Systems and methods for setting the polarity of welding-type power provided by a welding-type power supply. The output polarity may be automatically selected based on one or more selectable welding parameters. The automatically selected polarity may be overridden based on operator input.

A system and method provide gasless, mechanized, field welding of an exterior of a tubular structure such as a pipeline, without the need for an enclosure. An embodiment consolidates some of the welding equipment on a skid for ease of transport to and from a remote worksite. The gasless weld may be achieved despite the presence of wind, by precisely controlling an arc voltage as disclosed. The footprint and weight of the system may be minimized, along with the associated labor, expense, and environmental impact otherwise incurred by conventional welding techniques using enclosures.

A system and method provide gasless, mechanized, field welding of an exterior of a tubular structure such as a pipeline, without the need for an enclosure. An embodiment consolidates some of the welding equipment on a skid for ease of transport to and from a remote worksite. The gasless weld may be achieved despite the presence of wind, by precisely controlling an arc voltage as disclosed. The footprint and weight of the system may be minimized, along with the associated labor, expense, and environmental impact otherwise incurred by conventional welding techniques using enclosures.

Embodiments of systems and methods for remotely controlling a robotic welding system over a long distance in real time are disclosed. One embodiment is a method that includes tracking movements and control of a mock welding tool operated by a human welder at a local site and generating control parameters corresponding to the movements and control. The control parameters are transmitted from the local site to a robotic welding system at a remote welding site over an ultra-low-latency communication network. The round-trip communication latency over the ultra-low-latency communication network is between 0.5 milliseconds and 20 milliseconds, and a distance between the local site and the remote welding site is at least 50 kilometers. An actual welding operation of the robotic welding system is controlled to form a weld at the remote welding site via remote robotic control of the robotic welding system in response to the control parameters.

A connector and sensor unit for a welding apparatus, including a first port configured to be connected to a first welding cable of the welding apparatus, a second port configured to be connected to a second welding cable of the welding apparatus, current sensor circuitry configured to sense a current being supplied by the first welding cable and the second welding cable, and to output a corresponding current sense signal, voltage sensing circuitry configured to sense a voltage between the first welding cable and the second welding cable, and to output a corresponding voltage sense signal, and supply power circuitry configured to generate a predetermined voltage for at least the current sensor circuitry, wherein the supply power circuitry receives power from the first welding cable and the second welding cable via at least one inductor.

A robotic welding device employing a flexible guide rail comprises: a control box (2) pre-storing various welding processes and generating a welding parameter; a wire feed mechanism (7) feeding a welding wire to a welding gun (4); a flexible guide rail (8) attached to a welding component with the flexibility thereof; a welding robot comprising a robot body (3) and a welding gun (4), the robot body (3) being movably disposed on the flexible guide rail (8) along the same, and the welding gun (4) being disposed on the robot body (3) and controlled by the same to weld the welding component; a demonstrator (6) signally connected with the welding robot and the control box (2), controlling, a traveling path and an operation position of the welding robot, and adjusting oscillation and welding operations of the welding gun (4) according to an instruction of the control box (2); a remote control terminal (11) signally connected with the control box (2) so as to remotely monitor and configure the welding parameter, and signally connected with a data acquisition device of the welding robot so as to remotely monitor and configure the welding parameter during a welding process; and a welding power supply (1). The device enables automatic welding of a component with straight shape or arc shape.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to robotic point capture and motion control. A robotic device may synchronize one or more first axes of the robotic device with one or more second axes of a handheld device. The device may determine a welding path using the handheld device. The device may perform a weld by the traversing of an end effector of the robotic across the welding path, wherein the end effector comprises a welding tip.

Systems and methods for tracking and associating welding-type data with selected welding jobs. A welding job from a plurality of welding jobs stored in memory of a welding-type power supply may be selected, and welding-type data collected while a particular welding jobs is selected is associated in memory with the selected welding job. Welding-type data associated with the plurality of welding jobs may be displayed and managed.

A method and apparatus of communicating control signals to a welding power source from a remote location includes a welding system operated by control signals transmitted by a wireless remote control that can be remotely located from the welding power source. A plurality of welding parameters in the welding system are set and adjusted in response to wireless command signals transmitted to a receiver that is connected to the welding power source via a connection port and is further connected to a controller in the welding power source. In this regard, an operator is able to quickly and efficiently control a welding system from a remote location, with no more cables than are necessary to perform the intended task.

An industrial robot including a movable robot arm for supporting a tool, and a control unit configured to control the movement of the robot. The control unit is provided with an alignment function for aligning the tool with at least one specified axis. The control unit is configured to supervise the movement of the robot, and to automatically adjust the orientation of the tool so that the tool is aligned with the specified axis upon detecting that the movement of the robot has been stopped and the alignment function is activated. Also disclosed is a method for controlling the industrial robot, and to the use of the method for teaching a robot a path including a plurality of target points by lead-through programming.