As the construction machinery industry continues to evolve, welding automation has become a key factor in improving production efficiency and ensuring product quality. However, traditional welding methods still face challenges such as difficulty in seam positioning and lack of precision, especially in the welding of mixing equipment.
The Weld Navigator® laser seam tracking system has been successfully integrated with CANBOT industrial robots, offering a robust solution for automated welding of mixing equipment. It effectively addresses challenges such as seam deviation, complex welding paths, and poor consistency, pushing welding processes toward intelligent and automated transformation.
Weld Navigator® Laser Seam Tracking System Overview
Weld Navigator® is a high-performance visual welding system integrating weld seam detection, automatic seam locating, and real-time tracking. Its core advantages include:
-
High-Precision Detection: Utilizes laser profile scanning to capture 3D seam features in real time, ensuring accurate weld seam recognition.
-
Automatic Seam Locating: Accurately locates the weld start point before welding begins, improving torch alignment precision.
-
Dynamic Path Tracking: Continuously guides the welding torch along the seam during welding, automatically correcting any deviations.
-
Strong Environmental Adaptability: Suitable for a variety of materials, weld types, and complex structures with excellent stability.
-
Broad Compatibility: Seamlessly integrates with over 40 major industrial robot brands and automation platforms, offering flexible deployment.
Challenges in Welding Mixing Equipment
Mixing equipment often features large, heavy components with weld types such as curved seams, long straight seams, or irregular joints. This brings several challenges:
-
Complex Weld Structures: Difficult for operators to consistently identify weld seams manually, resulting in poor accuracy.
-
Assembly Tolerances: Large assemblies often introduce fitting errors; traditional teaching-based robotic welding struggles to adapt dynamically.
-
Thermal Deformation: Heavy components are prone to deformation during welding, leading to seam shifts.
-
High Labor Costs: Manual or traditional robotic welding requires repeated teaching, increasing labor intensity and reducing consistency.
Weld Navigator® Solutions
To address these issues, Weld Navigator® offers a complete solution from "pre-weld positioning" to "in-weld tracking":
-
Pre-Weld Seam Location: Automatically identifies the starting point via laser scanning, ensuring precise arc initiation.
-
Real-Time Weld Tracking: Dynamically captures seam position during welding, guides the torch path, and compensates for thermal deformation and fixture deviations.
-
Adaptability to Complex Structures: Supports accurate detection and tracking for various seam types, including V-grooves, bevels, and lap joints.
-
Reduced Human Intervention: Operators only need to initiate and monitor the system, significantly lowering labor intensity and reducing human error.
Application Case
At a construction machinery manufacturing company, the Weld Navigator® system was paired with a CANBOT robot for automatic welding of large mixing drum shells.
-
Before Upgrade: Workers had to repeatedly locate seams and adjust torch positions manually, leading to long welding times and inconsistent quality.
-
After Upgrade: The robot autonomously performed seam locating and tracking; entire weld segments required no manual intervention. Welding efficiency increased significantly, weld formation became stable and uniform, and rework rates were drastically reduced.
According to the production manager, the laser tracking system is highly stable, requires minimal commissioning time, and quickly adapts to production rhythms. It has become a vital component in the company’s welding automation efforts.
Conclusion
Weld Navigator® continues to focus on the development and application of visual welding technologies. Its laser seam tracking system operates reliably across a wide range of complex welding scenarios, making it a key enabler for manufacturing enterprises seeking welding automation. Looking ahead, Weld Navigator® will continue to enhance system performance and expand industry applications, accelerating the transition toward digital and intelligent welding in manufacturing.
