Using Object Oriented and Distributed Software to Assist Industrial Robotic Welding Applications

Using robots with industrial welding operations is common, but far from being a solved technological process. The problems are with the robots (still in early stages, difficult to use and program by regular operators), the welding process (complex and not really well known) and the Human-Machine interfaces (non natural, really not working). In this paper we discuss these problems and present a system designed with the double objective of serving our R&D efforts on welding applications, but also our need to assist industrial partners working with welding setups. The system is explained in some detail, and demonstrated using two test cases which reproduce two situations very common in industry: multi-layer butt welding (used on big structures requiring very strong welds) and multi-point fillet welding (used for example on structural pieces for the construction industry). If we flash remember the long history of robotics there are a few things we ca