Intelligent non-autogenous metalworking systems and control logic with automated wire-to-beam alignment

Abstract

Presented are intelligent non-autogenous metalworking systems and control logic for automated wire-to-beam alignment, methods for making/using such systems, and robot-borne laser welding/brazing heads with closed-loop control for real-time wire alignment. A method for controlling operation of a non-autogenous workpiece processing system includes a system controller receiving sensor signals from a position sensor indicative of a location of filler wire discharged into a joint region by a wire feeder. Using the received sensor signals, the controller determines a displacement between the wire location and a location of a beam emitted onto the joint region by a beam emitter. If the wire displacement is greater than a threshold wire displacement value, the controller responsively determines a corrective force calculated to reduce wire displacement to below the threshold wire displacement value. The controller then commands the actuator to pivot the processing head to thereby apply the corrective force to the discharging filler wire.