Track control method for a robot

Abstract

There is provided a track control method for a robot, in which a welding operation can be executed by moving a workpiece along a predetermined track, with respect to a fixed welding torch. The welding torch (1) is disposed fixedly, while the workpiece (W) is held by means of a robot hand. Before starting the welding operation, the workpiece is located at each target point (a1, a2), and a workpiece coordinate position (T1, T2) corresponding to a hand operating position, at each target point, is taught. During the welding operation, a playback function of the robot is utilized for driving various robot operating sections, including robot arms and a robot hand, so that positions to which the workpiece is moved are coincident with a series of calculated workpiece coordinate positions. Thereupon, the welding is performed along the predetermined track on the workpiece as the workpiece moves, despite the change of the position of the workpiece relative to the distal end of an arm (4).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.