Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding

S.B. Chen,1 T. Qiu,1 T. Lin,1 L. Wu,2 J.S. Tian,2 W.X. Lv,2 and Y. Zhang3

1. Institute of Welding Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai

200030, PR China. Email: rwlab@sjtu.edu.cn
2. Welding department, Harbin Institute of Technology
3. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Qinghua University
sbchen@sjtu.edu.cn

Abstract. This paper discusses intelligent technologies for the robotic welding,
which contains computer vision sensing, automatic programming for weld path
and technical parameters, guiding and tracking seam, intelligent control of weld-
ing pool dynamics and quality. Such an welding robotic systems with some artifi-
cial intelligent functions could realize collision-free path planning for complex
curve seam, detecting welding surroundings by laser scanning technology, identi-
fying the start of weld seam and guiding weld torch, tracking the seam, complete
real-time control of pulsed GTAW pool dynamical process by computer vision
sensing and intelligent technology. The above intelligent separated units or sub-
systems were integrated into an intelligentized welding flexible manufacturing cell
(IWFMC). Based on discrete event control theory and Petri net modeling method,
the related domination strategies for the systems was designed to supervise the
IWFMC.

1 Introduction

Although using robotic welding is propitious to increase productivity, improve

welder laboring status, ensure stable welding quality and realize welding automa-
tion for a small batch of products [34,36,21,9], effective application of welding robots
in practical production is still obstructed due to complexity and uncertainty in
welding process [1,4,14]. Recently, developing intelligentized technology for weld-
ing robots has become an attractive research field and inevitable uptrend[7,6,35]
At present, welding robots serving in practical production still are teaching and
playback type, and can’t often meet quality and diversification requirements of
welding production because this type of robots don’t have adaptive ability to cir-
cumstance changes and uncertain disturbances during welding process. In practi-
cal production, welding conditions are often changing, such as the errors of
pre-machining and fitting work-piece would result in differences of gap size and

T.-J. Tarn et al. (Eds.): Robotic Welding, Intelligence and Automation, LNCIS 299, pp. 123−143, 2004.
 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004
124124S.B. Chen et al.

position, the change of workpiece heat dispersion during welding process would
bring on weld distortion and penetration odds . In order to overcome or restrain
various uncertain influences on welding quality, it will be an effective approach to
develop and improve intelligent technologies for welding robots, such as vision
sensing, automatic programming, guiding and tracking, and real-time intelligent
control of welding process [2,10].
To obtain enough precise sensing information from welding process under a
mass of disturbances is one of key technologies for intelligent welding robots.
During robotic welding, intelligent sensing mainly focuses in tracking seam and
monitoring pool feature, and vision sensing technology has been paid a hot atten-
tion in recent years. Generally, the vision sensing technology can be divided into
active method and passive method in welding according to imaging light source.
The active vision sensing method requires laser or other assistant light source to
illuminate welding region and to restrain welding arc interference for imaging
weld pool. Ref[22,3,23,8]reported some designed laser sensor systems for tracking
seam and detecting weld pool. The main problem of active vision sensing system
is too expensive to apply it in practical welding process.
Without assistant light source, the passive vision sensing method only utilizes
self-arc to illuminate welding region. Using a filter to wipe off disturbance, the
charge coupled device (CCD) camera captures weld pool images in selective
narrow spectrum range for picking-up pool features , so that the passive vision
method has been considered as a practical technique for monitoring weld pool
process. Ref.[38,15,25] investigated the passive vision sensing systems for tracking
seam and monitoring weld pool.
As is well known, arc welding process contains many complex factors, such as
material metallurgy, heat conduction, physical chemistry reactions, etc., it is a
typical multi-variable coupling, nonlinear, time-varying, random and uncertain
properties, so that it is very difficult to model and control welding dynamics by
classical linear system theory.
In recent years, some intelligent methods were introduced to welding process,
e.g., Ref.[ 17,28,11 ] investigated fuzzy reasoning application in welding quality con-
trol, and Ref.[12,29,40,24,37] showed research results artificial neural net works for
modeling and control of welding process.
In former researches, although some significant results were obtained in vision
sensing, modeling and intelligent control of weld quality and pool dynamics[27,26],
these intelligent technologies are still not realized effectively in welding robot
systems due to complexity of welding process, real-time and opening limits of ro-
bot systems.
Therefore, developing intelligentized technology for improving current teach-
ing and playback welding robot is necessary and exigent to satisfy high quality
and flexible requirements for welding products and advanced manufacturing up-
trend.
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 125
125

