US 12,083,637 B2
Robotic shear stud welding system and method of use thereof
Russell H. Barngrover, Waxhaw, NC (US); and Aaron Pearsall, Salisbury, NC (US)
Assigned to STEELFAB INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by SteelFab Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on May 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/316,616.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355408 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 9/28 (2006.01); B23K 9/20 (2006.01); B23K 37/02 (2006.01); B23K 37/04 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 9/287 (2013.01) [B23K 9/206 (2013.01); B23K 37/0229 (2013.01); B23K 37/04 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic shear stud welding system comprising:
a stud feeder configured to hold a plurality of studs and feed a single stud therefrom;
a ferrule feeder configured to hold a plurality of ferrules and feed a single ferrule therefrom;
at least one work zone;
a robot with a controllable arm, the controllable arm is configured to accurately move between the stud feeder, the ferrule feeder, and each of the at least one work zones; and
a welding gun attached to a distal end of the controllable arm, the welding gun attached to the distal end of the controllable arm of the robot is configured to pick up the single stud from the stud feeder, pick up the single ferrule from the ferrule feeder and position the single ferrule at a bottom of the single stud, and shoot the single stud to a workpiece in one of the at least one work zones;
wherein the welding gun including a ferrule gripper configured to grip the ferrule and position the ferrule at the bottom of the single stud, wherein the ferrule gripper including:
a first side with a first arm; and
a second side with a second arm;
wherein, the ferrule gripper is configured to open the first side from the second side by moving the first arm away from the second arm, and the ferrule gripper is configured to close by moving the first arm toward the second arm; and
wherein, when the ferrule gripper is closed a top chamber is created at a top portion of the ferrule gripper between the first side and the second side and a bottom chamber is created at a bottom portion of the ferrule gripper between the first side and the second side, where the top chamber is configured to fit around the single stud and the bottom chamber is configured to grip the single ferrule and position the single ferrule at the bottom of the single stud.