US 12,420,409 B2
Weld angle correction device
Zachary A. Christy, Fort Collins, CO (US); and Levi J. Mitchell, Windsor, CO (US)
Assigned to LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC., Santa Fe Springs, CA (US)
Filed by Lincoln Global, Inc., Santa Fe Springs, CA (US)
Filed on May 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/201,258.
Application 18/201,258 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/978,342, filed on Nov. 1, 2022, granted, now 12,208,530.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/454,395, filed on Mar. 24, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/349,180, filed on Jun. 6, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0390927 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1661 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0081 (2013.01); B25J 9/1664 (2013.01); B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 11/005 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of correcting angles of a welding torch positioned by a user while training a robot of a robotic welding system, the method comprising:
acquiring a single image of weldment depth data of a weldment and a corresponding weld seam using a depth camera of a weld angle correction tool;
processing the weldment depth data using a computer of the weld angle correction tool;
importing user-placed 3D torch position and orientation data to the computer of the weld angle correction tool from a robot controller of a robotic welding system in a robot coordinate space for multiple recorded weld points along the corresponding weld seam;
calculating, using the computer of the weld angle correction tool, at least one torch angle for one recorded weld point of the multiple recorded weld points with respect to the weldment and the corresponding weld seam in the robot coordinate space based on the weldment depth data of the weldment and the corresponding weld seam, as processed by the computer of the weld angle correction tool, and the user-placed 3D torch position and orientation data;
correcting the at least one torch angle for the one recorded weld point, resulting in at least one corrected torch angle for the one recorded weld point, based on pre-stored ideal angles for the weldment and the corresponding weld seam; and
applying the at least one corrected torch angle for the one recorded weld point to at least one other weld point of the multiple recorded weld points along the corresponding weld seam.