2 Intelligentized Welding Robot Systems

The principle scheme of an intelligentized welding robot systems is shown as

Fig.1, it contains a 9-freedom welding flexible mechanical platform with
6-freedom manipulator and 3-freedom positioner; an automatic programming and
simulation subsystem for welding task; a welding seam guiding and tracking unit;
an intelligent real-time control unit with vision sensing, modeling and control of
weld pool dynamical features; and a central control unit for harmonizing each
separated unit.
In Fig.1, Wp is welding power, Sp is signal processing interface for laser scan-
ning, IP is image processing interface for weld pool; WPPC is control computer
for welding power, TPPC is control computer for tracking seam process, VPPC is
process control computer for vision sensing and intelligent control of weld pool
dynamics, MPPC is control computer for collaborating the welding flexible me-
chanical platform with 6-freedom manipulator and 3-freedom positioner; CCPC is
central control computer for whole intelligentized welding robot systems.
Based on structure functions of intelligent robot system [ 16,30], systems in Fig.1
could be divided into three functional levels: executive level, collaborative level
and intelligent level. The executive level contains 9-freedom flexible platform,
sensors, controllers, welding power. The collaborative level includes each func-
tional control computers. The intelligent level includes the index command input
of human-computer interface, welding task programming and simulation, it ad-
ministrates whole systems by means of CCPC. The system in Fig.1 is named as an
intelligentized welding flexible manufacturing cell (IWFMC).

Fig. 1 The system scheme of intelligentized welding flexible manufacturing cell (IWFMC)
126126S.B. Chen et al.

The photo of the flexible platform with 6-freedom manipulator and 3-freedom
positioner is shown as Fig.2, which was designed by our-self, due to its opening
framework and maintainability, the platform become a usable equipment for real-
izing various intelligent technique experiments. The basic mechanical experiment
on the platform validated that the system could realize satisfactory collaborating
movement, repeating orientated precision, continuous locus and velocity precision
for robotic welding tasks.

Fig. 2 The photo of 9-frredom flexible platform

3 Automatic Programming and Simulation for Robotic

Welding Task

Off-line programming and simulation is a key technology for improving flexibility

of welding robots Ref.[ 13,5,19]. The automatic programming and simulation subsys-
tem in Fig.1 includes CAD techniques for features of welding robot and
work-piece, path and parameter planning for robotic welding process.

3.1 Robotic welding off-line programming and simulation system

based on dynamic graphics

The module framework of designed off-line planning system is shown as Fig.3,

beside basic functional modules, some advanced modules, such as work-piece
feature CAD modeling, welding parameter and path program, were integrated into
the system for improving program efficiency. Moreover, this system has added a
programming and simulation of arc welding robot with vision and tracking sensors
for robotic movement reach-ability.
In order to obtain features of various welding work-pieces, it is necessary to
establish a basic modeler for identifying geometry features of the object, such as
joint and intersecting between sides and plane. The AutoCAD was used in the
system to indicate welding workpiece features.
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 127
127

Advanced Model
character Parameter path
CAD planning planning

Autocad 2000

Geometry Motion Path Teaching Off-line Program Collision Calibration

modeling model model model programming transition checking model

Basic Model

Fig. 3 Framework of off-line programming and simulation

An identification of welding seam features passed through two pipes is shown

as Fig.4.

Fig. 4 An identified results of welding seam features passed through two pipes

3.2 Welding parameter planning for the robot systems

In order to improve intelligence of the programming system, our studies has com-
bined rule-based reasoning RBR , case-based reasoning CBR and artificial
! " ! "

neural networks ANN with welding parameter planning so that off-line plan-
! "

ning of robotic welding techniques can meet some special requirements in practi-
cal production.
The framework of welding parameter programmer for the robot systems is
shown as Fig.5.
128128S.B. Chen et al.

