JP3464902B2 - Groove copying machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a welding action on a welding target material such as a welding torch, a welding wire, a welding arc or the like corresponding to the groove of the welding target material. The present invention relates to a groove copying device for aligning a thing to be welded (welding action means). Calculate the relative position of the welding action means to the material to be welded based on the image data representing the image,
The present invention relates to a groove copying device that drives a welding torch so that the relative position becomes a set value.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a copying apparatus of this type is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-62.
-33064 publication. The copying apparatus disclosed in this publication includes a laser slit light source that projects a slit light across a groove in front of a welding torch, and a television camera that captures a welding spot and a slit light image from the front of the welding torch. . A welding arc and a slit light image appear on the photographing screen. By the image processing, the slit light image on the screen is cut out, its shape is calculated, and the groove position and shape are grasped. Further, the arc image on the screen is cut out and its position is grasped.

The brightness of the arc light is extremely high, and when it directly enters the television camera, the screen becomes pure white and image recognition is impossible. When an image is taken through an optical filter so that the arc light image can be extracted, a slit light image cannot be seen when passing through a filter suitable for extracting the arc light image. Therefore, the copying apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-33064 has a plurality of optical filters including those for extracting a slit light image and an electric mechanism for selectively inserting one optical filter immediately before the objective lens of the camera. Prepare

[0004]

An electric mechanism for selectively inserting a filter in the photographing optical path is required, which increases the number of additional mechanisms and increases the cost. In addition, since it takes time to switch the filters, a time difference occurs between the welding arc position detection and the groove position detection, and the position detection cycle (sampling cycle) cannot be shortened.

In order to facilitate the extraction of the slit light image by fixing one optical filter to the television camera, the slit light image is projected considerably in front of the welded portion so that the welded image can be obtained.
It is possible to accurately extract the slit light image on the photographing screen by photographing the slit light image with the TV camera at a position where the black light does not directly enter the field of view. However, in this case, not only the position of the welding arc light position, the position of the welding wire or the welding torch needs to be detected or grasped by another camera or other position detection means, but also the groove y extends. In the direction, the distance LM from the welding position (arc position) to the slit light image position becomes longer, and the slit light image for the time corresponding to the distance LM and the welding speed (moving speed of the welding torch in the y direction). The groove position detection data measured by using the welding torch position is held, that is, the groove position detection data is delayed by a time corresponding to the LM traveling time of the welding torch and the welding position is compared with the arc position. A delay control for controlling is required.

In order to reduce the disturbance from the arc light and improve the discrimination of the slit light image, it is desirable to increase the distance LM. However, if the distance LM increases, the synchronization deviation due to the variation of the welding speed and the welding direction increases correspondingly, and the scanning accuracy deteriorates. Further, if the groove is deformed during the delay time, the scanning accuracy further deteriorates. . Further, when there is a wall near the welding start position, the groove measurement of the distance LM from the start position is impossible, and therefore the distance LM from the arc start cannot be controlled by scanning. For these reasons the distance L
It is desirable that M is small.

Therefore, if there is a distance LM that allows both the accuracy of delay control and the identification of the optical cutting line to be compatible with each other, the scanning control can be performed. However, the intensity of the arc light is affected by welding conditions, welding materials, shield gas components, etc., and the slit light image is affected by the reflection characteristics of the groove surface, the intensity of the laser slit light, the wavelength, etc. Even if the photosensitivity characteristic and the optical filter characteristic are selected, the appropriate distance LM cannot always be set, and sufficient groove-tracing reliability cannot be obtained in many cases.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-214323, a television camera photographs a groove far in front of a welded portion so as to look down from directly above, and the groove on the photographing screen is extracted to determine its position. Computation of groove position detection is disclosed. The image data of the groove area (teaching area) on the screen photographed in a state suitable for identifying the groove is written in the memory as teaching data, and thereafter, the teaching data on the photographing screen of the television camera is taught. A region having a high correlation with the data and a correlation coefficient of 0.6 or more is searched, and the position of the region on the screen is grasped as the groove position. Even in the case of groove profile welding using this groove position detection,
Since the image is taken considerably in front of the fusion point so that the welding arc light does not enter the photographing field of the television camera, the same copying control as the delay control described above is required, which causes the above-mentioned problem.

A first object of the present invention is to accurately and easily detect the groove position of the welding heat input portion and realize a highly reliable groove tracing. A second object is to accurately detect the relative position of the welding action means with respect to the material substantially at the same time to realize a highly reliable groove copying.

[0010]

(1) Torch driver (8, 7) for driving a welding torch (1) in a direction orthogonal to the y direction in which the groove extends, and the welding torch A two-dimensional photographing device (3) for photographing the groove (4) during welding, and an information processing means (27) for calculating the position of the groove (4) based on image data representing an optical image on the photographing screen. , 25, 26), and a groove controller including a copying controller (26, 19) for driving the welding torch via the driver in a direction in which the position of the welding torch with respect to the calculated position becomes the set position. In the apparatus, the information processing means (27, 25, 26) causes the y-direction tip image region (the region corresponding to Pj) of the molten pool image on the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device (3); j = 4, 5,6,7,8 or 9) and its position, the copying controller (26,19), via the driver in the direction where the welding torch becomes the set position with respect to the searched position. Drive the welding torch Groove copying apparatus to be.

(2) The two-dimensional imager (3) is a welding torch.
In conjunction with (1), the copying controller (26, 19) causes the information processing means (27, 25, 26) on the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device (3).
The groove copying apparatus according to (1) above, which drives the welding torch (1) in a direction in which the position searched by is the set position on the screen (position in the Pj region).

(3) Torch driver (8, 7) for driving the welding torch (1) in a direction orthogonal to the y direction in which the groove extends, and the groove () during welding by the welding torch ( 4) 2D camera for shooting
(3), information processing means (27, 25, 2) for calculating the position of the groove (4) based on the image data representing the light image on the photographing screen
6), in a groove copying apparatus including a copying controller (26, 19) for driving the welding torch via the driver in a direction in which the position of the welding torch with respect to the calculated position becomes a set position, The information processing means (27, 25, 26) is a part of the y-direction tip image of the molten pool image on the imaging screen of the two-dimensional imaging device (3), which is a part of the first area (area corresponding to P4). ) And a second region (a region corresponding to P5) deviated in the direction traversing the groove, and the position of each region, the scanning controller (26, 19),
If the position difference is large, the welding
A groove copying device characterized by changing the swing width of the chi.

(4) The copying controller (26, 19) includes a welding torch through the driver in a direction in which the welding torch becomes a set position with respect to the positions of the first region and the second region. The groove copying device according to (3) above, which drives the groove.

(5) The information processing means (27, 25, 26) is a teaching memory (25c) for writing the image data of the tip region (Pj / P4, P5) in the y direction of the molten pool image; A temporary memory (25c) for writing the image data of the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device (3); and the teaching memory (25c) of the image data of one screen of the temporary memory (25c). Corresponding area (Pj
(Area corresponding to / P4, area corresponding to P5) and search means (25a) for searching the position thereof;
The groove copying device according to (2), (3) or (4).

(6) The two-dimensional imager (3) is a welding arm.
Filter that attenuates the light and transmits the light from the molten pool (18)
A CCD camera equipped with the above (1), (2),
The groove copying device according to (3), (4) or (5).

(7) Torch driver (8, 7) for driving the welding torch (1) in a direction orthogonal to the y direction in which the groove extends, during welding by the welding torch (1). A two-dimensional imager (3) for photographing the groove (4), the position of the welding action means (29/2/1) with respect to the welding target (4) based on the image data representing the optical image on the photographing screen Information processing means (27, 25, 28) for calculating, and a copying controller for driving the welding torch (1) via the driver (8, 7) in the direction in which the calculated position becomes the set position (26, 19), in the groove copying apparatus, including the information processing means (27, 25, 26)
Is a welding action means (29/2 /) for the y-direction tip (35t) of the molten pool image (35) on the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device (3).
1) image position (33, 32, 31) is calculated, and the scanning controller (26, 1
9) is the driver in the direction in which the calculated position becomes the set position.
A groove copying device characterized by driving a welding torch (1) via (8, 7).

(8) The information processing means (27, 25, 26) includes the first region (P4 to P4) including the y-direction tip (35t) of the molten pool image (35).
P9) and teaching memory for writing the image data of the second area (P1 to P3) including at least a part of the image (33, 32, 31) of the welding action means (29/2/1) (25c); Temporary memory (25b) for writing image data of the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device (3);
(25b) The third area of the image data of one screen having a high correlation with the image data of the first area (P4 to P9) and the second area (P1 to P3) of the teaching memory (25c), and The copying controller (26, 19) includes a searching means (25a) for searching the fourth area; and a relative position calculating means (25a) for calculating the positional difference between the third area and the fourth area on the screen. Is a groove copying device according to the above (7), which drives the welding torch (1) through the driver (8, 7) in the direction in which the calculated position difference becomes a set value.

(9) The information processing means (27, 25, 26) includes a first R region (P5) and a first L region obtained by dividing the region including the tip (35t) in the y direction of the molten pool image (35) in the x direction. Region (P4) and second region containing at least part of the image of the welding action means (29/2/1)
Teaching memory for writing image data of (P1 to P3) (25
c); Temporary memory (25b) for writing the image data of the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device (3); The teaching memory (25c) of the image data of one screen of the temporary memory (25b) 1st R region, 1st
The third R, which has a high correlation with the image data of the L region and the second region
Search means for searching the area, the third L and the fourth area (25
a); and a relative position calculation means (25) for calculating the positional difference on the screen between the midpoint between the third R area and the third L area and the fourth area.
a); is included, the copying controller (26, 19) drives the welding torch (1) via the driver (8, 7) in a direction in which the calculated position difference becomes a set value. The groove copying device according to (7) above.

(10) The retrieving means (25a) calculates the position difference in the x direction between the third R area and the third L area and gives it to the copying controller (26, 19), and the copying controller (26, 19). ) Indicates that when the position difference increases, the traveling speed of the bogie (6) is decreased and the swing width of the welding torch (1) is changed widely, and when the position difference decreases, the traveling speed is increased. The groove copying device according to the above (9), wherein the swing width of the chi is changed to be narrow.

(11) The welding action means (29/2/1) comprises a welding arc (29), a welding wire (2) for generating the welding arc, and a welding torch (1) for holding the welding wire. The groove copying device according to (7), (8), (9) or (10) above, which is at least one of the above.

(12) The two-dimensional imager (3) is a filter (1) which dims the welding arc light and transmits the light emitted from the molten pool.
The groove copying device according to (11) above, which is a CCD camera equipped with 8).

In order to facilitate understanding, the symbols of the corresponding elements in the embodiments shown in the drawings and described later are added in parentheses for reference.

