An example robotic tool holder includes an actuator that is disposed within a housing and configured to hold a tool. The housing and the actuator are in contact via dowels to limit movement of the actuator toward a distal end of the housing. Ones of the dowels that are in contact are in line contact and the ones of the dowels that are in contact are in a triangular geometry. The pressure plate is in line contact with the actuator within the housing around a circumference of the pressure plate. The springs are in contact with the pressure plate to bias the actuator toward a proximal end of the housing via the pressure plate. The springs are in contact with the mounting plate opposite the pressure plate. The sensor switch detects a shock force on the actuator and outputs a signal in response to the shock force.

An automated welding system includes a welding robot and control circuitry. The welding bug robot includes a welding torch. The welding bug robot is configured to move on a track disposed around a circumference of a first pipe and perform a root pass welding operation at a joint between the first pipe and a second pipe. The control circuitry is configured to control movement of the welding bug robot around the circumference of the first pipe, apply a high energy welding phase via the welding torch to establish a first root condition, and apply a low energy welding phase via the welding torch to establish a second root condition.

A robot according to an embodiment includes a flange, a wrist arm, a forearm, and a feeder. The flange configured so that a welding torch is attached thereto and configured to rotate about a T axis. The wrist arm configured to rotate about a B axis substantially perpendicular to the T axis and configured to support the flange. The forearm configured to support the wrist arm. The feeder attached to a position between a base end and a tip end of the forearm and configured to feed a welding wire.

A robot arm apparatus includes a base structure, a first arm, a first actuator, and an assisting device. The first arm is pivotable relative to the base structure about a first pivot axis. The first actuator is configured to pivotally actuate the first arm relative to the base structure. The assisting device is configured to apply an assist rotational force to the first arm to assist the first actuator.

End effectors having compaction feet for welding thermoplastic parts of thermoplastic composite laminated articles are described. An example end effector is to be coupled to a robot. The end effector includes a welding head. The welding head includes a welder having a first central axis and a compaction foot having a second central axis. The welder is movable along the first central axis between a first retracted position and a first extended position relative to a surface of the end effector. The compaction foot circumscribes the welder and is movable along the second central axis between a second retracted position and a second extended position relative to the surface.

A remote controlled, tele-operated welder includes a multi-axis robot arm, video cameras, sensors a specialized control station that allows an operator to perform flood-fill welding operations at a remote location to avoid the heat, smoke and other environmental effects produced through typical flood-welding operations. The operator accesses the control unit (OCU) using a GUI and mouse, keyboard, joystick, or other custom controls, and observe the piece via the cameras (visual, thermal, or other) placed in the welding station via a feed displayed on the OCU display(s). Audio, video, and/or tactile feedback may be provided to indicate arm, welder, or other system status, for collision warning and arm motion singularity avoidance. Augmented reality informational graphic/textual overlays may provide guidance to an operator, and the apparatus may further include the ability to repeat series of steps needed to handle flood-weld on a given piece, repeatedly across many pieces.

A machine learning device which learns to determine at least one arc welding condition includes a state observation unit which observes a state variable consisting of at least one physical quantity regarding the arc welding and the at least one arc welding condition at least during or after the arc welding, and a learning unit which learns a change in the at least one physical quantity observed by the state observation unit and the at least one arc welding condition in association with each other.

A control device connected to one or more to-be-controlled devices via a network includes: a storage that stores information of a synchronization period of a time interval for synchronization with the to-be-controlled devices, and communication periods of plural time intervals established in the synchronization period; a calculator that calculates, for each of the to-be-controlled devices, a control instruction instructing the to-be-controlled device to operate in synchronization; and a communication controller that performs, based on the information stored in the storage, a control such that the control instruction is transmitted and received between the control device and each of the to-be-controlled devices during the synchronization period, the communication controller allocating a respective control instruction corresponding to each of the to-be-controlled devices to at least one of the communication periods established in the synchronization period, thereby transmitting/receiving data including the allocated control instruction for each communication period.

A laser containment device, adapted to be mounted to a laser head, has an outer shell and an inner wall defining a peripheral chamber there in-between. An inner seal and an outer seal, respectively mounted to the outer shell and to the inner wall, are adapted to contact a workpiece. The peripheral chamber, encircling an opening in the laser containment device for letting a laser beam reach a workpiece, may be connected to a differential pressure generator operative to generate a differential pressure therein. A pressure sensor is located within the peripheral chamber to read the differential pressure. In use, the laser head, mounted to a computer-controlled manipulator, emits its laser beam. The pressure sensor sends its pressure readings to a controller which compares their values with a predetermined pressure threshold. If the pressure readings cross this threshold, the controller stops the emission of the laser beam.

A power supply unit for a resistance welding apparatus, said power supply unit comprising a converter circuit adapted to convert an alternating power supply current, AC, applied via a residual current protection circuit to an input of said converter circuit into a pulsed electrical current supplied from an output of said converter circuit to a primary coil of a transformer of said resistance welding apparatus, and at least one switching element provided between the output of said converter circuit and protective earth.