[34]
3.3 Path planning technology for arc welding robot

Path planning technology for arc welding robot contains following two aspects:

Fig. 5 The framework of welding parameter programmer

collision-free path planning and redundancy robotic path planning. The colli-
sion-free path planning aims at weld workpiece and circumstance, searching an
optimal welding path in manipulator space for weld quality. Redundancy robotic
path planning focuses on self-movement in arc robot, searching an optimal kine-
matics and welding poses path in joint space.

The collision-free path planning of arc robot

1. The collision-free path planning was expressed as an optimization of welding

torch poses. An optimizing model was presented to escape collision path, and
checking collision algorithm was developed in the system;
2. The heuristic searching technique was used to resolve collision-free path plan-
ning of arc welding robot by the designed producing system and so-called qual-
ity-step searching method.
Based on the AutoCAD software, a simulation system for collision-free path
! "

planning was developed.

 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 129
129

Redundancy robotic path planning

1. An index function with multi-performance synthesis was presented for redun-
dancy robotic path planning;

Using inheriting arithmetic, A harmonizing control algorithm was developed

! !

for the redundancy manipulator system with six-freedom robot and

three-freedom positioner;
3. Based on the AutoCAD and 3DS software, a simulation system for redundancy
robotic path planning was developed.

4 Laser Scanning Sensing Tracking and Real Time Control

of Welding Robot Moving Locus

During robot welding process, due to various factor influences on welding condi-
tions, such as the machining and assembling errors, heated and remained stress
distortion, it is difficult for the teaching and playback robot to satisfy welding
quality requirement under welding condition anomaly changes. The IWFMC can
realized real autonomous control and correcting robotic manipulations by the fol-
lowing laser sensor for improving robotic adaptive ability, even if without off-line
programming and teaching and playback process.

4.1 The laser scanning sensor for weld seam tracking

The main performance parameters of the designed laser scanning sensor for weld
seam tracking used in IWFMC follows as:
1. Volume: 145mm×120mm×60mm "

2. Weight: 600g "

3. Scanning angle scope: ±7.5° "

4. Scanning times/second: 11.6 "

5. Data capture ratio: 4000 point/s "

6. Across measuring precision: 0.15mm "

7. Portrait measuring precision #

0.1mm "

8. Suitable to various work-piece surfaces "

9. Strong resisting interference ability: no influence aparting from laser scanning

plane 30mm under 200 Amp GTAW arc.
130130S.B. Chen et al.

This sensor can capture the relative position information of the torch to cross
section of weld seam in real time, and obtain high precision profile of weld seam
cross section.
Autonomous control of welding robotic moving locus is one of basic indexes of
intelligentized robots. Realizing of welding robot moving locus can relax consis-
tent requirements for work-piece and dependence on welding clamps. In the
IWFMC, the moving locus of welding robot can be regulated in real time by laser
scanning sensing information and independent on off-line path programming or
teaching and playback.

4.2 Laser scanning-based identification of some typical joints

Using the above three-dimension laser scanning system, the detected results for
several typical seams, such as V-type groove, lap joint, butt seam, are shown as
Fig.6. The reticles in Fig.6 indicate welding position determined by measured in-
formation.

( ) * *

! " ' '

(a) V-type groove joint with little gap (b) lap joint

+ ,

- . # #

$ % & &

(c) butt seam in 1.5mm gap (d) butt seam in 0.15mm gap

Fig. 6 Detected results typical seams

Since identification of butt seam is affected by different gaps, usually, the

characteristic differences between small gap and no-gap butt are not evident, it is
very difficult to detect and identify the position of these joints. In general, the butt
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 131
131

seam is so various that it is easily confused with fillet and corner joint due to their
similarity. Therefore, some expert rules was used to determined the seam features.

5 Welding Robot Systems with Vision Sensing and

Intelligent Control of Pulsed GTAW Pool Dynamics

Up till now, no welding robot has provided with function of real-time sensing and
control of weld pool dynamics. Therefore, it is significant to realize an intelligen-
tized robot systems with vision sensing and real-time control of welding pool
process..

