Adaptive control of robotic laser braze/weld operation

A method for adaptive control of a robotic laser braze/weld operation by a robot comprising at the steps of:

• providing a software program to generate process signals executable by the robot during the robotic operation, including one or more execution commands specified in a weld schedule;
• providing a first Signal Value channel to control at least one laser braze/weld process parameter of the robot, the at least one braze/weld process parameter associated with a controlled device, where the first Signal Value channel is subject to a first time latency in relation to the one or more execution commands;
• synchronizing execution timing of the first Signal Value channel with the one or more execution commands by adjusting the execution timing of first Signal Value channel in relation to the one or more execution commands by the amount of the first time latency;
• and
• running the software program to generate the process signals and sending the process signals to the controlled device to implement the synchronized execution timing of the controlled device in relation to commanded motion of the robot.

An apparatus for adaptive control of a robotic laser braze/weld operation comprising:

• a robot controller;
• a robot arm carrying a brazing/welding tool connected to the controller;
• a non-transitory memory device connected to the controller and storing a software program executed by the controller for coordinating a movement of the robot, the software program generating process signals executable during the robotic operation including one or more execution commands specified in a weld schedule;
• and
• a first Signal Value channel to control at least one laser braze/weld operation process parameter, the first Signal Value channel subject to a first time latency in relation to the one or more execution commands;
• wherein the software program synchronizes execution timing of the first Signal Value channel with the one or more execution commands by adjusting the execution timing of first Signal Value channel in relation to the one or more execution commands by the amount of the first time latency.