Robotic welding equipment station

A robotic welding equipment station to detect a deviation of a tool center point of a welding torch having an electric arc welding tip and a weld wire electrode projecting from the electric arc welding tip, the robotic welding equipment station comprising:

• a first light emitting device to emit a first light beam and a first light detector positioned to detect the first light beam;
• a second light emitting device to emit a second light beam and a second light detector positioned to detect the second light beam;
• the first light emitting device and the first light detector oriented with respect to the second light emitting device and the second light detector such that the first light beam and the second light beam are at an angle to one another and the weld wire electrode is able to simultaneously pass through and interrupt both the first light beam and the second light beam to prevent the first light beam and the second light beam from being detected by the first light detector or the second light detector when there is no deviation in the tool center point;
• the first light emitting device and the first light detector spaced apart from the second light emitting device and the second light detector such that the first light beam and the second light beam are spaced apart from one another at a distance along the tool center point vertical axis and the weld wire electrode is unable to simultaneously pass through and interrupt both the first light beam and the second light beam upon the deviation of the tool center point occasioned by a misalignment of the weld wire electrode propagating along the length the tool center point;
• and
• the first light detector configured to generate a first output signal when the first light beam is detected by the first light detector and the second light detector configured to generate a second output signal when the second light beam is detected by the second light detector, the first output signal and the second output signal capable of being received by means for detecting the deviation of the tool center point.