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The welding arc light is 300 to 700.
There is a wavelength component with a wide luminance distribution in nm, but 300 to 45
There is a strong luminance component at a short wavelength of 0 nm. Further, the radiant light from the molten pool has a long-wavelength luminance component of about 600 nm or more. Therefore, if an image is taken using an optical filter that transmits a long wavelength component of about 600 nm or more and attenuates a short wavelength component of less than about 600, intense arc light can be dimmed and a molten pool can be clearly photographed. As shown in FIG. 7, specifically, the horizontal fillet groove 4 shown in FIG. 17 is subjected to gas shield arc welding with a solid wire (welding wire) 2 and the above-mentioned light is applied to the CCD camera 3 attached to the welding torch 1. FIG. 8 shows a monitor television image when the optical filter 18 having the transmission performance is attached and the image is taken from about 45 ° obliquely from the front. Further, when the welding torch 1 (camera 3) is viewed from the direction opposite to the welding direction Ay ((b) of FIG. 7), the image shifted to the lower left side by 2 mm is shifted to the upper right side by 2 mm in FIG. Figure 10
Shown in. The image shifted to the lower right side by 2 mm is shown in FIG.
The image shifted to the upper left side of m is shown in FIG.

From the observation of the monitor television image, it can be seen that the tip 35t of the molten pool 35 is on the groove 34 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the tip 35 of the melting pool 35
t is an image obtained by shifting the welding torch 1 (camera 3) to the lower left side in FIG. 9, on the right side of the screen, and an image obtained by shifting it to the upper right side, on the left side of the screen in FIG. 10. To position. The image obtained by shifting to the lower right side is located on the upper side of the screen in FIG. 11, and the image obtained by shifting to the upper left side is located on the lower side of the screen. Therefore,
By detecting the position of the tip 35t of the melting pool 35 on the screen, the position of the groove 4 with respect to the field of view of the television camera (shooting screen frame), that is, the position of the welding torch 1 in this example. The groove position can be detected, and if the position of the welding torch 1 is corrected in accordance with the position of the tip 35t of the melting pool 35 on the screen, left and right and up and down copying control can be performed on the groove 34.

The image 32 of the welding wire 2 and the tip image 31 of the torch 1 appear as shadows in the region of the image 35 of the molten pool, as shown in FIG. Since the welding arc image 33 has high brightness, it appears white.

As shown in FIG. 7, if a television camera is attached to the welding torch, the television camera is installed in the welding torch.
The welding torch 1 is interlocked with the
Even if the (camera 3) is shifted to the right or left, the positions of the torch image 31, the wire image 32 and the arc image 33 with respect to the screen hardly change. That is, the torch image 31, by the position correction of the left and right (x) and up and down (y) of the welding torch 1,
The positions of the wire image 32 and the arc image 33 do not change.
However, since the camera 3 is fixedly supported by the traveling carriage, the welding truck
If the chess is supported by the traveling carriage via a driver, the torch image 31, the wire image 32, and the arc image on the photographic screen of the camera 3 are adjusted in accordance with the horizontal and vertical position correction of the welding torch. The position of 33 changes. However, in any case, the position of the tip image 35t (groove position) of the molten pool and the torch image 3
1, the position of the wire image 32 or the arc image 33 is detected, the difference between the two positions is converted into the coordinate axis value of the torch driver, and the position of the torch is adjusted so that the position difference becomes the set value. Can be modified to maintain the position of the welding torch 1 relative to the groove 4 substantially constant.

FIG. 13 shows a monitor television image when the lap fillet groove (FIG. 18) is gas shielded arc welded with a solid wire and taken by a television camera attached to the welding torch from an angle of about 45 ° from the front. From the observation of the monitor TV image, as shown in FIG.
35t of the groove overlaps the groove image 34. That is, the tip 35t of the molten pool 35 is at the same position as the groove 34. Similar to the case of the horizontal fillet welding described above (FIG. 7), the position of the tip 35t of the molten pool image 35 and the position of the torch image 31, wire image 32 or arc image 33 are calculated on the screen. Then, the difference between the two positions is converted into the value of the coordinate axis value of the torch driver, and the position of the welding torch 1 is corrected so that the position difference becomes the set value. The position of the chi may be kept substantially constant.

Specifically, when the V groove shown in FIG. 19 is gas shielded arc welded with a solid wire and the groove portion is photographed at an angle of about 45 ° from the front by a TV camera attached to the welding torch, A monitor television image is shown in FIG. From the observation of the monitor television image, the tip 35t of the molten pool image 35 shown in FIG. 14 overlaps with the groove image 34. When the root gap of the groove is large, the tip 35t becomes wide.

The level of the video signal (analog image signal) of the camera 3 is the highest at the position of the arc image 33 (white), and the level of the molten pool image 35 is the next highest, which is the surface connecting to the groove. Of the torch image 31 and the wire image 32 are low.
Level is even lower. During the transfer of droplets from the tip of the welding wire 2 to the welding target material (work: base material), the work is performed by the droplets.
The welding wire is short-circuited to the arc, the arc disappears, and a dark image of only the radiant light of the molten pool appears. In addition, the shadow of the wire becomes thin. This is repeated during welding. Further, the strength of the welding arc may vary greatly during welding depending on the welding conditions, welding material, shield gas composition, and the like. For example, CO ₂ gas shielded arc welding and low current welding of MIG and MAG greatly fluctuate, and high current welding of MIG and MAG has little fluctuation. Therefore, the video signal level of the camera 3 fluctuates in time series, and even if the threshold value is set and the video signal is binarized, the groove image 34 and the arc image 33 or the wire image 32 are stabilized. In many cases, it cannot be removed.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, when the groove position is detected, first, the groove portion being welded is photographed by the camera 3 before the start of the copying control, and when the welding state is appropriate. ,
Regions P7 (FIG. 8), P8 (FIG. 13), P9 (FIG. 13), P4 including the tip 33t of the molten pool image 35 on the photographing screen.
(FIG. 14), P5 (FIG. 14) or P6 (FIG. 14) image data (digital data obtained by A / D converting a video signal).
Data) is stored in the teaching memory (25b) as teaching data.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, as in the first embodiment, the region (P
In addition to storing the image data of any of 4 to P9) as teaching data in the teaching memory (25b), a region P1 including the wire lower end image (FIGS. 8, 13 and 14) , Area P2 including wire main part image 32 (FIGS. 8, 13, and 14)
Alternatively, a region P3 including the torch bottom end image 31 (see FIG. 8, FIG. 13,
The image data of FIG. 14) is used as teaching data as teaching memory.
Store in (25b).

When the copying control is started after that, in the first embodiment, the photographing screen of the camera 3 (image data for one screen).
Areas P7, P8, P9, from which teaching data is extracted,
A region (corresponding region) having the same size as P4, P5 or P6 and containing image data having a high correlation with the teaching data is searched for, and the position is set as the groove position, and this is set on the photographing screen of the camera 3. Setting position (for example, teaching data extraction areas P7, P
The welding torch is driven so as to match the position (8, P9, P4, P5 or P6).

In the second embodiment, areas P7, P8, P9, P4, P5 or P6 from which the teaching data is extracted in the photographing screen of the camera 3 (image data for one screen), and Teaching data of the same size as P1, P2 or P3
Area (corresponding area) that contains image data highly correlated with data
Search for P7, P8, P9, P4, P5 or P
The groove position is the position on the screen of the area corresponding to 6, and P
The position on the screen of the area corresponding to 1, P2 or P3 is the welding torch position. Then, welding welding is performed with respect to the groove position.
The welding torch is driven so that the chi position becomes the set position.

The contents of the search of the corresponding area will be described.
For example, when the area P7 shown in FIG. 8 is set as the tip area of the fusion pool image 35 and the image data of the area (teaching area) P7 is stored in the teaching memory as teaching data, the scanning control is performed. Is started, the corresponding area of the same size as the teaching area P7 in the image pickup screen of the camera 3 in which the image data therein has the highest correlation with the teaching data is searched as follows. . That is, the size of the region P7 is m × n (number of pixels)
Then, the upper left corner of the shooting screen is the upper left corner mx
Correlation coefficient R of image data in n region with respect to teaching data
Is calculated as follows.

[0035]

[Equation 1]

Next, the upper left corner of the image data extraction area (m × n) is right-shifted by one pixel in the main scanning direction X on the screen, and the image data of the shifted area (m × n) is displayed. Similarly, the correlation coefficient R of the data with respect to the teaching data is calculated. The calculation of the correlation coefficient is repeated until the lower right corner of the extraction area (m × n) is at the right end of the screen. When the process is performed up to the right end, the upper left corner of the extraction area (m × n) is shifted by one pixel in the sub-scanning direction Y and returned to the left end of the screen, and the correlation coefficient R is calculated in the same manner. In this way, the lower right corner of the extraction area (m × n)
The calculation of the correlation coefficient R7 is repeated until the corner coincides with the lower right corner of the screen, and when this is completed, the maximum value R7m in the calculated correlation coefficient group is extracted and the extraction that brought the maximum value R7m. Position P7ca (Xb, on the screen of the area (corresponding area)
Yb) is extracted and the maximum value R7m and position P7ca (Xb,
Yb) is saved in the memory. This position P7ca
Estimate (Xb, Yb) as the current position of the groove 4 (position viewed from the camera 3).

The position of the teaching area P7 is set to P7 (Xb,
Yb), the position P7 (Xb, Yb) and the position P7ca (Xb, Yb) of the corresponding area are positions on the screen. Is calculated and the torch is driven by the absolute value of the position difference in the direction in which the position difference becomes zero, the relative position of the torch with respect to the groove becomes the relative position when the teaching data is extracted. It is virtually the same. This copying control is performed by teaching area Pj (j = 4
Is one of (9 to 9)) and one aspect (j = 7) of the groove copying control of the first aspect.

In the groove tracking control of the second embodiment, in addition to the position of the corresponding area of the teaching area Pj, the position of the corresponding area of another teaching area P1, P2 or P3, for example P1, is searched in the same manner. Then, the difference between the position of the corresponding region of the teaching region Pj and the position of the corresponding region of the other teaching region P1 (detection position difference) is calculated, and the detection position difference is set to the set value (the position between the teaching regions Pj / P1). Drive the torch to match the difference.

As shown in FIG. 15, the teaching area (for example, P
If the brightness represented by the image data of each pixel in 7) is plotted on the horizontal axis and the brightness represented by the image data of the corresponding pixel on the corresponding region (the input pattern with the maximum correlation coefficient) is plotted on the vertical axis. , 45 ° when the teaching area and the corresponding area have almost the same brightness
The plot is distributed in the vicinity of the straight line Q1. However, when the corresponding region is dark, it is distributed near the straight line Q2, and when it is bright, it is distributed near the straight line Q3. The gradient of each straight line corresponds to the ratio of the brightness of the corresponding area to the brightness of the teaching area.

What is important here is the straight line Q1 in FIG.
The spread of the brightness plots distributed in the vicinity of Q2 and Q3 corresponds to the correlation coefficient R, but there is little difference in the spread of the plots between the plot groups. That is, the correlation coefficient R is little affected by the change in brightness.

The teaching areas P1 to P9 are set at the positions shown in FIG. 8, FIG. 13 or FIG. By extracting the position, the lower end position of the wire, the wire position, the torch position, and the tip position (groove position) of the welding pool can be known. FIG. 16 shows the teaching areas P1 to P9 shown in FIGS. 8, 13 and 14 and the images therein in an enlarged manner.

