4. Weld Editing

Tutorial

This tutorial explores how to edit welds using the weld manipulation tools available in Verbotics Weld.

Verbotics Weld offers several powerful tools to ensure your weld paths describe exactly how you would like your robot to create each weld. In this tutorial we will take a look at the weld manipulation tools and some examples of where you would use them.

Prerequisites and Resources

This walkthrough uses the “Identification_Assembly” example part which can be downloaded here.

Video Tutorial

Timestamps:

Step by Step Guide

Step 1: Splitting Welds

Splitting allows you to split a single weld into two separate welds. In the Split / Trim Welds dialog you set a distance to where you would like the weld to be split. A purple guide sphere will also show you where the weld is to be split as an aid.

Some of the reasons you may want to split a weld include:

Split a weld to avoid an obstacle.
Separate a longer weld to several smaller welds to avoid heat build up in the part.
Modify a group of welds to move the start ends to midpoint of a corner.

Splitting a Weld

In the panel gap model we have a stiffened plate fabrication where a weld path passes under a stiffener cut-out. In order to weld this, this path needs to be split so the robot can stop the weld, then move to the other side and continue the weld as a new separate process.

To split the weld we do the following process:

Right-click on the weld in the viewer.
Click Split / Trim Welds...
Set Split at as at a distance.
Set the Trim start by and Trim end by settings to 0.
Set the distance to split the weld. In this case we will use 254.5.
Click OK to accept the results.

The weld is now split at the distance specified and is now two welds in the welds widget.

Split Weld Dialogue

Split Weld Result

Splitting at Midpoint of Corners

On the RHS Frame example we would like to have a weld for each side that is split at the midpoint of the curved section. To do this we initially detected each each weld on the frame as one full loop by modifying the detection settings used. This enables us to split as a secondary process at the midpoint of each corner.

To split each weld at the midpoint of the corners we do the following process:

Select all the weld that we would like to split by control-clicking each weld.
Control-right-click on a selected weld in the viewer.
Click Split / Trim Welds...
Set Split at as at the midpoint of corners.
Set the Trim start by and Trim end by settings to 0.
Click OK to accept the results.

RHS Split Dialog

RHS Split Result

Step 2: Trimming / Extending Welds

Trimming a weld

On the panel gap model we also have a weld that finishes right on the end of the plate. This can cause an issue where a small amount of weld material may drip down the edge of the plate. We will trim this weld so the weld ends 3mm from the edge of the plate to avoid this issue.

To trim the weld we do the following process:

Right-click on the weld in the viewer.
Click Split / Trim Welds...
Set Split at as at a distance.
Set the distance to split the weld to 0.
Set the Trim start by setting to 0.
Set the distance to trim the end by to 3.
Click OK to accept the results.

Trimming a Weld Using Split/Trim Dialogue - Note the weld finishing short of the panel end

Extending a weld

Lastly, on the panel gap model we would like to extend weld end at the tapered side on the stiffener so it doesn’t end inline with the edge of the stiffener. To do this we can add a negative value for the trim and Verbotics Weld will extend the end of the weld.

To extend the end of the weld we do the following process:

Right-click on the weld in the viewer.
Click Split / Trim Welds...
Set Split at as at a distance.
Set the Trim start by setting to 0.
Set the distance to trim the end by to -40.
Set the distance to split the weld to 0.
Click OK to accept the results.

Extending a weld using Split/Trim Weld Dialogue

Step 3: Transforming Welds

The transform dialog allows you to move a weld path along the wire direction, along each face that makes up the weld, and to change the tilt angle.

Tilting a Weld

The weld detection within Verbotics Weld will set the wire direction half way between the two faces that were used to detect each weld seam. In some cases this may need to be modified. Some of the welds on the identified and split RHS frame model is a join between two hollow sections.

Original Hollow Corner Weld

If left as is, there is risk of the weld blowing through the gap left on the rolled edge of the uncut section. One way to address this is to point the weld back towards the weld section. We will also slightly move the weld to re-center the path in the gap after the tilt. To do this we can use the tilt function as follows:

Right-click on the weld in the viewer.
Click Transform Welds...
Set Move targets along wire direction to 0.
Set Move targets along walls to A0.0 and B0.0.
Set the tilt to -21.
Click OK to accept the results.

Tilted Hollow Corner Weld

Moving a Weld Path

There are many reasons a weld path may need to be moved. Some examples are:

Multi-pass welding.
Re-center a weld path in a gap.
Move a weld path for even leg length.

In this example we will move a weld path slightly up a wall of the panel gap model. This will compensate the weld for gravity so we have an weld with even leg length when welded with the base plate parallel to the ground.

To move the weld up the wall:

Right-click on the weld in the viewer.
Click Transform Welds...
Set Move targets along wire direction to 0.
Set Move targets along walls to A0.0 and B2.0.
Click OK to accept the results.

Moving a Weld Up the Part Wall