To view a movie of this procedure, click Continuous Feature Operation.
This procedure demonstrates how to:
Create continuous feature operations for arc welding.
Assign the continuous feature operations to previously-created arc-weld manufacturing features (Mfg).
Use the Project Arc Seam command to obtain the robotic path.
1. Open the robotic cell containing the:
Welded parts including the arc-weld manufacturing feature (refer to Create Arc Mfgs using Modeling Capabilities).
Robot and welding torch.
Positioner with the welded parts mounted on its plate (optional).
2. Create a continuous feature operation for arc welding, as follows:
a. Click View→Viewers→Mfg Viewer. The Mfg Viewer appears.
b. From the Mfg Viewer or Graphic Viewer, select the newly-created arc weld Mfg.
c. Click Operations→New Operation→New Continuous Operation. The New Continuous Operation dialog appears with the pre-selected arc weld Mfg in the Continuous Mfgs list.
Note: You can open the New Continuous Operation command without pre-selecting the arc weld Mfg.
Enter the arc weld Mfg later by clicking an empty field in the Continuous Mfgs list and selecting the arc weld Mfg.
d. Rename the operation according to your naming convention.
e. Assign the robot and the weld torch. The weld torch is added automatically if it is already
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam f. Select the Scope under which the new operation is to be created.
g. Optionally, click to expand the New Continuous Operation dialog and add a Description.
h. Click OK to create the operation.
Note: The new operation appears in the Operation Tree under the scope you defined.
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam 3. Project the arc seam, as follows:
a. Select the new operation in the Operation Tree and click Continuous→ Project Arc Seam or click . The Project Arc Seam dialog appears with the pre-selected operation and the arc weld Mfg displayed in the Features list.
b. Select the arc weld Mfg in the Features list and click Edit Mfg Feature Data.
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam The Edit Mfg Feature Data dialog appears.
c. In the Parts/Faces area, select Faces.
d. Click Face Selection for the Base (wall).
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam The Face Selection dialog appears and the cursor switches to face selection mode.
e. Pick a face for the weld Base in the Graphic Viewer and click OK.
Note: The selected face is highlighted in light blue.
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam
f. Click Side Face Selection for the Side (wall). The Face Selection dialog appears (the cursor remains in face selection mode). In this example, there are several side faces - pick the desired faces in the Graphic Viewer.
Note: RobotExpert enables smart automatic neighboring face selection. This improves efficiency and ensures accurate selection. To do this, click Automatically Add Neighboring Faces.
Note: The automatically selected neighboring side faces are those related to the arc weld seam and the previously-selected Base face. The number of the selected faces appears in the dialog and they are
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam Note: The Edit Mfg Feature Data dialog now contains the details of the faces selected for projection.
You can highlight the Base and Side faces by clicking Highlight.
h. If required, click Swap to swap between the Base and Side faces.
i. Click OK to close the Edit Mfg Feature Data dialog.
j. In the Project Arc Seam dialog, modify the General Arc Alignment Parameters according to your welding process requirements. Additionally, you can set the parameters in the Projection Parameters section to control the following:
Maximal segment length
Maximal tolerance
Smart recognition of line and arc segments
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam
k. Click Project.
Note: The newly-created locations are added to the weld operation in the Operation Tree. Expand the operation in order to view the result.
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam
l. In the Path Editor, click Add Operation to Editor to add the new operation.
Note: The resulting location motion type is automatically assigned according to the circular and linear segments.
4. Optionally, you can split the seam operation - continuous, arc and more - into two seam operations:
a. Click Continuous→ Split Seam Operation. The Split Seam Operation dialog appears.
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam
b. In the Source Seam Operation area, select the Operation either in the Operation tree or the Path Editor
c. From Split location list of locations associated with the selected operation, select the location before which you wish to split the operation.
d. In the New Seam Operation area, you can modify the default Name assigned to the new operation.
e. From the Robotic operation list, select the operation/compound under which to nest the new operation.
f. Click OK. The following figure shows the status of the Operation tree after the split.
Designing and Managing Processes Create a Continuous Operation with Project Arc Seam
References
For additional information on the features described in this procedure, refer to the following topics in RobotExpert Reference Manual:
Continuous Menu →Create Continuous Mfgs from Curve
Continuous Menu →Emphasize Continuous Mfgs
Continuous Menu →Project Arc Seam
Operations Menu→New Operation→New Continuous Operation
Designing and Managing Processes Create Arc Mfgs using Modeling Capabilities