In the case of fillet welding (FIGS. 17 and 8), the teaching area P7 suitable for searching the tip of the molten pool is the tip 35t of the molten pool image 35 with high brightness and the groove image with low brightness. 34 (and the steel plate surface in the vicinity thereof). In the case of lap fillet welding (FIGS. 18 and 13), the teaching area P8 suitable for searching the tip of the molten pool includes the curved portion of the tip 35t of the molten pool image 35 having high brightness and the groove having low brightness. It is a region including the image (surface of the steel plate). Teaching area P9
Is a preliminary area used for the tip search when the melt pool tip search based on the teaching data of the teaching area P8 is unsuccessful.

The teaching areas P4 and P5 suitable for welding the V-shaped groove (FIG. 19) (FIG. 14) include the wide end portion of the wide tip 35t and the groove (and the steel plate surface in the vicinity thereof). Since the positional difference in the width direction between P4 and P5 corresponds to the groove width, the groove width can be calculated by searching the corresponding area using the teaching data of these areas P4 and P5. The teaching area P6 is a preliminary area to be used for the tip search when at least one of the melt pool tip searches based on the teaching data of the teaching areas P4 and P5 is unsuccessful. The groove width cannot be calculated by the melt pool tip search using the teaching data of the teaching area P6.

Reshaped groove (FIG. 20) and joint groove (FIG. 2)
In the case of 1) welding, the photographed image is similar to the case of V-shaped groove (FIG. 19) welding shown in FIG. However, since the groove is asymmetric with respect to the center position of the rhe-shaped groove and the joint groove, the tip image of the molten pool is shown in FIG.
Although it is similar to that shown in FIG. 3, it is asymmetric with respect to the groove image 34. However, similarly to the case of welding the V-shaped groove (FIG. 19), the groove width can be calculated by searching the areas corresponding to the teaching areas P4 and P5.

The teaching area P1 is shown in FIG. 8, FIG. 13 and FIG.
4, the lower end image of the wire having a low brightness and the arc image 33 having a high brightness with the molten pool image 35 having a high brightness as a background.
Is an area including. The teaching area P2 is an area including only the wire image 32 with low brightness against the background of the molten pool image 35 with high brightness. The teaching area P3 is an area including the torch image 31 and the wire 32 with low brightness against the background of the molten pool image 35 with high brightness.

Teachings necessary for left / right (x), up / down (z) and width tracking (torch swing width) control in fillet, lap fillet, V-shaped groove, rectangular groove, and joint groove. The patterns are shown in Table 1.

[0047]

[Table 1]

The groove profile is a welding arc for the groove.
Position adjustment in the x direction (left-right copying) of the wire, wire or torch,
Height adjustment (distance adjustment in z direction: vertical scanning), and swing width of welding torch with respect to groove width change, welding speed (truck traveling speed), welding current and / or welding arc voltage adjustment (width scanning) At least one of the. An embodiment of the present invention described below can execute the above-described first embodiment and second embodiment, and can perform left-right copying, vertical copying, and width copying.

The embodiment described below is the image pickup device (3).
Molten pool tip (at least 1 of P4 to P9
Image area corresponding to one) and the welding wire lower end (P1), the welding wire main part (P2) or the welding torch lower end (P3) that is detected as necessary, the two orthogonal X and Y planes on the photographing screen. The correspondence between the upper position and the position of the orthogonal three axes x, y, z space where the welding target material is placed is simplified, and the position on the X, Y plane is set in the three axes x, y, z space. In order to simplify the calculation for converting to a position, a carriage (6) that travels substantially parallel to the y-axis of three orthogonal x-, y-, and z-spaces and a welding torch (1) mounted thereon are supported. Using an x, z driver (8,7) that drives the torch (1) substantially parallel to the x, z axes, these drive the welding torch (1) along the y axis and The positioning is performed in the x and z axis directions with respect to the groove (4). However, the x, z drivers (8, 7) on the carriage (6) may be replaced with a general-purpose robot or a robot arm, and the carriage (6) and x, z,
The z driver (8, 7) can be replaced with a general-purpose self-propelled robot. Further, the carriage (6) may be a self-propelled gantry, or a hanging type carriage mounted on a ceiling rail. The y direction is not limited to horizontal and may be a direction inclined or orthogonal to the horizontal plane, and the present invention can be applied not only to downward welding but also to vertical welding.

Furthermore, instead of driving the torch, the material to be welded may be driven in the direction y in which the groove (4) extends. That is, it is not necessary to drive the torch in the y direction. In the mode in which the material to be welded is driven in the y direction, a general-purpose robot having a fixed base can be used as the torch driver adopted in the present invention. When a robot is used and the groove length (length in the y direction) is short, the welding torch may be driven also in the y direction by the robot while the robot and the material to be welded are stationary. Even if the robot drives the torch around the polar coordinate space and / or the rotation axis, the detection position in the system is determined by x, y, z in three axes where there is a groove extending in the y direction. Convert to z value and y value if necessary, so that welding torch (1) is aligned with groove (4) in x, y, z space and driven also in y direction if necessary. It suffices to drive the welding torch. Further, in the embodiment described below, the image pickup device is fixed to the welding torch so as to be integrally linked. In this aspect, the melt pool tip position of the groove viewed from the imager corresponds to the melt pool tip position viewed from the welding torch. To be precise, from the welding torch, by adding the correction for the relative position difference (fixed value) between the imaging device and the welding torch to the melting pool tip position of the groove seen from the imaging device. The melt pool tip position as seen is obtained. By driving the welding torch so that the melt pool tip position is constant on the image-capturing screen of the imager, the torch position relative to the melt pool tip becomes constant and On the other hand, data processing and torch drive control for maintaining the welding torch at a predetermined position can be performed very easily.

However, the image pickup device is supported by a system different from the welding torch support system, and the relative position difference between the image pickup device and the welding torch is always grasped, and the relative position difference and the image pickup screen of the image pickup device are displayed. By correcting the melting pool tip position obtained above, the relative position of the welding torch with respect to the melting pool tip position can be obtained. Therefore, the welding device is not
It is not necessary to support Ji in an integrated relationship.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0053]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an overview of the mechanism of one embodiment of the present invention.
1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a front view. Between the right steel plate WR and the left steel plate WL, which are the welding target materials, as viewed from the imager (CCD camera) 3 that captures a predetermined area around the lower end of the welding wire 2 (welding electrode) of the welding torch 1. There is a groove 4 extending in the y-direction, a truck rail 5 is arranged substantially parallel to the groove 4, and a traveling truck 6 is mounted on the rail 5. A z driver 7 (FIG. 2) is mounted on the carriage 6, and the z driver 7 supports the x driver 8 (FIG. 2). A torch support shaft 9 extending in the x direction is supported by the x driver 8, and a slide shaft extending in the x direction is attached to the tip of the torch support shaft 9.
The rear end of the frame 10 is inserted and can slide in the x direction with respect to the torch support shaft 9, but is fixed to the torch support shaft 9 by the x slide lock knob 11.

At the tip of the slide arm 10, there is a sleeve extending in the y-direction. The sleeve is centered on the central axis of the sleeve (y-axis parallel line), and in the y-direction in FIG. The rear end of the rotating arm 12 extending to the
It is fixed to the sleeve at the tip of the arm 10 by a y-rotation lock knob 13. The tip end side of the turning arm 12 is divided into two, and the torch fixing block 14 is inserted between the branch legs, and the turning arm 12 is formed by a pin 15 extending in the x direction in FIG. The pin 12 is rotatably supported by a pin 15 and is rotated by an x-rotation lock knob 16.
It is fixed to. Welding torch fixing block 14
Chi 1 is fixed.

A camera support arm 17 is fixed to the torch fixing block 14, and the image pickup device (CCD camera) 3 is fixed to the arm 17. At the objective end of the imager 3, a short wavelength light of less than about 600 nm is dimmed to 600 nm.
An optical filter 18 that transmits the above long-wavelength light is mounted, and this optical filter 18 attenuates the arc light and transmits the light emitted from the molten pool at the groove. As a result, the captured image of the image pickup device 3 becomes an image in which the arc light is weak and the emission of the molten pool is clear. The center line of the visual field of the image pickup device 3 substantially intersects with the lower end of the welding wire 2 being welded and is inclined by 45 ° with respect to the welding torch axis (center axis).

FIG. 1 shows a welding torch 1 with a horizontal V-shaped groove 4
The welding torch 1 has a central axis parallel to the vertical axis z, and the center line of view of the imager 3 is a horizontal work (welding target material: material to be welded). On the other hand, that is, at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane xy.

At the time of fillet welding, lap fillet welding, a die groove and a joint groove, the center axis of the welding torch 1 is, for example, with respect to the center line of the groove 4 (extending in the y direction). 90 °
The posture of the welding torch 1 is set at (α = 0) or before and after that, and at a required angle β ° (for example, 45 °) with respect to the horizontal plane xy. In this case, the angle is (90-β) ° with respect to the vertical plane yz, and the angle is parallel with or before and after the xz plane. When the torch posture is set in this way, the x-rotation lock knob 16 is loosened and the torch fixing block 14 is angled with respect to the pivot arm 12 about the pin 15 by an angle α.
Turn it all the way and tighten the x rotation lock knob 16. next,
Loosen the y-rotation lock knob 13 and rotate the pivot arm 12 with respect to the sleeve at the tip of the arm 10 to rotate it to an angle β, and tighten the y-rotation lock knob 13. Next, the x slide lock knob 11 is loosened so that the arm 10 can be slid in the x direction with respect to the torch support shaft 9, and a welding torch is provided.
The x position of the arm 10 is adjusted so that the tip of the welding wire 2 of the jaw 1 is right above the groove, and the x slide lock knob 11
Tighten.

To set and adjust the z position of the welding torch 1,
The z position adjustment switch on the operation panel 20 (FIG. 2) described later is operated to give an up / down drive instruction to the z driver 7 (FIG. 2) on the carriage 6, and the x position adjustment is also performed by the x position adjustment switch. Is operated to give left and right driving instructions to the x driver 8 (FIG. 2). The adjustment of the angles α and β is performed by the same operation as the above-mentioned angle setting operation. The position of the welding torch 1 (α,
No matter how β) is changed, the relative positional relationship of the image pickup device 3 with respect to the welding torch 1 remains unchanged, and the position of the torch image on the image pickup screen of the image pickup device 3 does not change. The welding torch 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a posture of α = 0 and β = 0.

FIG. 2 shows the system configuration of the copying control system of the welding apparatus shown in FIG. The z driver 7 mounted on the traveling carriage 6 supports the x driver 8 and drives the mechanism 7a for ascending and descending in the z direction, and whether the support (x driver 8) is at the upper limit position. Position sensor 7b for detecting the movement, drive mechanism 7
A motor driver 7c for driving the electric motor M1 of a in the forward and reverse directions, and a signal processing circuit 7d for generating an electric signal indicating the upper limit position when the position sensor 7b detects the upper limit position are provided. -When the M1 rotates forward, x
The driver 8 is driven downward in the z direction, and when it is rotated in the reverse direction, it is driven upward.

The x driver 8 supports the torch support shaft 9 and detects whether or not the drive mechanism 8a for moving the torch support shaft 9 forward and backward and the torch support shaft 9 are in the retracted limit position. A position sensor 8b, a motor driver 8c for driving the electric motor M2 of the drive mechanism 8a in the forward and reverse directions, and a position sensor 8b.
Is equipped with a signal processing circuit 8d that generates an electric signal representing the pull-in limit position when it detects the pull-in limit position. When the electric motor M2 rotates forward, the torch support shaft 9 is moved in the x direction,
The steel plate W protrudes in the direction of approaching the steel plate WL and rotates in the opposite direction.
Pull in the direction away from L.

