A method inspects weld quality in-situ. The method obtains a plurality of sequenced images of an in-progress welding process and generates a multi-dimensional data input based on the plurality of sequenced images and/or one or more weld process control parameters. The parameters may include: (i) shield gas flow rate, temperature, and pressure; (ii) voltage, amperage, wire feed rate and temperature (if applicable); (iii) part preheat/inter-pass temperature; and (iv) part and weld torch relative velocity). The method generates defect probability and analytics information by applying one or more computer vision techniques on the multi-dimensional data input. The analytics information includes predictive insights on quality features of the in-progress welding process. The method then generates a 3-D visualization of one or more as-welded regions, based on the analytics information, and the plurality of sequenced images. The 3-D visualization displays the quality features for virtual inspection and/or for determining weld quality.

A welding control system is provided for monitoring welding operations of a plurality of welding units within a production facility configured to provide weld data associated with the respective mechanical entities, including a determination unit configured to determine for each type of mechanical entity a corresponding welding error rate on the basis of weld data received from welding units of the production facility, a calculation unit configured to calculate for each type of mechanical entity the number of faulty mechanical entities of the respective entity type depending on the number of mechanical entities used and configured to weight the calculated number of faulty mechanical entities of the respective entity type with a predetermined manufacturing effort value.

An example welding system includes a power supply configured to output welding power; a weld parameter feedback sensor configured to produce a weld feedback parameter corresponding to an actual weld condition during welding; and a welding program comprising: a first weld having first weld parameters; a second weld having second weld parameters, wherein the second weld follows the first weld; a controller configured to, in response to selection of the weld program for performing a welding job on a part: control the power supply to provide the welding power to a first weld operation based the first weld parameters; monitor first feedback from the power supply; control the power supply to provide the welding power to a second weld operation based the second weld parameters; monitor second feedback from the power supply; and determine whether at least one of the welding job or the part is acceptable.

A system for optimizing manufacturing utilization is disclosed. The system includes a manufacturing apparatus configured to transmit a first electronic message type indicating a time period when the manufacturing apparatus is in use, as well as a sensor disposed in a work cell associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the sensor configured to transmit a second electronic message type indicating a time period of operator activity within the work cell. The system further includes a computing device configured to receive the first and second electronic message types and accumulate one or more of each of the respective time periods of the first and second electronic message types. The computing device determines utilization of the manufacturing apparatus based on accumulated time periods corresponding to the first electronic message type as a percentage of accumulated time periods corresponding to the second electronic message type.

A welding system including an arc monitoring, training, and control system is disclosed. The welding system includes a power supply, controller, and associated memory. When a weld is performed, the weld command and weld feedback parameters can be stored in the memory, along with associated alarm limit values. During subsequent welds, the input weld commands and actual feedback values can be compared to the established limits, and a fault signal provided to an operator or supervisor when the value exceeds the established limits. The fault signals can be used for training operators, as well as providing monitoring signals, and can be stored with weld data in a database for later analysis. In addition, collected weld data can be used to determine when to clean, repair, or replace consumables, including, for example, contact tips, wire drive liners, and drive rolls, and to monitor usage of wire and gas.

Positions of both end edges of a weld bead in a bead width direction are measured over the entire circumference of a liner in a circumferential direction of the liner. Based on information on the position of the end edge, bead profile information being information on a shape of the end edge of the weld bead over the entire circumference of the liner in the circumferential direction is created. Based on this bead profile information, machining information of the liner per rotation of the liner being position information of a cutting tool in the bead width direction per phase in the circumferential direction of the liner is created so that a moving locus of the cutting tool relative to the liner along the circumferential direction of the liner approximates the shape of the end edge of the weld bead over the entire circumference of the liner in the circumferential direction.

A system for optimizing manufacturing utilization is disclosed. The system includes a manufacturing apparatus configured to transmit a first electronic message type indicating a time period when the manufacturing apparatus is in use, as well as a sensor disposed in a work cell associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the sensor configured to transmit a second electronic message type indicating a time period of operator activity within the work cell. The system further includes a computing device configured to receive the first and second electronic message types and accumulate one or more of each of the respective time periods of the first and second electronic message types. The computing device determines utilization of the manufacturing apparatus based on accumulated time periods corresponding to the first electronic message type as a percentage of accumulated time periods corresponding to the second electronic message type.

A controller calculates a correction amount of a position of a robot 1 at a movement point in a first movement path, and drives the robot 1 in a second movement path obtained by correcting the first movement path. The controller includes a second camera configured to detect a shape of a part after a robot apparatus performs a task, and a variable calculating unit configured to calculate, based on an output of the second camera, a quality variable representing quality of a workpiece. When the quality variable deviates from a predetermined determination range, a determination unit of the controller determines that the position or an orientation of the robot 1 needs to be modified based on a correlation between the correction amount of the position in the first movement path and the quality variable.

A system for optimizing manufacturing utilization is disclosed. The system includes a manufacturing apparatus configured to transmit a first electronic message type indicating a time period when the manufacturing apparatus is in use, as well as a sensor disposed in a work cell associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the sensor configured to transmit a second electronic message type indicating a time period of operator activity within the work cell. The system further includes a computing device configured to receive the first and second electronic message types and accumulate one or more of each of the respective time periods of the first and second electronic message types. The computing device determines utilization of the manufacturing apparatus based on accumulated time periods corresponding to the first electronic message type as a percentage of accumulated time periods corresponding to the second electronic message type.

Embodiments of welding work cells are disclosed. One embodiment includes a workpiece positioning system, a welding power source, and a welding job sequencer. The workpiece positioning system powers an elevating motion and a rotational motion of a workpiece mounted between a headstock and a tailstock to re-position the workpiece for a next weld to be performed. The welding power source generates welding output power based on a set of welding parameters of the power source. The welding job sequencer commands the workpiece positioning system to re-position the workpiece from a current position to a next position in accordance with a next step of a welding sequence of a welding schedule. The welding job sequencer also commands the welding power source to adjust a current set of welding parameters to a next set of welding parameters in accordance with the next step of the welding sequence of the welding schedule.