A resistance welding pinch protection system for use with a resistance welder, comprising a sensor array adapted to be secured around the base of a positive electrode of the resistance welder, the sensor array including a plurality of proximity sensors positioned along a perimeter of the sensor array, the plurality of proximity sensors defining an electrode operation field around the positive electrode, an input/output interface to be operatively connected to the resistance welder, and at least one processor in communication with the plurality of proximity sensors and the input/output interface, wherein in use, during the lowering of the positive electrode, the at least one processor interrupts the control signal to the resistance welding controller in order to stop the welding sequence, raising the positive electrode in response to the detection of an obstacle within the electrode operation field.

An electrical connector for removably engaging a welder to a spot welding tool having a first arm in a pivoting engagement to a second arm. The connector features an electrically conductive member engaged to or forming a powered translating shaft of a welder which is surrounded by a housing. The connector engages within a passage formed in a coupling to communicate forward and rearward movement and electric current to a first arm of a spot welding tool.

A resistance welding device is configured for use in combination with a resistance welder having a translating welding electrode. A first arm of the welding device is in a translating rotational engagement with a second arm thereof. The first arm of the device is engageable to a translating electrode from the resistance welder. Translation of the welding electrode of the resistance welder moves first and second electrodes to contact metal therebetween and spot weld the metal.

A combination component handling and connecting device connectable to a multi-axis robot for use in moving and connecting components and subassemblies includes a housing and an actuator fixedly connected to the housing. The actuator includes an actuating link movable from a first position to a second position. Connected to the actuating link is an end effector for concurrent movement with the actuating link. The component handling and connecting device includes a clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw. The second jaw is connected to the actuating link for selectively moving the second jaw toward the first jaw operative to engage a component.

Provided are a method and an apparatus for resistance spot welding in which preliminary current application is executed and then main welding is executed in accordance with master patterns of various parameters obtained during the preliminary current application. The main welding is executed under welding conditions of the master patterns, and whether a welding abnormality has occurred and whether the welding abnormality is likely to occur are determined. When the welding abnormality is likely to occur, the welding conditions for the main welding are corrected so as to prevent the welding abnormality. When the welding abnormality is unlikely to occur, the welding conditions for the main welding are corrected so as to match the master patterns.

A spot welding system includes a position detection part which detects the position of a movable arm, a first calculation part which calculates the combined spring constant of the movable arm and a fixed arm based on a position when the movable arm is driven by a predetermined drive force and the drive force, a second calculation part which calculates the spring constant of the movable arm based on a position when the movable arm is driven by a predetermined drive force and the drive force, a third calculation part which calculates the spring constant of the fixed arm based on the combined spring constant and the spring constant of the movable arm, and an elastic displacement calculation part which calculates an amount of elastic displacement of the fixed arm based on the spring constant of the fixed arm and a drive force when welding is performed.

A welding portion inspection system includes a sensing head, and first and second electrodes that are disposed a predetermined distance from each other at one side of the sensing head, where front end portions of the first and second electrodes contact both sides of a welding portion to apply current such that a temperature of the welding portion is heated, and an infrared camera is disposed on the sensing head and detects a temperature distribution of the welding portion.

The invention relates to a method for measuring the electrode force on welding tongs. The welding tongs have a first electrode arm with a first electrode and a second electrode arm with a second electrode, said second electrode arm lying opposite the first electrode arm. At least one workpiece is clamped between the electrodes during the welding process. The aim of the invention is to provide a method for measuring the electrode force, said method providing an improved signal quality. The method has the following steps: a) measuring a first force acting on the first electrode, b) measuring a second force acting on the second electrode, and c) adding the measured first force and the measured second force, wherein an electrode force signal transmitted from the welding point to the electrodes is amplified, and an interference force signal introduced into the at least one workpiece from the outside and transmitted to the electrodes is eliminated.

A spot-welding system including a spot-welding gun including a movable part including a movable electrode, and a drive part that drives the movable part, a controller that controls the drive part, an applied pressure sensor that measures an applied pressure from the movable electrode of the spot-welding gun, and an own-weight calculator that calculates an own weight of the movable part based on the applied pressure detected by the applied pressure sensor in two different postures of the spot-welding gun that places the movable electrode in different movement directions. The controller superimposes a dither signal onto a control signal so as to control the drive part in measuring the applied pressure for use in calculating the own weight of the movable part by the own-weight calculator, and after the own weight is calculated, the controller corrects the control signal based on the calculated own weight.

A resistance welding device is configured for use in combination with a resistance welder having a translating welding electrode. A first arm of the welding device is in a translating rotational engagement with a second arm thereof. The first arm of the device is engageable to a translating electrode from the resistance welder. Translation of the welding electrode of the resistance welder moves first and second electrodes to contact metal therebetween and spot weld the metal.