth arc segment endpoint along the curved path;
• automatically interpolate a second intermediate point along the curved path between the second arc segment endpoint and the third arc segment endpoint and automatically interpolate a third intermediate point along the curved path between the third arc segment endpoint and the fourth arc segment endpoint, and
• communicate the first arc segment endpoint, the second arc segment endpoint, the third arc segment endpoint, the fourth arc segment endpoint, the first intermediate point, the second intermediate point, and the third intermediate to the robot controller to program movements of the collaborative robot.