CCD
camera
Motor

Composed
filter system
Travel
direction
Reflecter

Torch Reflecter

Weldingdirection
Workpiece

(a). photograph of the visual sensor (b). Structure diagram of the visual sensor

(c) Installation of visual sensor and tracking sensor

Fig. 7 The systems of weld pool visual sensing and laser tracking sensors
132 S.B. Chen et al.

5.1 The vision sensing of the pool dynamical process

The photograph and the structure diagram of the visual sensor are shown in Fig.7
(a), (b). The visual sensor at the right and the laser scanning sensor at the left were
fixed with the end-effector of welding robot. In order to decrease the visual sensor
influences on pool images during movement of the torch, a two-step reflecting
light path system was adopted. Through a composed filter system , which con-
sisted of a neutral density filter and a narrow band filter, weld pool images and arc
light entered the CCD camera.
The vision sensor, image collecting board, the computer for image processing
and control of weld penetration and pool size, welding power and related inter-
faces composes the intelligent control subsystem for weld pool dynamic process.

5.2 Picking up dynamical features of pulsed GTAW pool images

Calibration of the image sensing system is omitted here for short.

Weld pool Character Parameters Definition

In order to investigate weld penetration and weld quality, two weld pool
parameters, topside maximum width Wfmax and topside half length Lfmax were
defined as Fig.8.

arc center

Lfmax
Wfmax

Fig. 8. Definition of characteristic parameters of weld pool during pulsed GTAW

Image Processing and Picking-up features of the weld pool images

Under the conditions in Table 1, welding experiment on the robotic system was conducted
and typical images are shown as Fig.9
Using image processing algorithms desigined in this paper, characteristic
parameters of weld pools were picked-up. Usually, robotic controller cannot
ensure that the angle between the direction of detecting and welding travel always
was accordant to the complicated seam. On the other hand, the angle was varing
during robot welding. Therefore, the algorithm for weld pool image processing
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 133
133

must be applicable for changing of observation direction during robotic arc

welding.

Table 1. The experiment conditions of pulsed GTAW

Pulse frequency f, Hz 1 Arc Length l, mm 3

Pulse duty ratio , %
! 45 T-pole dia. , mm
" 2.4
Peak current Ip, A 130 T-pole angle , ° # 30
Base current Ib, A 60 Flux of argon L, l/min 8.0
Traveling speed Vw, mm/s 2.0 Workpiece size mm×mm×mm 250×50×2

Fig.9(a) was an original image of weld pool captured at the base current time,
Fig.9(b) was an image processed through smoothing and filtering noise. The point
C in Fig.9(c) was determined as the arc center, The point T was determined as the
trail weld pool. Using edge picking-up algorithms, boundary points were deter-
mined as Fig.9(d), Fig.9(e) was a pool boundary approached by the quartic poly-
nomial. The pool character parameters were determined by Fig.9(f). The detail
image processing algorithms are omitted here.

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

Fig. 9 Image processing and feature picking-cp of robotic pulsed GTAW pool

5.3 Controller for weld pool dynamic features during pulsed GTAW

Due to the complexity of weld pool dynamics during pulsed GTAW, we designed
a neuron self-learning Proportional-Summational-Differential (PSD) controller for
pulsed GTAW process, shown as Fig.10. Main merits of PSD controller are its
modeling-free of the complicated process and its adaptability. Using measured er-
rors between the actual outputs and the expected outputs, the PSD can realize
self-learning control of the process. The controlled variables of the system are
maximum width and half-length of the weld pool, the outputs of PSD controller
are pulse duty ratio and peak current respectively.
A neuron self-learning PSD controller’s output follows as
∆u (t ) = ω 1 (t ) x1 (t ) + ω 2 (t ) x 2 (t ) + ω 3 (t ) x3 (t ) (1)
134134S.B. Chen et al.

Fig. 10 Diagram of a neuron self-learning PSD control system for pulsed GTAW

where u(t) is control input !

x i (t ) (i=1,2,3) are inputs of neuron, i.e.,

x1 (t ) = e(t ) !

x 2 ( t ) = ∆e(t ) and x 3 (t ) = ∆ e 2 (t ) . ω i (t ) (i=1,2,3) are weight-

ing coefficients corresponding to x i (t ) (i=1,2,3).
The weighting coefficients ω i (t ) (i=1,2,3) were modified during neuron

self-learning process, the learning rules follows as:

ω i (t + 1) = (1 − m)ω i (t ) + dri (t ) (2)

Here m, d>0 " d is learning ratio and ri (t ) is defined as

ri (t ) = z (t )u (t )[e(t ) + ∆e(t )] (3)

where z(t) is a teaching signal.

