Asea Aktiebolag

Lars Barkman

Torbjorn Forss

Hakan Fardig

Tommy Svensson

A weld seam tracker for a welding robot has an optical sensor (4) for sensing the position of the seam and controlling the movement of a welding torch (10). The sensor (4) includes a light source, for example a laser, and a position-sensing detector. The sensor (4) is rotatably mounted at a housing (1) mounted on the robot hand (3) and is operated by a motor (6) arranged in the housing (1). A heat shield (40) with a window (42, 43) for the scanning light protects the sensor (4) against spatter and heat radiation. The welding torch (10) is mounted in a through-hole in the housing (1) and is surrounded by the sensor (4). Compressed air for cooling the sensor (4) is conducted to said sensor (4) via a gas-tight space (23) in the housing (1). Part of the cooling air is led out through a sleeve-formed screen (46) at the window (42, 43) of the heat shield ( 40), whereby fumes etc. are blown away from the visibility range located nearest the window.

Growing community of inventors

Vaster.ang.s, Sweden

Lars Barkman