Machine vision system

In an automated welding system, a method for determining welding parameters from a workpiece surface, comprising the step of:

• generating an image of said workpiece surface;
• transducing said image into electrical signals, said transducing step comprising the step of dissecting said image into a plurality of picture elements;
• electronically determining a workpiece geometry from said electrical signals, said workpiece geometry determining step comprising the steps of:
• (a) identifying a set of coordinates for a group of said plurality of picture elements associated with a specific feature of said workpiece geometry;
• and
• (b) generating a mathematical equation from said set of picture element coordinates;
• and
• electronically determining said welding parameters from said workpiece geometry.

In an automated welding system, a method for determining welding parameters from a workpiece surface, the steps comprising:

• generating an image of said surface;
• transducing said image into electrical signals;
• electronically determining workpiece geometry from said electrical signals;
• and
• electronically determining said welding parameters from said workpiece geometry, said welding parameter determining step comprising the step of electronically determining the amount of welding material to be applied to said workpiece surface.

In an automated welding system, a method for determining welding parameters from a blade tip of a turbine blade, comprising the steps of:

• generating an image of said surface;
• transducing said image into electrical signals;
• electronically determining workpiece geometry from said electrical signals;
• and
• electronically determining said welding parameters from said workpiece geometry.

A method for determining process parameters in automated system for performing build-up welding on the squealer tip walls of a turbine blade, said squealer tip walls having inner and outer edges, the steps comprising:

• generating an image of the blade tip surface of said turbine blade;
• transducing said image into electrical signals;
• electronically determining the geometry of said blade tip from said electrical signals;
• and
• electronically determining said process parameters from said blade tip geometry.