To ensure convergence and robustness of the learning algorithm, following

learning algorithms are adopted, and they compose controlling rules of single
neuron PSD, that is
3
∆ u ( t ) = K # ω ' ( t ) x i (t ) (4)
i=0
3
Where ω i' (t ) = # ω i (t )
i =1

$ω 1 (t + 1) = ω 1 (t ) + d I z (t )u (t )[e(t ) + ∆e(t )]
'
%ω 2 (t + 1) = ω 2 (t ) + d P z (t )u (t )[e(t ) + ∆e(t )]
'ω (t + 1) = ω (t ) + d z (t )u (t )[e(t ) + ∆e(t )]
& 3 3 D

The parameters dP, dI and dD are regulated according to the actual system.
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 135
135

5.4 Experiment of PSD control of weld pool dynamics during robotic

welding process

In order to verify effectiveness of PSD controller in robot systems, butt welding in

robotic pulsed GTAW process was conducted. The workpiece was dumb-
bell-shaped mild steel plate with 2mm thickness. The size and the shape of the
work-piece are shown in Fig.11. The varying curves of peak current and maxi-
mum width of the weld pool are shown as Fig.12. The peak value and duty ratio of
the pulse current were regulated by neuron self-learning PSD controller during
welding process. The Fig.13 is photos of controlled work-piece.

Fig. 11 Shape and the size of the work-piece

Fig. 12 Curves of neuron self-learning PSD control of

bead width during robotic pulse GTAW

(a) Topside (b) Backside

Fig. 13 Photographs of the PSD control of weld work-piece

136136S.B. Chen et al.

6 Integration of Intelligentized Welding Robot Systems

The intelligentized welding robot systems has been integrated for uniformly ad-
ministering robotic collaborating movement, path and parameter planning and
simulation, guiding and tracking seam, visual sensing and intelligent control of
weld pool dynamic features. The integrated systems could be called as a welding
flexible manufacturing cell with some primary intelligent functions, or primary
intelligent welding flexible manufacturing cell (IWFMC).

6.1 The integrated structure designs of the IWFMC

Based on task characters of arc welding robot systems, the IWFMC was designed
in star-shape net framework, as Fig.14. It includes a robotic movement trajectory
control unit(RCU), a weld seam tracking unit(STU), welding pool penetration
control unit(PPU) and robotic welding power unit(WPU). The communication
and exchanging information among these units can be completed by the center
monitoring computer(CMC).

- - # # $ $

- - # # $ $

* * + + , ,

* * + + , ,

! ! " " ! !

! ! " " ! !

& & ' ' ( ( ) ) ) ) ( (

& & ' ' ( ( ) ) ) ) ( (

Fig. 14 The net topology structure of IWFMC

The information flow in IWFMC systems can be described as following:

1. Based on net communication techniques, robotic controller can down load and
run welding task program in real time from CMC, during welding process, the
robotic controller can regulate driving signals of joints by tracking sensing in-
formation at same time, the penetration unit will provide welding pool states
%
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 137
137

and welding current and speed information to weld power and robotic control-
ler through CMC.
2. The net system of IWFMC was designed by classified control mode and com-
bined with sensing system for realizing sharing control, fusing control and cen-
tralizing management by sensing information flow. The CMC can indicate, su-
pervise and correct welding process, path and parameter planning, multimedia
graph simulation, data from weld expert system and so on.