The traveling carriage 6 has a drive mechanism 6a for rotating the wheels, a pulse generator 6b for generating one electric pulse per predetermined small angle rotation of the wheel, and a predetermined short time for the carriage 6 by counting the electric pulses. 1 per run in distance y
A signal processing circuit 6 for generating a pulse running synchronization pulse Pm
c, and a motor driver 6d for driving the electric motor M3 of the drive mechanism 6a in the forward and reverse directions in response to forward and backward movement commands and speed commands from the operation panel 20, and the electric motor M3. The carriage 6 moves forward in the y direction when it rotates forward (arrow Ay in FIG. 1), and moves backward when it rotates backward.

The welding power source 22 applies a + voltage to the welding wire (welding electrode) 2 of the welding torch 1 in response to a welding on command and a welding current command from the operation panel 20 to supply a welding current. The steel plates WR and WL which are base materials are connected to the ground wire of the welding power source 22.

The operation panel 20 includes a controller for setting and controlling welding conditions (welding current, welding voltage, welding speed, wire feeding speed), and is an interface between the welding mechanism and the operator. , Forward / backward drive command of trolley 6, automatic traveling star
Start / stop command, speed command, z driver 7 and x driver 8
Up / down, advance / retreat command, welding start / stop command, welding current command, arc voltage command, and groove tracing start / stop command for operator input and setting, and command status display It is equipped with a light and a meter for displaying the welding status (truck traveling speed, welding current value, arc voltage value). A welding condition setting unit 21 is connected to the operation panel 20.

The welding condition setting unit 21 includes a welding mode (groove type: V type, fillet, lap fillet, die, joint).
Designated data, captured image sampling cycle, teaching area pattern designated data, set torch posture (α, β),
With / without swing data, swing pattern data, swing speed, swing width, and swing base point, in an interactive form with the operator,
The data is input to a table on the two-dimensional display. When a registration (setting) key is input, the table (the above data) is transferred to the copying controller 26, and the control is performed. The microcomputer 26a of the controller 26 writes (receives) the received table in the internal memory, and sets the teaching area pattern designating data in the area setting & monitor unit 2
Transfer to 8.

The copying controller 26 receives the received tape.
When the data “with / without rocking” of the bull indicates “without rocking”, this data is transferred to the rocking controller 19. Swing controller 19 micro computer
The controller 19a writes this in the internal memory. When the "with / without swing" data of the table is "with / without swing", the copying controller 26 refers to the welding mode designation data.

When the welding mode designating data designates V-shaped groove welding (FIG. 1), the copying controller 26 includes a swinging pattern, a swinging speed, a swinging width, and a swinging width. The rocking base point is on the horizontal plane xy and is transferred to the rocking controller 19 together with the "rocking present" data. That is, if the swing pattern is a time-series swing pattern, the time axis value and the swing value are given as the time value and the x-axis value as they are, and the swing pattern is the y (truck movement amount) series swing pattern. With the pattern, the swing value and the y value are given as they are as the x-axis value and the y-axis value. The swing speed is the speed in the x direction, the swing width is the width in the x direction, and the swing base point is the x position of the groove center line (in this embodiment, the x position of the tip of the melt pool is the groove center. Given as the x-distance from the line's x-position). These are swinging parameters when the welding mode is V-shaped groove welding.
It is

The corners of the welding mode are such that the central axis of the welding torch 1 is inclined by less than 90 ° with respect to the horizontal xy plane (for example, α = 0 °, β = 45 °). In the case of meat welding, lap fillet welding, die groove welding or joint groove welding, the copying controller 26 uses the swing pattern.
Vector, the swing speed, the swing width, and the swing base point are vector-divided into x, y, and z components and transferred to the swing controller 19. That is, when the swing pattern is a time-series swing pattern, the swing value is vector-divided into x component values and z component values based on the angles α and β, and these are given together with the time axis value. The swing pattern is a swing pattern of the y (travel amount) series.
, The swing value is vector-divided into x component value and z component value based on the angles α and β, and these are given together with the y axis value. The swing speed is vector-divided into x-component values and z-component values based on the angles α and β, the swing width is vector-divided into x-component values and z-component values, and the swing base points are also angle α and β. Vector decomposition into x component value and z component value based on the above, and given as x distance and z distance from the x, z position of the groove center line. These are swinging parameters when the welding mode is fillet welding, lap fillet welding, die groove welding or joint groove welding.

When the oscillating controller 19 receives a welding start command from the operation panel 20, the oscillating controller 19 indicates "with or without oscillating" in the internal memory.
If there is no rocking, the rocking timing signal Pt is set to H (position detection instruction level), and this is held and the copying controller 26 gives the copying data. The correction amount data (x position correction amount and / or z
The x driver 8 and the z driver 7 are driven according to the position correction amount). As a result, welding is performed so that the lower end of the welding wire 2 is at a predetermined position (when the teaching data is extracted and written in the teaching memory) with respect to the tip of the molten pool. Torch 1 is x-driven and / or z-driven.
When "no swing", the welding torch 1 is not driven to swing.

When the "with / without oscillating" data indicates "with oscillating", the oscillating controller 19 operates via the x driver 8 in accordance with the above oscillating parameters. The welding torch 1 is driven to swing only in the x direction (in the case of V-shaped groove welding), or the welding torch 1 is simultaneously moved in the x and z directions via the x driver 8 and the z driver 7. Swing driving (during fillet welding, lap fillet welding, die groove welding or joint groove welding), and swing timing while this swing is within a specified narrow width around the swing base point. The signal Pt is set to H (position detection instruction level) and set to L (position detection is not possible) while the signal Pt is out of the narrow range, and correspondingly to the copy correction amount data given by the copy controller 26, Move the swing base point. As a result, the lower end of the welding wire 2 swings, and the swinging base point becomes a predetermined position (when the teaching pattern is extracted) with respect to the tip of the melting pool (in the x and z directions). Thus the welding torch 1 is x-driven and / or z-driven.

The video controller 23 resets the image pickup device 3 at a constant cycle to start photographing one frame, and after the exposure time corresponding to the set shutter speed, outputs the video signal from the image pickup device 3. It is read and given to the distributor 24. The distributor 24 supplies the video signal to the image processing device 27, and
When an R (recording device) and / or a monitor TV is connected, it also gives a video signal to them.

The image processing device 27 performs amplification processing and digital conversion processing on the video signal to convert the video signal into image data (multi-gradation digital data) and multi-gradation in the image processing device 27. The position detector 25 is informed of the ready (image data for one frame can be read) every time the writing is performed in the frame memory.

Microcomputer 2 of position detector 25
Reference numeral 5a is an image sampling period input by the operator to the welding condition setting unit 21, and the image data is read into the memory 25b. That is, at the image data read timing determined by the image sampling period, it is checked whether the swing timing signal Pt provided by the swing controller 19 is H (position detection instruction level), and it is L (position detection). When it becomes H, it waits for the notification signal of the image processing device 27 to change from busy to ready, and when it switches to ready, the image processing device 27 is set to 1
The transfer of image data for the frame is requested, and the image data sent from the image processing device 27 is written in the memory 25b.
Then, based on the written image data, the tip position of the melting pool image and the position of the welding wire lower end image on the photographing screen are searched, and the welding wire lower end image with respect to the melting pool image tip position. Position difference (positional difference) is calculated and given to the copying controller 26.

When the image processing device 27 transfers one frame of image data to the position detector 25 in response to the image data transfer request from the position detector 25, the same one frame of data is transferred. Image data is also transferred to the area setting & monitor unit 28.

The area setting & monitor unit 28 writes the transferred image data for one frame into the image memory and displays it on the two-dimensional display (CRT). The area setting & monitor unit 28 specifies the area on the image memory, the controller for reading the image data, converting it to D / A and giving it to the two-dimensional display, and the display screen (groove photographing screen). Keyboard and mouse for inputting)
Also, the controller includes an image synthesizer for replacing the data read from the image memory with the one representing the area line at the position of the area diagram representing the input area. The area pattern designating data is received and written in the internal memory, and the area designating data is transferred to the position detector 25. That is, there are five teaching area patterns shown in Table 2 below, and the size and position of each teaching area in each pattern on the screen of the image pickup device 5 are reference values (fixed values).
The controller superimposes the teaching area pattern represented by the teaching area pattern designation data on the groove photographing screen on the two-dimensional display.

[0075]                                   Table 2   Apply teaching area   Pattern No. Included teaching area Recommended mode Remarks       1 P1, P2, P3, V type groove welding Second embodiment                   P4, P5, P6 Re groove welding                                           Joint groove welding       2 P1, P2, P3, fillet welding second embodiment                   P7       3 P1, P2, P3, lap fillet welding second embodiment                   P8, P9       4 Pj (No matter mode) First embodiment                 (J = 4,5,6,7,                       (Only one of 8 or 9)       5 P4, P5 V type groove welding first embodiment                                           Recessed groove welding                                           Joint groove welding.

The size and position of each area of the teaching area pattern displayed on this two-dimensional display are determined by the keyboard.
The operator and the mouse can be used to make changes and adjustments. Further, in a pattern including a plurality of areas, the area (display thereof) can be selectively erased (area removed). When the operator operates the registration (setting) key,
The controller of the area setting & monitor unit 28 specifies data (each area No., its display position & size, erased area is the area No.) for specifying the area being displayed in the teaching area pattern. (Data indicating erasure (absence)) is written in the internal memory, and the position detector 25 uses the teaching area pattern No. as area specifying data. With, transfer. The position detector 25 saves these data in an internal memory, waits for the position detection timing signal Pt to rise to H immediately when it is H, and waits for it to rise to H when it is L, and the image processing device 27. After receiving 1 frame of image data from
The image data of each area is cut out based on the area data and written into the teaching memory 25c for each area. The image data of each of these areas becomes the teaching data to be referred to in the area search after which each area is cut out from the screen.

Thus, the image data (teaching data) of each area is
When the data) is written in the memory 25c, the position detector 25 transfers a signal indicating that the teaching data is stored in the copying controller 26. In response to this signal, the copying controller 26 requests the swing controller 19 to transfer the current position data of the z driver 7 and the x driver 8 and the swing base point data. Upon receipt, write to the reference position register.

Next, the operation of the operator and the outline of the operation of each element of the system shown in FIG. 2 corresponding to the operation will be described.

1. The preparatory worker installs the truck rail 5 on the steel plate WR so that the groove is substantially parallel to the groove 4 and the distance to the groove 4 is substantially the reference distance (fixed value). -The carriage 6 is placed on the rail 5, and the keys and switches of the operation panel 20 are operated to drive the traveling carriage 6 at the welding start position or before or after the welding start position. Then, press the standby posture setting key.

