A New Welding Robot for Intersected Weld of Pipes Used in Large Pressure Vessels

A self-designed new welding robot to be employed in the intersected weld of large pressure pipes is introduced in this paper. The welding robot can effectively serve as a substitute for a worker who would otherwise face a high labor intensity. The pose model of the welding tool is established to ensure that the welding tool maintains a good pose to make the molten pool run smoothly. The kinematics model of welding robot is established by Denavit-Hartenberg method, and the trajectory of welding tool is planned and determined. The designed of control system is communicated through PLC and touch screen, based on flexible modular mechanism, the welding tool pose can be adjusted according to the pressure vessel specification and the size of welding seam to ensure the welding quality of welding seam. Finally, the test unit for the designed robot system is set up, and experiments demonstrate that this welding robot could meet the intersected welding requirements of a large pressure vessels environment.