Provided is a touch sensing system that can make the life of a contact of an electromagnetic contactor longer. A touch sensing system includes a main operation circuit that connects a probe and a main operation power supply, and in which an electromagnetic contactor is provided; and a touch sensing circuit that is connected to the main operation circuit through the electromagnetic contactor in a branched manner, and connects the probe and a touch sensing power supply, is which a solid state relay switch is provided in the touch sensing circuit.

In certain embodiments, a portable metal working robot system includes a metal working tool configured to perform a metal working process on one or more metal parts. In addition, the portable metal working robot system includes communication circuitry configured to receive control signals from a control system located remotely from the portable metal working robot system. The portable metal working robot system also includes control circuitry configured to control operational parameters of the portable metal working robot system in accordance with the received control signals.

A system and method of enhanced automated welding of a first workpiece and a second workpiece are provided. The method comprises providing a system for intelligent robot-based welding of the first workpiece and the second workpiece. The method further comprises determining a geometrical location of the first workpiece and the second workpiece to be welded at a welding sequence based a predetermined process variable. The method further comprises adjusting the predetermined process variable based on the geometrical location of the first and second workpieces to define an actual process variable. The method further comprises welding a first portion of the first and second workpieces with the actual process variable to define a first welded portion. The method further comprises determining a weld quality of the first welded portion.

A weld overlay machine assembly includes a carriage to support a hinged index bar and a wire feed assembly. The index bar has an auto height control unit and an index assembly to locate the position of a weld torch relative to the index bar. The assembly is configured to adjust the index bar to interior contours of the vessel while applying a layer of overlay material to a surface therein. The assembly runs along a track in the interior of the vessel. The assembly is configured to transition from sides of the vessel to that of the top or bottom domes wherein the curve of the domes are perpendicular to that of the radial sides. This transition is done without the need to add or remove components to the assembly. This is accomplished by providing the pivoting of the index bar relative to the track.

A method of analysing the quality of a welding area of an absorbent sanitary article is disclosed. During a learning step, a plurality of welding operations are performed both with a sufficient quality and with an insufficient quality, and the welding area generated for each welding operation is monitored via a camera. During a training step, the pixel data of the welding areas monitored during the learning step is processed for training a classifier configured to estimate a welding quality as a function of respective pixel data of a respective welding area. Accordingly, during a normal welding operating step, the welding quality may be estimate via the classifier, thereby improving the environmental sustainability of the production process.

A method of analysing the quality of a welding area of an absorbent sanitary article is disclosed. During a learning step, a plurality of welding operations are performed both with a sufficient quality and with an insufficient quality, and the welding area generated for each welding operation is monitored via a camera. During a training step, the pixel data of the welding areas monitored during the learning step is processed for training a classifier configured to estimate a welding quality as a function of respective pixel data of a respective welding area. Accordingly, during a normal welding operating step, the welding quality may be estimate via the classifier, thereby improving the environmental sustainability of the production process.

A weld system includes: a robot control module configured to actuate a robot and move a welder along a joint of metal workpieces during welding, the welder being attached to the robot; a weld control module configured to, during the welding, apply power to the welder, supply a shield gas, and supply electrode material; a vision sensor configured to, during the welding, optically measure distances between the vision sensor and locations, respectively, on an outer surface of a weld bead created along the joint by the welder; and a weld module configured to: determine a strength of the weld bead at a location based on: the distances at the location along the joint; and at least one parameter from at least one of the robot control module during the welding, the weld control module during the welding, and a sensor configured to capture data of the welding during the welding.

A weld system includes: a robot control module configured to actuate a robot and move a welder along a joint of metal workpieces during welding, the welder being attached to the robot; a weld control module configured to, during the welding, apply power to the welder, supply a shield gas, and supply electrode material; a vision sensor configured to, during the welding, optically measure distances between the vision sensor and locations, respectively, on an outer surface of a weld bead created along the joint by the welder; and a weld module configured to: determine a strength of the weld bead at a location based on: the distances at the location along the joint; and at least one parameter from at least one of the robot control module during the welding, the weld control module during the welding, and a sensor configured to capture data of the welding during the welding.

An automated welding system includes a camera for capturing a camera image of a molten pool and an arc generated in a groove by arc welding; an estimation unit for outputting a probability distribution image based on a camera image by using a learned model; an extraction unit for extracting a region having at least a predetermined probability from the probability distribution image; a selection unit for selecting a representative point corresponding to a feature point of an arc and a representative point corresponding to a feature point of a molten pool, in the region having at least the predetermined probability; and a correction unit for correcting a control parameter of a welding robot based on a positional relationship of the representative point corresponding to the feature point of the arc and the representative point corresponding to the feature point of the molten pool.

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.