2. The standby posture setting operation panel 20 gives a signal indicating that the standby posture setting key is turned on (standby posture instruction signal) to the swing controller 19,
In response to this signal, the computer 19a of the swing controller 19 sets the z driver 7 and the x driver 8 to the standby position. That is, referring to the position signal indicating whether or not the position sensor 7b of the z driver 7 is at the upper limit position, if the upper limit position is not reached, the electric motor M1 is driven in reverse rotation to reach the upper limit position. This drive is stopped and the z position register is cleared. Then, the electric motor M1 is driven in a forward rotation step to increment the data of the z position register by 1 for each step driving, and the data of the z position register is incremented.
When the motor reaches the standby position (the middle position between the upper and lower limit positions), the motor drive is stopped there.

Next, referring to the position signal indicating whether or not the position sensor 8b of the x driver 8 is in the pull-in limit position, if it is not in the pull-in limit position, the electric motor M2 is driven in reverse rotation, and the pull-in limit is reached. When the position is reached, this drive is stopped and the x position register is cleared. And electric motor M
2 is rotated in the forward rotation step and the data of the x position register is incremented by 1 each time the step is driven, and when the data of the x position register reaches the standby position (the intermediate position between the pull-in limit position and the protruding limit position). At that point, the motor drive is stopped.

When the motor M1 is driven thereafter, the microcomputer 19a increments the data of the z position register by one every time one step forward rotation drive is performed, and every time one step reverse rotation drive is performed. The z position register data is decremented by 1. Accordingly, the data of the z position register always represents the height (z position) of the torch support shaft 9 with respect to the carriage 6. Similarly, when the motor M2 is driven, the data in the x position register is incremented by 1 each time one step forward rotation is driven, and the data in the x position register is incremented by one each time one step reverse rotation is driven. Decrement.
Thus, the data of the x position register always represents the protruding length (x position) of the torch support shaft 9 with respect to the carriage 6.

3. Setting the torch posture and position After the above-mentioned standby posture setting is completed, the worker is to perform the welding mode (V type groove welding, fillet welding, lap fillet welding, lathe groove welding, Welding
Set the posture (angles α, β) of H1. And operation panel 2
No. 0 key and switch are operated to drive the welding torch 1 (support shaft 9) in the x direction and the z direction, and the welding wire 2
Is adjusted to the reference position of the groove, and the carriage y is driven to adjust the welding wire 2 to the welding start position.

4. A welding operator sets the traveling speed of the carriage (welding speed), the welding current and the welding arc voltage (wire protrusion length) on the operation panel 20. Welding mode (groove type: V type, fillet, lap fillet, mold, joint), image sampling cycle, teaching area pattern No. , The set torch posture (α, β), with / without swing, and when swing is specified, the swing pattern, swing speed, swing width and swing base point Input to the welding condition setting unit 21. When the operator inputs the welding mode and below into the unit 21 and operates the registration key, the unit 21 transfers the input data to the controller 26 by copying the input data. Microcomputer 26 of controller 26
The received data is written in the internal memory, the photographed image sampling period and the teaching area pattern No. To the position detector 25 and the area setting & monitoring unit 28, respectively.

The copying controller 26 is "with / without swing".
The data is transferred to the oscillating controller 19, and when "with oscillating", oscillating parameters are further generated corresponding to the welding mode and also transferred to the oscillating controller 19. The swing controller 19 saves these in an internal memory.

The area setting & monitor unit 28 receives the teaching area pattern No. The area display pattern corresponding to is read from the internal memory and displayed on the two-dimensional display in the unit 28. When the image data from the image processing device 27 is being read at this stage, a superposed image of the image represented by the image data and the area display pattern is displayed on the two-dimensional display.

5. When the welding start operator operates the welding start key on the operation panel 20,
The operation panel 20 instructs the welding power source 22 to turn on the welding power source, and when the welding arc occurs, the welding power source 22 turns on after a stable time.
The control panel 20 is informed of the quone, and the control panel 20 responds to this to start the traveling of the trolley 6, and at the same time, the swing controller 1
Notify 9 of welding start. In response to this, the oscillating controller 19 refers to the “with / without oscillating” data in the internal memory, and if it is “with oscillating”, the oscillating controller 19 determines the oscillating parameter of the internal memory. The following swing control is started.

When the welding starts, the image processing device 27
Since the image data given by the image data represents the image of the groove portion of the image pickup device 3 during welding, the two-dimensional display of the area setting & monitor unit 28 displays the area on the groove portion image. The image becomes an image in which the patterns are overlapped, and each region of the region display pattern (for example, FIGS. The positional relationship of P1 to P9) in FIG. 14 can be clearly recognized.

6. If necessary, the operator setting the teaching data adjusts the welding conditions using the operation panel 20 or the welding condition setting unit 21 to obtain a preferable welding state, and the two-dimensional display of the area setting & monitor unit 28 displays the welding conditions. The position and size of each area of the displayed area display pattern are adjusted so as to improve the image recognition accuracy. In addition, unnecessary areas are erased. When the welding state is preferable and the distribution of each area (P1 to P9) of the area display pattern with respect to the groove image is appropriate,
The reference value setting key of the area setting & monitor unit 28 is operated. In response to this, the area setting & monitoring unit 28 sends a reference data extraction instruction signal to the position detector 25 and the copying controller 26 and a teaching area pattern number. , Area number on the teaching area display pattern, position and size are also given.

The position detector 25 and the copying controller 2
When receiving this signal, the teaching area pattern No. 6 receives the signal. The data such as the data is saved in the internal memory. And position detector 2
Reference numeral 5 checks whether the rocking timing signal Pt provided by the rocking controller 19 is H, waits until it rises to H when it is L, and when it becomes H, a notification signal of the image processing device 27. After switching from busy to ready, when switching to ready, the image processing apparatus 27 is requested to transfer image data for one frame, and the image processing apparatus 27 sends the image data. Is written in the memory 25b. The area display pattern No. And image data of each area specified by each area No., position and size are cut out from the memory 25b, and each area No. Write to the teaching memory 25c. The image data thus written in the teaching memory 25c is the teaching data.

The copying controller 26 has a teaching area pattern.
No. , Each area No. on the teaching area display pattern. Then, the groove width reference value and the groove / torch distance reference value are calculated based on the position and stored in the reference value register.

That is, first, the teaching area Pi (i
= 1 to 9), the position Pi (X, Y) on the screen
Converted to a position on the plane orthogonal to the center line of the camera field of view of the coordinate axis system of H1 and further decomposed into x and z positions of the x, y, z coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 to obtain the Pi reference value. Write to register.

Then, the area pattern No. In the case of 1 (Table 2), the X distance X5 on the screen between the teaching areas P5 / P4
4 = X5-X4 and intermediate position Xc54 = (X5 + X
4) / 2 is calculated, these are converted into values xz54 and xzc54 on the plane of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the camera visual field center line, and these xz54, xzc54
Corresponding to the angles α and β, the x-axis groove width value x54 and the z-axis groove width value z54 of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, the x-axis groove reference position xc54 and the z-axis groove reference position. zc54 is decomposed into x-axis groove width value x54 and z-axis groove width value z5
4 is stored in the P5 / P4 (groove width) reference value register. Next, the difference xdP54 / between the x-axis groove reference position xc54 and the z-axis groove reference position zc54, and the x-position and the z-position of the P1 reference value register, the P2 reference value register, and the P3 reference value register, respectively. P1 and zdP54 / P1, xdP54 / P2 and zdP54
/ P2 and xdP54 / P3 and zdP54
/ P3 is calculated and P1 / (P5 + P4) position difference register, P2 / (P5 + P4) position difference register and P
3 / (P5 + P4) position difference register.

Area pattern No. In the case of 2, the copying controller 26 converts the position on the screen of the teaching area P7 into a position on the surface of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the center line of the camera field of view, and further welding. It is decomposed into the x-position and z-position of the x-, y-, and z-coordinate system of torch 1 and written in the P7 reference value register. Then, the respective differences xdP7 / P1 and zdP between the x position and the y position of the P7 reference value register and the x position and the z position of the P1 reference value register, the P2 reference value register and the P3 reference value register, respectively.
7 / P1, xdP7 / P2 and zdP7 / P2, and xdP7 / P3 and zdP7 / P3 are calculated and written to the P1 / P7 position difference register, P2 / P7 position difference register and P3 / P7 position difference register. Put in.

Further, the area pattern No. In case of 3,
The position of the teaching area P8 on the screen is converted into the position of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 on the plane orthogonal to the camera visual field center line, and further, the x, y, z coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 is converted. Decompose into x and z positions and write to P8 reference value register.
And the x and y positions of the P8 reference value register, and P
1 reference value register, P2 reference value register and P3 reference value register, respectively, xdP8 / P1 and zdP8 / P1, xdP with respect to x position and z position, respectively
8 / P2 and zdP8 / P2, and xdP8 /
P3 and zdP8 / P3 are calculated, and P1 / P8 position difference register, P2 / P8 position difference register and P3 are calculated.
Write to / P8 position difference register. In addition, the teaching area P
The position on the screen of No. 9 is converted into a position on the plane of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the center line of the camera field of view, and further the x position of the x, y, z coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1. And z position and write to P9 reference value register. The difference xd between the x position and the y position of the P9 reference value register and the x position and the z position of the P1 reference value register, the P2 reference value register, and the P3 reference value register, respectively.
P9 / P1 and zdP9 / P1, xdP9 / P2 and zdP9 / P2, and xdP9 / P3 and z
dP9 / P3 is calculated and written to the P1 / P9 position difference register, P2 / P9 position difference register and P3 / P9 position difference register.

Area pattern No. Also in the case of No. 5, the area pattern No. Similar to the case of 1, X distance X54 = X5-X4 and intermediate position Xc on the screen between the teaching areas P5 / P4.
54 = (X5 + X4) / 2 are calculated, these are converted into the values xz54 and xzc54 on the plane of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the camera visual field center line, and these xz
54, xzc54 corresponding to the angles α, β by welding welding
X-axis groove width value x54, z-axis groove width value z54, x-axis groove reference position xc54 and z-axis groove reference position zc54 of the coordinate axis system of H1 to obtain x-axis groove width value x54 and The z-axis groove width value z54 is stored in the P5 / P4 (groove width) reference value register.

7. When the copying control operator turns on the copying instruction key of the operation panel 20, the operation panel 20 gives a signal indicating this to the position detector 25 and the copying controller 26. In response to this signal, the position detector 25 starts reading the image data and outputs the area pattern.
No. However, when 4 or 5, the leading end position of the fused pool image on the photographing screen is searched and given to the scanning controller 26 at a predetermined cycle. Area pattern No. Is 1, 2 or 3, the tip position of the molten pool image and the position of the welding wire lower edge image on the photographing screen are searched in a predetermined cycle, and the welding wire with respect to the tip position of the molten pool image is searched. The position difference (positional difference) of the bottom edge image is calculated and added, and the teaching area pattern is added.
No. However, 1 or 5 (V-shaped groove welding: FIG. 19, L-shaped groove welding: FIG. 18, and joint groove welding: FIG. 21, recommended area distribution patterns: P1 to P6 Distribution of:
14), the teaching area P4 corresponding to the groove width
The positional difference between the corresponding areas P and P5 is also calculated and given to the scanning controller 26.

