A welding apparatus can comprise an electrode holder configured to removably receive a consumable electrode and an actuator configured to move the electrode holder. The apparatus can comprise a base and an arm having first and second ends, where the first end is coupled to the arm such that the arm extends in a first direction that is angularly disposed relative to the base. The base can be configured to be placed relative to a workpiece such that the second end of the arm is disposed further from the workpiece than is the first end and the electrode, when received by the electrode holder, extends from the electrode holder toward the workpiece. A controller can be configured to adjust a rate at which the actuator moves the electrode holder relative to the arm, optionally based at least in part on an arc voltage measured across the electrode and the workpiece.

A welding accessory that allows a welder to easily maintain the proper electrical arc gap between the welding torch and the surface being welded, and that improves the consistency of the shield gas plume by reducing the variation of gap between the shield gas nozzle and the surface being welded while in motion is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the welding accessory is comprised of a body portion, a slidable and rotatable repositionable arm; and a wheel attached to one end of said repositionable arm. A kit that comprises the welding accessory of the present invention and other accessories for welding and/or oxy-fuel cutting is also disclosed.

Welding machine (1) comprising a resting plane (P) configured to support respectively a tail portion and a head portion of two metal sheets to be joined. The metal sheets are slidable along an advancement direction (A). The welding machine (1) also comprises sheet-metal pressing means (2) configured to lock in a set position the head and tail portions on the resting plane (P) and a plurality of welding torches (3) configured to join respective edges of the tail and head portions. The welding torches (3) are slidably movable along a transverse direction (B) to the advancement direction (A). The welding machine (1) is characterized in that it also comprises a plurality of grounding contacts (4) that is each electrically associated with a respective welding torch (3) and movable solidly constrained to the respective welding torch (3) along the transverse direction (B).

Embodiments of systems and methods of additive manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer control apparatus accesses multiple planned build patterns corresponding to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured. A metal deposition apparatus deposits metal material to form at least a portion of a build layer of the 3D part. The metal material is deposited as a beaded weave pattern, based on a planned path of a planned build pattern, under control of the computer control apparatus. A weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern may be dynamically adjusted during deposition of the beaded weave pattern. The adjustments are under control of the computer control apparatus based on the planned build pattern, as a width of the build layer varies along a length dimension of the build layer.

Embodiments of systems and methods of additive manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer control apparatus accesses multiple planned build patterns corresponding to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured. A metal deposition apparatus deposits metal material to form at least a portion of a build layer of the 3D part. The metal material is deposited as a beaded weave pattern, based on a planned path of a planned build pattern, under control of the computer control apparatus. A weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern are dynamically adjusted during deposition of the beaded weave pattern. The adjustments are under control of the computer control apparatus based on the planned build pattern, as a width of the build layer varies along a length dimension of the build layer.

A repair welding control device includes a memory that stores instructions and a processor that executes the instructions. The instructions cause the processor to perform acquiring information indicating a range of a defective portion in main welding of a workpiece, and determining a repair welding start point indicating a start point of repair welding and a repair welding end point indicating an end point of the repair welding such that a repair welding range includes all the range of the defective portion and a range wider than the range of the defective portion.

A TIG welding device (10) includes a welding robot (11), robot control device (12), welding torch (13), welding control device (14), gas feeder (15), and a height detection device (16). The welding torch (13) is set at a reference position, and the height detection device (16) detects the respective heights of two tip parts (4e). The robot control device (12) drives the welding robot (11) such that a torch electrode (13c) of the welding torch (13) abuts on central part of the higher tip part (4e). When the torch electrode (13c) is moved toward the reference position while power is supplied to the torch electrode (13c), and inert gas flows in the periphery of the torch electrode (13c), arc (AC) is generated in a gap between the tip parts (4e) and the torch electrode (13c). The overall two tip parts (4e) are melted and welded by this arc (AC).

Disclosed are an automatic welding system and method for large structural parts based on hybrid robots and 3D vision. The system comprises a hybrid robot system composed of a mobile robot and an MDOF robot, a 3D vision system, and a welding system used for welding. The rough positioning technique based on a mobile platform and the accurate recognition and positioning technique based on high-accuracy 3D vision are combined, so the working range of the MDOF robot in the XYZ directions is expanded, and flexible welding of large structural parts is realized. The invention adopts 3D vision, thus having better error tolerance and lower requirements for the machining accuracy of workpieces, positioning accuracy of mobile robots and placement accuracy of the workpieces; and the cost is reduced, the flexibility is improved, the working range is expanded, labor is saved, production efficiency is improved, and welding quality is improved.

An apparatus includes a welding torch, a laser capable of projecting a beam towards a seam on a surface, a camera directed towards the surface, a memory, and a processor. The processor receives an image of the surface from the camera. Next, the processor determines, based on the reflection of the laser beam from the surface, a vertical distance from the torch to the seam. The processor adjusts the brightness and contrast of the image, applies a gamma correction, and applies at least one gradient filter to the image to produce a new image. Next, the processor determines a horizontal location of the seam in the new image, which it uses to determine a horizontal distance from the torch to the seam. Based on the vertical and horizontal distances from the torch to the seam, the processor adjusts a vertical and a horizontal position of the torch.

Embodiments of systems and methods for supporting predictive and preventative maintenance are disclosed. One embodiment includes manufacturing cells within a manufacturing environment, where each manufacturing cell includes a cell controller and welding equipment, cutting equipment, and/or additive manufacturing equipment. A communication network supports data communications between a central controller and the cell controller of each of the manufacturing cells. The central controller collects cell data from the cell controller of each of the manufacturing cells, via the communication network. The cell data is related to the operation, performance, and/or servicing of a same component type of each of the manufacturing cells to form a set of aggregated cell data for the component type. The central controller also analyzes the set of aggregated cell data to generate a predictive model related to future maintenance of the component type.