Design and manufacture of a new two axes welding seam tracking system using laser sensor fuzzy logic control

Abstract

In this study, a welding seam tracking system that is unique to the three axes (X-Y-Z) controlled application with laser sensor was put into practice. In the study, the monitoring of the planar axes (X-Y) of the torch was done by Fuzzy Logic Controllers that best model the specialist information the. The height of the torch to the welding piece (Z axis) was arranged by classic proportional control method. In order to do the welding properly in welding implementations, the torch and the welding bend have to move along the predetermined way (Y) in a constant linear speed. In certain conditions, due to the shift in the piece to be welded or a sloped profile, the harmony of the welding bend and torch may be disrupted. Furthermore, in "S" shaped pieces with no linear welding line for which the welding point constantly changes and the motors providing tracking in the two axes (X and Y) to which the welding torch is connected cannot properly respond to these changes of these materials may become scrap, unwanted repairs could be required, quality may decrease and loss of time may occur. In this study, a higher quality welding process in planar surfaces was realized by combining the laser path tracking system with Fuzzy Logic control algorithm for each of the axes (X-Y) in order to prevent these undesired situations. The designed system ensures that the X and Y motors take positions swiftly for abrupt changes in the welding seams on the profile, thus tracking the profile to be welded in the best way possible for a proper welding practice. The welding intersection results show that the practiced system yields very good results.