The position detector 25 is shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG.
The outline of the position detection processing APD of the microcomputer 25a of FIG. The computer 25a checks if the swing timing signal Pt provided by the swing controller 19 is H at the image reading timing determined by the captured image sampling period, and rises to H if it is L. Waits for H, and waits until the notification signal of the image processing device 27 changes from busy to ready (steps 1, 2,
3) When switched to ready, the image processing apparatus 27 is requested to transfer image data for one frame, and the image processing apparatus 27
The image data sent by is written in the temporary memory 25b (step 4a). In the following, the word “step” is omitted in parentheses, and the step No. Write only the numbers.

Next, the computer 25a displays the area pattern No. Is 4 (4b), and the area pattern No. 4, the teaching area Pj, j = 4 to 9 on one screen represented by the image data group in the temporary memory 25b.
Of one of the teaching data, the corresponding area having the highest correlation with the image is searched, and the correlation coefficient Rjm and the position Pj (Xb, Yb) on the screen are saved (stored) in the memory. ，
Memorize) (4c). The content of the search for the corresponding area is similar to the content of the search for the corresponding area described immediately before and immediately after the expression (1). Next, the computer 25a
It is checked whether the maximum correlation coefficient Rjm is 0.6 or more (4d), and if it is 0.6 or more (the certainty that the corresponding area searched is the same image as the Pj image is high), the groove The teaching area Pj is stored in the position register RGC (one area of the internal memory).
Data Pj (Xb, Yb) indicating the corresponding area of the area pattern No. of the area pattern No. And the data of the groove position register RGC are transferred to the copying controller 26 (23 in FIG. 5).

Area pattern No. If it is not 4, it is checked whether it is 5 (4f) and the area pattern No. If the number is 5, the teaching area P4 of the computer 25a is the area pattern number. If it is included, the corresponding area is searched (4
g), if successful, data P indicating that it is the corresponding area of the teaching area P4 and indicating the position of the corresponding area on the screen
4 (Xb, Yb) is written in the groove left position register RGL (4h, 4i). Then, the teaching area P5 is the area pattern number. If it is included, the corresponding area is searched (4L), and if it is successful, the area is indicated as the corresponding area of the teaching area P5, and the position of the corresponding area on the screen is displayed. -P5 (Xb, Yb) is written in the groove right position register RGR (4m, 4n), and "1" indicating that the groove left and right ends have been successfully detected is written in the register FWD (4j). Teaching area P4 is the area pattern No. 4 is not included and the corresponding area search of the teaching area P4 is unsuccessful, the data indicating it is displayed.
Data to the groove left position register RGL, and teach area P5
Is the area pattern No. 4 is not included, and the corresponding area search of the teaching area P5 is unsuccessful,
The data indicating that is written in the groove right position register RGR. Then, the register FWD is cleared (4k, 4
o). Area pattern No. The data of the groove left and right position registers RGRGL, RGR and the register FWD are transferred to the copying controller 26 (23 in FIG. 5).

Area pattern No. Is not 4 or 5, the computer 25a determines that the teaching area P1 is the area pattern.
Check if it is included in the
The corresponding area having the highest correlation with the image represented by the teaching data in the teaching area P1 on one screen represented by the image data group in the temporary memory 25b is searched, and the correlation coefficient R1m and the position on the screen are searched. Save (save, save P1 (Xa, Ya) to memory
Remember) (5).

Next, the computer 25a checks whether the maximum correlation coefficient R1m is 0.6 or more (6),
If it is 0.6 or more (the certainty that the searched corresponding area is the same image as the P1 image is high), the torch position register R
The data P1 (X indicates the teaching area P1 in TP (one area of the internal memory) and the position of the corresponding area.
a, Ya) is written (7), the corresponding areas of the teaching areas P2 and P3 are not searched, and the groove position is detected (14 in FIG. 5).
~ 22, 24-36).

When the teaching area P1 is not included in the area pattern, and even when it is included, the correlation coefficient R1m calculated as described above is less than 0.6 (corresponding area search failure). If so, the computer 25a moves the teaching area P
It is checked whether 2 is included in the area pattern. If it is included, the corresponding area having the highest correlation with the image represented by the teaching data of the teaching area P2 is found in the same manner as the search of the P1 corresponding area. (8), and if this is successful (the maximum correlation coefficient R2m is 0.6 or more), it indicates that it is the corresponding area of the teaching area P2, and indicates the position of the corresponding area on the screen. To P2 (Xa, Ya) torch position register RT
P is written (9, 10), the corresponding area of the teaching area P3 is not searched, and the process proceeds to the detection of the groove position.

When the teaching area P2 is not included in the area pattern, and even when it is included, if the correlation coefficient R2m calculated as described above is less than 0.6, the computer 25a. Checks whether the teaching area P3 is included in the area pattern. If it is included, the corresponding area having the highest correlation with the image represented by the teaching data of the teaching area P3 is determined as the P1 corresponding area described above. Search as in (1
1) If this succeeds (the maximum correlation coefficient R3m is 0.6
Then, the data P3 (Xa, Ya) is written in the torch position register RTP (12, 13).

Therefore, the teaching area P1, P2 or P3
When the search of the corresponding area of is succeeded, the torch position register R
The TP data is updated to the latest detected value. Teaching area P
When the search of the corresponding areas of 1, P2 and P3 is unsuccessful, the torch position register RTP remains at the previous successful search.

Next, refer to FIG. When the process proceeds to the detection of the groove position, the computer 25a determines whether the area pattern is "area pattern No. 3" having the distribution of the teaching areas P1 to P3, P8, and P9 (FIG. 13). Teaching areas P1 to P3, P
"Region pattern No. 7" having a distribution of 7 (FIG. 8).
2 "or" region pattern No. 1 "which is the distribution of the teaching regions P1 to P6 (Fig. 14) (14, 15).

If it is "area pattern No. 1," the computer 25a checks whether the teaching area P4 is included in the area pattern, and if it is included, teach area P4.
(16), and if successful, the data P4 (Xb, Yb) indicating the corresponding area of the teaching area P4 and indicating the position thereof is set to the groove left position register RG.
Write to L (17, 18). Next, it is checked whether or not the teaching area P5 is included in the area pattern, and if the teaching area P5 is included, the corresponding area of the teaching area P5 is searched (19). If it succeeds, it is the corresponding area of the teaching area P5. Indicating that the position P5 (Xb, Yb) is written in the groove right position register RGR (20, 21), and "1" indicating that the left and right ends of the groove are successfully detected is stored in the register FWD. Write (22).

If the teaching area P4 or P5 is not included in the area pattern, and if the corresponding area retrieval of at least one of the teaching areas P4 and P5 is unsuccessful, the register F
Clear WD (24).

Next, it is checked whether the teaching area P6 is included in the area pattern, and if it is included, the teaching area P6 is included.
The corresponding area of No. 6 is searched (25), and if succeeded, the data P6 (Xb, Yb) indicating the corresponding area of the teaching area P6 and the position thereof is set to the groove position register RG.
Write to C (26, 27).

In the case of "area pattern No. 2", the computer 25a searches the corresponding area of the teaching area P7 (28), and if succeeding in this, it is the corresponding area of the teaching area P7. Indicating the position and its position P7
Write (Xb, Yb) to the groove position register RGC (2
9, 30).

In the case of "area pattern No. 3", the teaching area P8 of the computer 25a is the area pattern.
If it is included, the corresponding area of the teaching area P8 is searched (31). If it is successful, it is shown that the area is the corresponding area of the teaching area P8, and its position is displayed. The data P8 (Xb, Yb) is written in the groove position register RGC (32, 33). If the teaching area P8 is not included in the area pattern, and if the teaching area P8 is included and the search of the corresponding area is unsuccessful, it is checked whether the teaching area P9 is included in the area pattern. Then, if it is included, the corresponding area is searched (34), and if succeeded, the data P9 (Xb, Yb) indicating the corresponding area of the teaching area P9 and indicating the position thereof is created. Write to position register RGC (35, 36).

Groove position detection (14-22, 24-36)
When the copying is completed, the computer 25a notifies the copying controller 26 of the ready (position detection data is generated), and when the copying controller 26 gives a data transfer request in response to this, the position detection is performed. The computer 25a of the container 25 is the area pattern No. And the data of the torch position register RTP and the area pattern No. When it is 1, the data of the groove left and right position registers RGL, RGR, the register FWD and the groove position register RGC are transferred to the copying controller 26 (23), and the controller 26 transfers these data. -Write data to internal memory. Area pattern No.
When it is 2 or 3, the computer 25a indicates that the area pattern No. And torch position register RTP data
The data and the data of the groove position register RGC are copied and transferred to the controller 26 (23).

Then, the process returns to the input reading (1), waits for one cycle time of the picked-up image sampling to elapse, and when the time elapses, the signal Pd is H and the image processing device 27 notifies one frame image ready. Wait for (1-3). When this ready arrives, the processes of steps 4 to 36 described above are performed. As a result, the position data detected by the position detector 25 is transferred to the copying controller 26 at a substantially constant period.

FIG. 6 shows an outline of the copying control of the copying controller 26. The micro-computer 26a of the copying controller 26 waits for the position detector 25 to notify that the position detector 25 is ready (position detection data is generated) (41). -Request data transfer and write the received data to internal memory (42, 43).
Next, the computer 26a calculates the amount of displacement (4
4).

That is, first, the area pattern No. Check the data. Then, that is "area pattern No.
4 ", the groove position register R is added to the received data.
Since there is GC data Pj (Xb, Yb), this is converted into a value on the surface of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the camera visual field center line, and the value obtained by the conversion is Corresponding to the angles α and β, the welding torch 1 is decomposed into the x position and the z position of the coordinate axis system, and the x position and the z position of the Pj register in the Pi reference value register group (the above-mentioned positions) are decomposed. Difference dx and dz from the value set in “6. Setting of teaching data”
Is calculated and written in the output register (44). Then, the data of the output register is transferred to the swing controller 19 (45). When there is no swing, the swing controller 19 drives the torch support shaft 9 by x and z in the direction in which the position difference is zero by the position difference dx and dz. When "with swing", the swing base point is changed by the position differences dx and dz in the direction in which the position difference becomes zero.

When it is "region pattern No. 5," the left and right position registers RG of the groove are added to the received data.
Since there are data of L, RGR and register FWD,
It is checked whether the data in the register FWD is "1". If the data is "1", the groove width RGR-RG on the photographing screen is checked.
Calculate L and groove center position (RGR + RGL) / 2. Here, RGR is the data P5 of the groove right position register.
The X position of the P5 corresponding area indicated by (Xb, Yb) and RGL are the X position of the P4 corresponding area indicated by the data P4 (Xb, Yb) of the groove left position register. Next, these calculated values are converted into values on the plane of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the center line of the camera field of view, and the values obtained by the conversion are welded in correspondence with the angles α and β. X-axis groove width detection value and z-axis groove width detection value of the coordinate axis system of torch 1, decomposed into x-axis groove center position and z-axis groove center position, and x-axis groove width detection value and The x-axis groove width reference value x54 and the z-axis groove width reference value z of the P5 / P4 (groove width) reference value register of the z-axis groove width detection value
The deviation amount (groove width deviation) with respect to 54 is calculated and written in the output register, and the trolley traveling speed (welding speed) correction value corresponding to the deviation amount (groove width deviation) and rocking when “with rocking” Width correction value, the welding current correction value is calculated when there is no swing, the swing width correction value is written to the output register, and the trolley traveling speed correction value and welding current correction value are used as welding condition correction commands on the control panel. Transfer to 20 controllers. These correction values are extracted from the teaching data by extracting the teaching data.
It means the correction amount for the value (reference value) when written in c. The controller of the operation panel 20 changes the target speed to a value obtained by adding a correction value to the bogie traveling speed reference value, and then the bogie 6
The feedback speed control is performed so that the traveling speed of the vehicle matches the target speed. Further, the target welding current is changed to a value obtained by adding a correction value to the welding current reference value and applied to the welding power source 22, and the welding power source 22 changes the welding current to the target welding current.

