A system includes a welding device, one or more cameras, and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The welding device includes a first set of visual markers oriented in a first direction and a second set of visual markers oriented in a second direction. Each set of visual markers includes at least three visual markers. The one or more cameras are configured to observe the first set of visual markers when the first direction is directed toward the one or more cameras, and to observe the second set of visual markers when the second direction is directed toward the one or more cameras. The controller is configured to track a position and an orientation of the welding device based at least in part on detection of a threshold quantity of the first set of visual markers or the threshold quantity of the second set of visual markers.

A system and method to correct for height error during a robotic additive manufacturing process. One or both of an output current, output voltage, output power, output circuit impedance and a wire feed speed are sampled during an additive manufacturing process when creating a current layer. A plurality of instantaneous contact tip-to-work distances (CTWD's) are determined based on at least one or both of the output current, output voltage, output power, output circuit impedance and the wire feed speed. An average CTWD is determined based on the plurality of instantaneous CTWD's. A correction factor is generated, based on at least the average CTWD, which is used to compensate for any error in height of the current layer.

A system and method of electric arc welding that includes a welding apparatus having an electric arc welder torch with sensors to determine the absolute position of the torch tip and the relative position of the torch tip to the weld joint during automatic welding. Combining absolute and relative positional data can be used to adjust the path of the robot during automated or robotic welding in response to variations in the weld joint.

A robotic electric arc welding system includes a welding torch, a welding robot configured to manipulate the welding torch during a welding operation, a robot controller operatively connected to the welding robot to control weaving movements of the welding torch along a weld seam and at a weave frequency and weave period, and a welding power supply operatively connected to the welding torch to control a welding waveform, and operatively connected to the robot controller for communication therewith. The welding power supply is configured to sample a plurality of weld parameters during a sampling period of the welding operation and form an analysis packet, and process the analysis packet to generate a weld quality score, wherein the welding power supply obtains the weave frequency or the weave period and automatically adjusts the sampling period for forming the analysis packet based on the weave frequency or the weave period.

Embodiments of systems and methods for supporting weld quality across a manufacturing environment are disclosed. One embodiment includes manufacturing cells within a manufacturing environment, where each manufacturing cell includes a cell controller and welding 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 actual weld parameter data from the cell controller of each manufacturing cell, via the communication network, to form aggregated weld parameter data for a same type of workpiece being welded in each of the manufacturing cells. The central controller analyzes the aggregated weld parameter data to generate updated weld settings. The updated weld settings are communicated from the central controller to the cell controller of each of the manufacturing cells via the communication network.

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.

In certain embodiments, inductive heating is added to a metal working process, such as a welding process, by an induction heating head. The induction heating head may be adapted specifically for this purpose, and may include one or more coils to direct and place the inductive energy, protective structures, and so forth. Productivity of a welding process may be improved by the application of heat from the induction heating head. The heating is in addition to heat from a welding arc, and may facilitate application of welding wire electrode materials into narrow grooves and gaps, as well as make the processes more amenable to the use of certain compositions of welding wire, shielding gasses, flux materials, and so forth. In addition, distortion and stresses are reduced by the application of the induction heating energy in addition to the welding arc source.

A method includes displaying, on a display of a welding torch, a welding parameter in relation to a predetermined threshold range for the welding parameter, a target value for the welding parameter, or some combination thereof as a position of the welding torch changes, an orientation of the welding torch changes, a movement of the welding torch changes, or some combination thereof, to enable a welding operator to perform a welding operation with the welding parameter within the predetermined threshold range, at the target value, or some combination thereof. The welding parameter is associated with the position of the welding torch, the orientation of the welding torch, the movement of the welding torch, or some combination thereof.

A system for manufacturing a component includes a power supply unit adapted to generate welding power. The system also includes a welding system. The welding system includes a welding torch having a welding wire. The welding wire is movable in an axial direction and a radial direction with respect to a central axis of the welding torch for depositing material from the welding wire to manufacture the component. The welding system also includes a motion control assembly. The motion control assembly is adapted to move the welding wire in the radial direction. The system further includes a control unit configured to transmit control signals to the welding system for controlling at least one of a rotation speed of the welding wire, a diameter of rotation of the welding wire, a direction of rotation of the welding wire, and a iced rate of the welding wire.

A drill-string liner element includes at least one hardbanding layer. The hardbanding layer includes one or more strands of filler metal, each having a width between 1 and 5 millimeters and deposited in adjacent manner to form a substantially continuous layer over a zone of the element. The hardness in the thickness of the layer varies by less than 10 HRC over the zone.