Presented are intelligent non-autogenous metalworking systems and control logic for automated wire-to-beam alignment, methods for making/using such systems, and robot-borne laser welding/brazing heads with closed-loop control for real-time wire alignment. A method for controlling operation of a non-autogenous workpiece processing system includes a system controller receiving sensor signals from a position sensor indicative of a location of filler wire discharged into a joint region by a wire feeder. Using the received sensor signals, the controller determines a displacement between the wire location and a location of a beam emitted onto the joint region by a beam emitter. If the wire displacement is greater than a threshold wire displacement value, the controller responsively determines a corrective force calculated to reduce wire displacement to below the threshold wire displacement value. The controller then commands the actuator to pivot the processing head to thereby apply the corrective force to the discharging filler wire.

A laser device, including multiple laser modules, includes a plurality of drive power units that drive the laser modules, a plurality of output detection units that detect laser outputs from the laser modules, and output detected values as first output signals, a coupled output detection unit that detects a total laser output after coupling of a plurality of the laser outputs, and outputs a detected value as a second output signal, a computing unit that sets multiple output correction factors for correspondingly controlling the laser modules using the plurality of first output signals and the second output signal, and a control unit that controls the plurality of drive power units using the multiple output correction factors. The multiple output correction factors are each set to allow the total laser output to be maintained at a constant value.

A device capable of acquiring a deviation of a working position of a tool with respect to a target position of a workpiece with higher accuracy in accordance with actual work. A device for acquiring a deviation amount of a working position of a tool with respect to a target position when a work is performed on a workpiece with respect to the target position by the tool, the tool being moved by a movement machine, the device including: a camera arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the tool and configured to image the target position at a first time point when the tool performs an operation for the work; and a deviation amount acquisition section configured to acquire a deviation amount between the working position and the target position at the first time point, based on a position of the target position in image data imaged by the camera and information indicating a position of the working position in the image data.

A laser device, including multiple laser modules, includes a plurality of drive power units that drive the laser modules, a plurality of output detection units that detect laser outputs from the laser modules, and output detected values as first output signals, a coupled output detection unit that detects a total laser output after coupling of a plurality of the laser outputs, and outputs a detected value as a second output signal, a computing unit that sets multiple output correction factors for correspondingly controlling the laser modules using the plurality of first output signals and the second output signal, and a control unit that controls the plurality of drive power units using the multiple output correction factors. The multiple output correction factors are each set to allow the total laser output to be maintained at a constant value.

Disclosed herein are apparatus, methods, and techniques directed to the manufacturing of heat sinks; specifically the forming of heat sink fins which are joined to a base or substrate so to collectively form a heat sink. Said methods permit full penetration at weld joints between said heat sink fins and said base, and said apparatus permit implementation of improved heat sink manufacturing in a production setting; specifically, in the production of LED lighting fixtures.

Methods and systems for touch-sensing to provide an updated user frame are provided. These include the provision of a user frame and the touch-sensing of a workpiece, where the touch-sensing includes performing a touch-sensing schedule. The touch-sensing schedule includes one of a laser touch-sensing event and a wire touch-sensing event, where one of the laser touch-sensing event and the wire touch-sensing event is switched to the other of the laser touch-sensing event and the wire touch-sensing event while performing the touch-sensing schedule. An offset of the workpiece relative to the user frame is determined based on the touch-sensing of the workpiece and the offset is applied to the user frame to provide the updated user frame. The unique dynamic user frame feature enables same touch sensing program to be cloned and applied on multiple robot controllers.

A method for compensating teaching positions which includes: generating a compensation start point and a compensation end point in positions where each of a number of teaching positions is sandwiched between the compensation start point and the compensation end point in a direction crossing a welding path, the number of teaching positions being set along the welding path of a welding base material; detecting a profile of the welding base material along a detection path by performing touch sensing while a welding torch is being moved along the detection path from the generated compensation start point toward the generated compensation end point, a welding wire protruding from the welding torch; and compensating each of the teaching positions based on the detected profile.

The invention relates to a machine tool (10) comprising a machine controller (19), a machine frame (11), a work table (13), a tool holder (14), preferably of a standardized design, multiple translational and/or rotational axes (12a, 12b) for adjusting the relative position of the work table (13) and the work holder (14), a tool magazine (16) for one or more material-removing, in particular machining tools (15), a tool-change mechanism for automatically transporting tools between the tool holder (14) and the tool magazine (16), a deposit-welding head (20) that can be inserted into the tool holder (14) and a storage device (25) for storing the deposit-welding head outside the tool holder (14).

A method for object distance detection and focal positioning in relation thereto. The method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying (via a computing device) a desired distance among a plurality of designated sites on an object; (b) adjusting a focus (via an autofocus device) onto the plurality of designated sites; (c) calculating (via an image recognition module) the actual distance among the plurality of designated sites; (d) determining (via the image recognition module) if error exist between the actual distance and the desired distance; and (e) wherein (in no particular order) repeating the steps of (b), (c), and (d) until no substantial error exists between the actual distance and the desired distance.

A device capable of acquiring a deviation of a working position of a tool with respect to a target position of a workpiece with higher accuracy in accordance with actual work. A device for acquiring a deviation amount of a working position of a tool with respect to a target position when a work is performed on a workpiece with respect to the target position by the tool, the tool being moved by a movement machine, the device including: a camera arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the tool and configured to image the target position at a first time point when the tool performs an operation for the work; and a deviation amount acquisition section configured to acquire a deviation amount between the working position and the target position at the first time point, based on a position of the target position in image data imaged by the camera and information indicating a position of the working position in the image data.