The computer 26a also calculates the intermediate value of the x values and the intermediate value of the z values of the P4 reference value register and the P5 reference value register in the Pi reference value register group, and calculates the intermediate value for this intermediate value. , The central position of the groove (RGR +
RGL) / 2 x-value and z-value deviation amount (torch position deviation) is calculated and written in the output register (44). Then, the data in the output register is transferred to the swing controller 19 (45). When there is no swing, the swing controller 19 moves the torch support shaft 9 by x and z by the torch position deviation.
To drive. In the case of "with swing", the swing width of the groove width deviation in the received data is changed, and the swing base point is changed by the torch position deviation.

Even if it is "area pattern No. 5", if the data of the received register FWD is "0" (the search of the area corresponding to P4 and / or P5 is unsuccessful), If the corresponding area Pj (j = 4 or 5) of is successfully retrieved, it is converted into a value on the plane of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 which is orthogonal to the camera visual field center line, and is converted. The obtained value is
Corresponding to the angles α and β, the welding torch 1 is decomposed into the x position and the z position of the coordinate axis system, and these positions are compared with the x position and the z position of the Pj register in the Pi reference value register group. The differences dx and dz are calculated and written to the output register (44). Then, the data in the output register is transferred to the swing controller 19 (45). Swing controller 1
9 is the position difference dx, dz when the "no swing", the torch support shaft 9 in the direction in which the position difference between them is zero,
Drive x and z. When "with swing", the position difference dx,
The swing base point is changed in the direction in which the positional difference between them is zero by dz.

When the process proceeds to the calculation (44) of the positional deviation amount, the area pattern No. The data is "area pattern No. 1"
If it is, the received data includes data of the groove left and right position registers RGL, RGR, the register FWD and the groove position register RGC.
a checks whether the data in the register FWD is "1", and if it is "1", the groove width RGR on the photographing screen is checked.
-RGL and groove center position (RGR + RGL) / 2 are calculated. Here, RGR is the X position, RG of the P5 corresponding area indicated by the data P5 (Xb, Yb) of the groove right position register.
L is the X position of the P4 corresponding area indicated by the data P4 (Xb, Yb) of the groove left position register. Next, these calculated values are converted into values on the plane of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 orthogonal to the center line of the camera field of view, and the values obtained by the conversion are converted into the angles α and β.
Corresponding to, the x-axis groove width detection value and the z-axis groove width detection value of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, the x-axis groove center position and z
Disassembled into the axial groove center position, x-axis groove width detection value and z
Calculate the deviation amount (groove width deviation) of the detected value of the shaft groove width from the P5 / P4 (groove width) reference value register with respect to the x-axis groove width reference value x54 and the z-axis groove width reference value z54. , Write to output register.

Next, the received torch position register RTP
Data (area No. data indicating which one of the P1, P2, and P3 corresponding areas, and the corresponding area on-screen position (X
a, Xb), the area No.
If the data is i (i = 1, 2 or 3), the corresponding area i
The on-screen position (Xa, Xb) is converted into the x value xi and the z value zi of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, and these and the x-axis groove center position and the z-axis groove center position, respectively. The position difference xd54 / i and zd54 / i are calculated, and the position difference xd of these Pi / (P5 + P4) position difference registers is calculated.
P54 / Pi, zd P54 / Pi deviation amount (to-
H position deviation) and write it to the output register. Then, the bogie traveling speed (welding speed) correction value corresponding to the deviation amount, the swing width correction value when “with swing”, the welding current correction value when “no swing” is calculated, and the swing width correction value is calculated. Writes in the output register, and the trolley traveling speed correction value and the welding current correction value are used as welding condition correction commands to control the control panel 20.
Transfer to LA. These correction values mean the correction amounts for the values (reference values) when the teaching data is extracted and written in the teaching memory 25c. The controller of the operation panel 20 is
The target speed is changed to a value obtained by adding a correction value to the bogie traveling speed reference value, and feedback speed control is performed so that the traveling speed of the bogie 6 matches the target speed. Further, the target welding current is changed to a value obtained by adding a correction value to the welding current reference value and applied to the welding power source 22, and the welding power source 22 changes the welding current to the target welding current.

The output register data is a swing control.
It is transferred to LA 19 (45). The swing controller 19
In the case of "no swing", the torch support shaft 9 is driven x and z by the torch position deviation. When there is "oscillation", the groove width deviation (P5 / P4 (groove width) reference value register of the detected values of the x-axis groove width and the z-axis groove width in the received data is Of the x-axis groove width reference value x54 and the z-axis groove width reference value z54), and the rocking base point is changed by the torch position deviation.

Even if the "area pattern No. 1" is received when the received data of the register FWD is "0" (the search of the areas corresponding to P4 and P5 is unsuccessful), it is received.
The data of the groove position register RGC (the position of the corresponding area of the teaching area P6) is converted into the x position x6 and the z position z6 of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, and the received data of the torch position register RTP is converted. The x-value x of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 for the position on the screen of the corresponding area i (i = 1, 2 or 3)
i and z values zi are converted, position differences xd6 / i and zd6 / i between these and the x position x6 and z position z6, respectively, are calculated, and the position difference xdP6 / of these Pi / P6 position difference registers is calculated. The deviation amount (torch position deviation) with respect to Pi, zdP6 / Pi is calculated and written in the output register.

Then, the data (torch position deviation) of the output register is transferred to the rocking controller 19 (45). In this case, the oscillating controller 19 is equivalent to the torch position deviation,
The torch position is changed when there is no swing, and the swing base point is changed when there is swing.

When the process proceeds to the calculation (44) of the positional deviation amount, the area pattern No. The data is "area pattern No. 2"
If so, the computer 26a receives,
The data of the groove position register RGC (the position of the corresponding region of the teaching region P7) is converted into the x position x7 and the z position z7 of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, and the data of the received torch position register RTP is converted. The x-value x of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 for the position on the screen of the corresponding area i (i = 1, 2 or 3)
i and z values zi are converted, position differences xd7 / i and zd7 / i between these and the above x position x7 and z position z7 are calculated, and these position differences xdP7 / in the Pi / P7 position difference register are calculated. A deviation amount (torch position deviation) with respect to Pi and zdP7 / Pi is calculated and written in the output register. Output register data (torch position deviation)
Is transferred to the rocking controller 19 (45). In this case, the swing controller 19 changes the torch position when "no swing" and the swing base point when "swing" by the torch position deviation.

When the process proceeds to the calculation (44) of the positional deviation amount, the area pattern No. The data is "area pattern No. 3".
, The computer 26a receives the received area number. If it indicates the P8 corresponding area, the data of the groove position register RGC (the teaching area P
8 of the corresponding area) to the x position x8 and the z position z8 of the coordinate system of the welding torch 1, and referring to the received data of the torch position register RTP, the corresponding area i (i =
1, 2 or 3) on the screen is converted into an x value xi and az value zi of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, and a positional difference xd8 / between the x value xi and the z value z8.
i and zd8 / i are calculated, and the position differences xdP8 / Pi and zdP8 / Pi of the Pi / P8 position difference registers are calculated.
The deviation amount (torch position deviation) with respect to is calculated and written in the output register. Then, the data (torch position deviation) of the output register is transferred to the swing controller 19 (45).
In this case, the swing controller 19 changes the torch position when "no swing" and the swing base point when "swing" by the torch position deviation.

Even in the case of "area pattern No. 3", the received area No. Is a P9 corresponding area,
The data of the groove position register RGC (the position of the corresponding area of the teaching area P9) is converted into the x position x9 and the z position z9 of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1, and the received data of the torch position register RTP is converted. The x-value x of the coordinate axis system of the welding torch 1 by referring to the
i and z values zi are converted, position differences xd9 / i and zd9 / i between these and the x position x9 and z position z9 are calculated, and these position differences xdP9 / in the Pi / P9 position difference register are calculated. The deviation amount (torch position deviation) with respect to Pi, zdP9 / Pi is calculated and written in the output register. Output register data (torch position deviation)
Is transferred to the rocking controller 19 (45). In this case, the swing controller 19 changes the torch position when "no swing" and the swing base point when "swing" by the torch position deviation.

When the displacement amount is calculated and transferred to the swing controller 19 as described above, the position detector 25 detects the position again in the computer 26a of the copying controller 26 and notifies the ready. Waiting until the ready is notified, that is, waiting for the ready-notified ready to change to busy (position detection processing) and to ready (position detection data generation) again (46- 41). Then, when switching from busy to ready, the above "data transfer request"
(42) to "transfer of shift amount" (45) are executed.

Next, the results of welding experiments using the above-mentioned welding apparatus (FIGS. 1 and 2) will be described. Image capture device 3 during groove tracking control
In the case of the torch swing drive, the photographed image data of No. 1 is synchronized with the timing signal Pt = H when the torch is at the swing base point, and the position detector 25 Read in. Therefore, the execution period of the position detection of the position detector 25 (FIGS. 3 to 5) and the scanning control period of the scanning controller 26 are also about 2 seconds. During the scanning control, the video signal of the image pickup device 3 is changed to V
Recorded at TR. The test materials are as follows.

-Welding Target 1- Fillet groove 4 shown in FIG. The lower steel plate has a length L in the y direction.
= 1000 mm, z-direction plate thickness T = 15 mm. Y of upper steel plate
The direction length is 1000 mm. The rail 5 has a straight line parallel to the groove 4 and has an x-direction of 1 per 1000 mm in the y-direction.
It was placed on the lower steel plate in a state of being inclined at a ratio of 0 mm and 10 mm in the z direction.

-Welding Target 2-The lap fillet groove 4 shown in FIG. For both upper and lower steel plates, y
Direction length L = 1000 mm, z-direction plate thickness T = 3 mm. The rail 5 has a y-direction 1 with respect to a straight line parallel to the groove 4.
It was placed on the lower steel plate in a manner inclined at a rate of 10 mm in the x direction and 10 mm in the z direction per 000 mm.

-Welding Target 3-V-shaped groove 4 shown in FIG. Left and right steel plates WL and WR have a y-direction length L = 1000 mm, an x-direction width W = 400 mm, z
Direction plate thickness T = 15 mm, groove angle θ = 40 °, welding start side route gap G = 6 mm, welding end side route gap G = 10 mm. The rail 5 is 10 mm in the x direction for every 1000 mm in the y direction with respect to the straight line parallel to the groove 4.
It was placed on a steel plate in a manner inclined at a ratio of 10 mm in the mm and z directions.