6.2 Petri net model for optimization of material flow and information
flow in IWFMC

The Petri net method in the discrete event dynamic system DEDS theory has
! "

very powerful token function for modeling, analysis, performance evaluation and
control of event elements and its logic sequence[18,31,39,20]. It is a significant re-
search direction to use Petri net method for optimizing and planning material
flow and information flow in welding flexible manufacturing cell/system[33,32] .
The discrete event and Petri net are very suitable to little batch and excessive
various welding products on Welding Flexible Manufacturing Cell(WFMC) and
can improve efficiency of WFMC and welding quality.
In order to assure welding product quality and satisfy intelligent requirements
for welding flexible manufacturing, a petri net model combined with sensing and
executing information during robotic welding process has been established by the
following rules:
Rule1: if input buffer is empty, then put workpiece to input buffer;
Rule2: if positioner is vacancy, then put workpiece to positioner from input
buffer;
Rule3: if tracking sensor sends regulating signal, then regulate robot running
locus;
Rule4: if pool feature is exceptional, then regulate weld current and speed;
Rule5: if welding is finished and output buffer is empty, then put workpiece
to output buffer;
Based on the above rules, an automatic Petri net (APN) model for IWFMC has
been established as Fig.15. There are two types of directed arc to be added in
common Petri net for APN model: inhibited arc, noting as , and enabling
! "

arc, noting as . The APN model is activated by exterior spring events,

! "

e.g., input information from sensors and action information from executors.
The APN model contains 18 places ps1, ps2, p1, p2, , p16 and 18 transi-
! "

tions t1, t2, , t18 , and its marks are explained as following:
! "

ps1/ps2 input/output sink, p1/p2: workpiece moving permit/prohibit (from sink to

$

buffer);p3/p4 positioner idle/busy; p5/p6 weld pool sensors (regulating sig-

$ $

nal)/( no regulating signal); p7/p8 tracking sensor (regulating signal)/ (no regu-
$

lating signal) ; p9/p10 workpiece moving permit/prohibit (from buffer to sink);

$

p11/p16 input/output buffer states; p12: workpiece ready p13/p14 welding

$

%
$

process start/end; p15 post- processing; w1/w2 weight value of inhibited arc.
$ $
138138S.B. Chen et al.

A running process of the APN system can be described as following: In weld-

ing process starting, if input buffer p11 is empty, then put workpiece from the
input sink to input buffer; if the positioner is vacancy, then put workpiece to
positioner from input buffer p12 if workpiece is ready then start to weld
!

p13 during welding process, if weld pool sensor outputs regulating signals,
!

then to regulate welding parameters for control of weld penetration t14; if seam
tracking sensor outputs regulating signals, then to regulate manipulator to correct
moving locus t15 necessary processing after welding end p15 at the same
! !

time, if output buffer is empty p16, ; then down-load the welded workpiece to the
output buffer for delivering output sink. Thus whole welding process is com-
pleted.

Fig. 15 Automatic Petri net model of IWFMC

6.3 Functional Realization of composite IWFMC system

Based on IWFMC systems with exterior sensors, a running flow chart of the
IWFMC with model of welding automation Petri Net – WAPN is shown as
Fig.16.
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 139
139

The work-piece photos of visual tracking and coordinating control experiments

on IWFMC are shown as Fig.17.

System startup

Set-up welding state parameters

Download
off-line program

Guide to seam start TPPC

CCPC Get to the start?

monitor N MPPC
system Y
with
WAPN Run tracking system
WPPC
Run process control

VPPC
Get to the terminal? N

Y
Turnoff systems

Fig. 16 Running flow chart of WFMC systems with WAPN

Fig. 17 (a) Tracking experiment

140140S.B. Chen et al.

Fig. 17 (b) Coordinating experiment

Fig. 17 Work-piece photos of the experiments on IWFMC

7 Conclusions

The current teaching and playback welding robots need to be improved by intelli-
gentized welding techniques for its effective application in practical production.

The intelligentized welding techniques for robot systems conclude the vision
sensing, guiding and tracking weld seam, programming path, pose and welding
parameters, knowledge modeling and intelligent real-time control of welding dy-
namics, optimizing supervision of welding flexible manufacturing cell/system, and
so on.

This paper has shown a primary intelligent welding robot systems with sepa-
rated sensing and control subsystems, so-called intelligentized welding flexible
manufacturing cell—IWFMC. The intelligent technologies contained in this sys-
tems will be a useful foundation for us to develop new-type intelligent welding
robot in the future.
 Intelligent Technologies for Robotic Welding 141
141

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science foundation of China,

No.59635160 and Science and Technology Committee of Shanghai, China,
No.021111116.

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