A system for welding two pipes includes a first pipe clamp, a second pipe clamp, a weld torch, an inspection detector, a motor, one or more processors, and a grinder. The weld torch is configured to create a weld joint between the pipes at an interface region between the pipes. The inspection detector is configured to emit an inspection beam of radiation. The motor is operatively associated with the inspection detector to direct the inspection beam of radiation along the weld joint between the pipes. The one or more processors are operatively associated with the inspection detector to determine a profile of the weld joint between the pipes. The grinder is configured to grind at least a portion of the weld joint between the pipes based on the profile of the weld joint between the pipes.

A method of aligning first and second pipes end-to-end in a position ready for welding. Each pipe has an end bevelled with a shape scanned and stored in memory of a control unit. At least one of the pipes has machine readable codes distributed around their circumference of the pipe. The method includes effecting relative movement of the ends of the first and second pipes towards each other, reading at least one of the codes with a reader, and ascertaining the relative movement required to align the pipes in accordance with a target orientation. The relative movement is ascertained with information provided by the read code and the shapes of the bevelled ends stored in the control unit memory. In other aspects, a closed loop control method and machine-learning may be used to align the pipes. A pipe-laying vessel including pipe handling equipment and the control unit is also provided.

In this welding control method for a portable welding robot that moves along a guide rail, for using the portable welding robot to weld a workpiece including a groove: a groove shape detection position is established in at least one location in a welding sector extending from a welding starting point to a welding end point; the groove shape at a groove shape detection position P.sub.n is sensed by means of a detecting means of the portable welding robot, which is moving along the guide rail; groove shape information is calculated from detection data obtained by the sensing; and a welding condition is acquired on the basis of the groove shape information.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a robotic system and method. The system may include a robot and a three dimensional sensor device associated with the robot configured to scan a welding area and generate a scanned welding area. The system may include a processor configured to receive the scanned welding area and to generate a three dimensional point cloud based upon, at least in part the scanned welding area. The processor may be further configured to perform processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain. The processor may be further configured to generate one or more three dimensional welding paths and to simulate the one or more three dimensional welding paths.

A repair welding device includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire an appearance inspection result including information about a position of a defective portion of a weld bead of a welded workpiece produced by a main welding that is executed by a welding robot, and a robot control unit configured to set a plurality of interpolation points on a virtual welding line of the main welding executed by the welding robot and instruct the welding robot to execute a repair welding on an interpolation point that is closest to the acquired position of the defective portion. The virtual welding line is simulated based on a main welding program for executing the main welding.

A repair welding device includes an inspection result acquisition unit configured to acquire an appearance inspection result including information about a defective portion of a weld bead of a welded workpiece produced by a main welding that is executed by a welding robot, and a robot control unit configured to instruct the welding robot to execute a repair welding on a position of the defective portion using the appearance inspection result based on a relationship between the position of the defective portion and a predetermined width related to the weld bead.

Systems and methods for real time feedback and for updating welding instructions for a welding robot in real time is described herein. The data of a workspace that includes a part to be welded can be received via at least one sensor. This data can be transformed into a point cloud data representing a three-dimensional surface of the part. A desired state indicative of a desired position of at least a portion of the welding robot with respect to the part can be identified. An estimated state indicative of an estimated position of at least the portion of the welding robot with respect to the part can be compared to the desired state. The welding instructions can be updated based on the comparison.

The repair welding system includes an inspection device and a welding device. The inspection device determines whether there is a defective portion in a welded portion. In a case that there is the defective portion in the welded portion, the inspection device extracts at least defect type information of the defective portion and inspection coordinate system defective portion position information, converts the inspection coordinate system defective portion position information into position information corresponding to a coordinate system of the welding robot and generates welding coordinate system defective portion position information, and transmits the defect type information and the welding coordinate system defective portion position information to the welding device. The welding device instructs execution of a repair welding on the defective portion based on the defect type information and the welding coordinate system defective portion position information.

Briefly, the present disclosure relates generally to welding applications and, more particularly, to welding tracking and/or motion systems.

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.