-Welding target 4-A rectangular groove 4 between the left and right steel plates WL and WR shown in FIG.
Left and right steel plates WL, WR y-direction length L = 1000 mm,
x-direction width W = 400 mm, z-direction plate thickness T = 15 mm, groove angle θ of left steel plate WL = 35 °, welding start side route gap G = 6 mm, welding end side route gap G =
At 10 mm, the rail 5 has a straight line parallel to the groove 4 with respect to 1000 mm in the y direction, 10 mm in the x direction and z
It was placed on a steel plate in a manner inclined at a rate of 10 mm in the direction.

-Welding target 5-The joint groove 4 between the left and right steel plates WL and WR shown in FIG.
Left and right steel plates WL, WR y-direction length L = 1000 mm,
Width in x direction W = 400 mm, thickness in z direction T = 15 mm, groove angle θ of left steel plate WL = 30 °, welding start side route gap G = 6 mm, welding end side route gap G =
At 10 mm, the rail 5 has a straight line parallel to the groove 4 with respect to 1000 mm in the y direction, 10 mm in the x direction and z
It was placed on a steel plate in a manner inclined at a rate of 10 mm in the direction.

Welding was carried out for one pass under the conditions shown in Table 3 below.

[0135]

[Table 3]

In the welding state, a video tape in which the video signal of the image pickup device 3 under the copying control is recorded by the VTR is reproduced by frame advance after welding, the scale is applied to the monitor TV screen and the wire position and the groove position are visually observed. Was measured and the position difference was converted into an actual distance according to the scale factor, and the maximum lateral displacement of the wire tip with respect to the groove center within ± 1 mm was evaluated as good lateral scanning (x direction). Further, when the distance between the lower end of the torch and the tip of the wire is converted into an actual distance and within 25 mm ± 2 mm, the upper and lower (z direction) copying was evaluated as good. Converting the swing width of the wire tip to the actual distance, "G-1" mm to "G-2" mm
Was evaluated as good in width.

The evaluation results are shown in Table 4 below. The circles in Table 4 mean good.

[0138]

[Table 4]

According to the conventional position detection in which the video signal is binarized and the groove position or the arc position is calculated based on the binary data, the Ar-CO in which the brightness variation of the arc light is small.
_With the high welding current of ₂ , the position of the molten pool in the region of P4 to P9 can be recognized, and the horizontal scanning and the vertical scanning control can be performed. However, in CO ₂ welding in which the brightness variation of the arc light is large, the position recognition error of the molten pool in the region of P4 to P9 is detected.
However, the left-right copying and the vertical copying control were unstable. According to the groove copying apparatus of the present invention described above, the area pattern is formed.
No. Teaching area P including the image of the groove corresponding to 4 or 5
The accuracy and reliability of the horizontal scanning and the vertical scanning according to the difference of the position (detected value) of the searched corresponding area with respect to the position (reference value) of 4 to P9 are high, and the area pattern No.
An area including the image of the wire lower end, the wire main portion, or the torch lower end of 1, 2, or 3 (corresponding area of the teaching areas P1 to P3)
And extraction of a region including the image of the groove corresponding object (corresponding region of the teaching regions P4 to P9), and accuracy and reliability of left and right scanning and vertical scanning and groove width scanning according to the positional difference between these regions. high.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric system of the embodiment shown in FIG.

3 is a computer 2 of the position detector 25 shown in FIG.
5a is a flowchart showing a part of the position detection processing APD of 5a.

4 is a computer 2 of the position detector 25 shown in FIG.
5a is a flowchart showing another part of the position detection processing APD of 5a.

5 is a computer 2 of the position detector 25 shown in FIG.
5a is a flowchart showing the remaining part of the position detection processing APD of 5a.

6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a copying control FDC of the copying controller 26 shown in FIG.

7 (a) is a simplified perspective view showing a posture of the welding torch 1 shown in FIG. 1 with respect to a welding target material during fillet welding, and FIG. 7 (b) is a front view.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during fillet welding.

9 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during fillet welding, in which the welding torch 1 is set in the welding direction from the position when the image shown in FIG. 8 is taken. The photographing screen when it shifts to the right when viewed from the direction of Ay is shown.

10 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during fillet welding, in which the welding torch 1 is in the welding direction from the position when the image shown in FIG. 8 is taken. The photographing screen when it shifts to the left side when viewed from the direction of Ay is shown.

11 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during fillet welding, in which the welding torch 1 is set in the welding direction from the position when the image shown in FIG. 8 is taken. The photographing screen when it shifts to the upper left side when viewed from the Ay direction is shown.

12 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during fillet welding, in which the welding torch 1 is set in the welding direction from the position when the image shown in FIG. 8 is taken. The photographing screen when it shifts to the lower right side when viewed from the direction of Ay is shown.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during lap fillet welding.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a photographing screen of the image pickup device 3 shown in FIG. 1 during welding of a V-shaped groove.

15 is a luminance (horizontal axis) represented by the teaching data of each pixel in the teaching area, which is photographed by the imaging device 3 shown in FIG. 1 and written in the teaching memory 25c shown in FIG. 3 is a graph showing a distribution of luminance (vertical axis) represented by image data of corresponding pixels in a region corresponding to a teaching region, which is photographed in FIG. 2 and written in the temporary memory 25b shown in FIG.

16 is an enlarged plan view showing teaching areas P1 to P9 shown in FIGS. 8, 13 and 14. FIG.

FIG. 17 shows a fillet welding target material, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a right side view.

FIG. 18 is a view showing a material to be overlaid with fillet welding, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a right side view.

FIG. 19 shows a welding target material of V-shaped groove, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a right side view.

FIG. 20 is a view showing a material to be welded in a die groove, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a right side view.

FIG. 21 is a view showing a material to be welded at a joint groove, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a right side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Welding torch 2: Welding wire 3: Imaging device 4: Groove 5: Rail 6: Traveling carriage 9: Torch support shaft 10: Slide arm 11: x slide lock knob 12: Times Motion arm 13: y rotation lock knob 14: torch fixing block 15: pin 16: x rotation lock knob 17: camera support arm 18: optical filter WR: right steel plate WL: left steel plate Ay: welding Direction (Truck running direction during welding) 31: Lower end image of welding torch 32: Image of wire main part 33: Arc image 34: Groove image 35: Melt pool image 35t: Melt pool image Tip P1 to P9: Teaching area

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-9-295146 (JP, A) JP-A-7-214323 (JP, A) JP-A-8-150475 (JP, A) JP-A-10- 113770 (JP, A) JP 10-94872 (JP, A) JP-B 3-56829 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B23K 9/127

Claims (12)

(57) [Claims] 1. A torch driver for driving a welding torch in a direction orthogonal to the y direction in which a groove extends, a two-dimensional imager for photographing a groove being welded by the welding torch, and its image pickup. Information processing means for calculating the position of the groove on the basis of image data representing an optical image on the screen, welding torch position via the driver in a direction in which the position of the welding torch with respect to the calculated position becomes a set position. −
In a groove copying apparatus including a scanning controller for driving a chi, the information processing unit searches the image plane of the two-dimensional image capturing device for the y direction tip image region of the molten pool image and its position, The groove copying device, wherein the copying controller drives the welding torch via the driving device in a direction in which the welding torch becomes a set position with respect to the searched position. 2. The two-dimensional imager is linked with a welding torch,
The copying controller is arranged on the photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device,
The groove copying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the welding torch is driven in a direction in which the position searched by the information processing unit becomes a set position on the screen. 3. A torch driver for driving a welding torch in a direction orthogonal to the y direction in which the groove extends, a two-dimensional imager for photographing the groove being welded by the welding torch, and its image pickup. Information processing means for calculating the position of the groove on the basis of image data representing an optical image on the screen, welding torch position via the driver in a direction in which the position of the welding torch with respect to the calculated position becomes a set position. −
In the groove copying apparatus including a copying controller that drives a first end, the information processing unit is a first region that is a part of a y-direction tip image of a molten pool image on a photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device. And the positions of the second region and each region deviated in the direction across the groove from that, and the position of the respective regions is widened, and the scanning controller widens the swing width of the welding torch correspondingly to the position difference. A groove copying device characterized by changing the. 4. The copying controller drives the welding torch via the driver in a direction in which the welding torch becomes a set position with respect to the positions of the first region and the second region. 3. The groove copying device described in 3. 5. The information processing means is a teaching memory for writing image data of a tip region in the y direction of a molten pool image; a temporary memory for writing image data of a photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device. And of the image data of one screen of the temporary memory,
5. The groove copying device according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, including a search means for searching a corresponding area having a high correlation with the image data in the teaching memory and its position. 6. A CC equipped with a filter, wherein the two-dimensional photographing device is equipped with a filter for dimming a welding arc light and transmitting a light emitted from a molten pool.
The groove copying apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5, which is a D camera. 7. A torch driver for driving a welding torch in a direction orthogonal to the y direction in which the groove extends, a two-dimensional imager for photographing the groove being welded by the welding torch, and its image pickup. Information processing means for calculating the position of the welding action means with respect to the object to be welded based on the image data representing the optical image on the screen, and the welding tool via the driver in the direction in which the calculated position becomes the set position. In a groove copying apparatus including a copying controller for driving a chi, the information processing means calculates an image position of the welding acting means with respect to a y-direction tip of a molten pool image on a photographing screen of the two-dimensional photographing device. The groove copying apparatus, wherein the copying controller drives the welding torch via the driver in a direction in which the calculated position becomes a set position. 8. The information processing means for writing image data of a first area including a tip of the molten pool image in the y direction and a second area including at least a part of an image of the welding action means. Teaching memory; a temporary memory for writing image data of a screen image of the two-dimensional imager; a screen image data of the temporary memory;
Retrieval means for retrieving the third region and the fourth region having a high correlation with the image data of the first region and the second region of the teaching memory; and calculating the positional difference on the screen between the third region and the fourth region. Relative position calculation means for
The groove copying apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the welding torch is driven via the driver in a direction in which the calculated position difference becomes a set value. 9. The information processing means includes a first R area and a first L area obtained by dividing an area including a tip in the y direction of a molten pool image in the x direction, and a second area including at least a part of an image of the welding action means. Teaching memory for writing the image data of the area; Temporary memory for writing the image data of the photographing screen of the two-dimensional imaging device; Of the teaching memory of the image data of one screen of the temporary memory Retrieval means for retrieving the third R region, the third L region, and the fourth region, which have a high correlation with the image data of the first R region, the first L region, and the second region; and the intermediate point between the third R region and the third L region and the first region. Relative position calculating means for calculating a positional difference on the screen with respect to the four areas; and the scanning controller via the driver in a direction in which the calculated positional difference becomes a set value.
The groove copying device according to claim 7, which drives a groove. 10. The search means calculates a position difference in the x direction between a third R region and a third L region and gives it to the copying controller, and the copying controller increases the truck's trolley as the position difference increases. 10. The groove copying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the traveling speed of the welding torch is changed to a wide range and the swing width of the welding torch is changed to a wide range, and when the positional difference is reduced, the traveling speed is increased to change a swing range of the welding torch to a narrow range. 11. The welding action means is at least one of a welding arc, a welding wire for generating the welding arc, and a welding torch for holding the welding wire.
The groove copying device according to claim 9 or 10. 12. The two-dimensional imaging device is equipped with a filter C which is equipped with a filter for dimming the welding arc light and transmitting the light emitted from the molten pool.
The groove copying apparatus according to claim 11, which is a CD camera.