Weld Builder - Understanding the Weld Editor

The Weld Editor is a tool designed to provide a user-friendly experience for programming welding jobs. A welding job is an ordered list of instructions that the robot will execute to perform automated welds.

The Weld Editor screen displays the active welding job with the sequence of instructions, and provides various tools to edit and execute the job.

Feature Overview

1. Instruction Panel

The instruction panel displays all the individual instructions that can be inserted into the job by pressing on them. The instructions are classified into:

Welding Instructions:
These instructions define or modify the welding parameters of a weld.

• The Weld Segment, Weaving Weld, and Stitch Weld instructions define the weld parameters that will be applied to the instructions they contain.

  The first move instruction in a weld is the approach motion, which moves the robot to the weld start position without welding. Subsequent motions will involve welding.

  Note: Instructions within a weld are indented in the instruction list.

  

• Adjust Weld Parameters: This instruction modifies the welding parameters within an existing weld. All subsequent instructions will use the new parameters instead of those defined in the original weld instruction.

  This instruction can only be inserted inside a Weld.

Move Instructions:
These instructions are used to teach robot motions to specific points.

• Joint: The robot moves to the taught position with no path interpolation. This is typically used when there is no collision risk.

• Linear: The robot moves to the taught position where the Tool Control Point (TCP) follows a straight line. This is used when approaching the welding point or during welding.

• Circular: The robot moves to the taught position in which the TCP follows a circular path. At least three circular moves are required for successful path generation.

For more detailed information, refer to the Robotic Welding Concepts training article.

Utility Instructions:
These instructions do not involve any robot actions.

• Timer: A timer pauses job execution for the specified amount of time.

  This may be used to pause at specific locations during a weld path or to create a tack weld with no robot motion.

• Comment: The user can add comments to improve the readability of the program.
  
  
  

2. Programmed Instruction list

The programmed instruction list shows all the instructions in the order in which they will be executed. The currently selected instruction is highlighted with a blue background, while others remain white. If the selected instruction is within a seam, the seam's background will also be highlighted.

Each instruction displays its name and configuration details.

By clicking on the selected instruction or pressing the [Instruction Details] button, the instruction's details are shown, allowing the user to edit them if desired.

The first move instruction within a weld indicates the arc start signal. While the final instruction indicates the arc end signal. This shows that both the arc start and end will occur following each of those correlated instructions. Meaning the arc start does not occur until after the first move instruction's motion has been completed.

The last instruction in a weld has an "untab" button that moves it outside the weld. The first instruction immediately following a weld presents a "tab" button to move it into the previous weld.

Note: If the instruction cannot be moved inside or outside the weld, the tab/untab button will not be available.

The Motion Graph Line is the line that runs parallel to the instruction list that shows the type of movement that will be executed for each instruction. Motion instructions that involve welding will be highlighted red

3. Edit Buttons

These buttons allow for easy program editing. Users can copy, paste, undo, redo, or delete instructions. The modifications of delete, copy, and paste are made based off of the currently selected instruction.

4. Motion Control Panel

The teach box allows the user to quickly teach motions without selecting each individual instruction from the instruction panel.

The current motion type to be taught is displayed at the top and can be changed by clicking on the icon, or by clicking on the [<MOTION_TYPE> MOVE] button.

The toggle button in the middle is used to decide whether the motion taught will be a weld motion or a non-weld motion.

Note: If the selected line is outside a seam and a weld motion is taught, a continuous weld will be created, and the motion will serve as the approach motion for that seam.

Pressing the [TEACH] button will add the new motion after the selected line in the program.

If a Move Instruction is selected, by holding on the [TEACH] button the target position of the selected instruction will be retaught.

5. Wire Feeding

The [RETRACT] and [FEED] buttons can be used to adjust the amount of wire stick out.

6. Build & Save / Test Run Button

The [Build & Save] button compiles the Weld Editor job into an executable INFORM Job for the controller.

Once successfully built, the button turns green and changes to [Test / Run], pressing this button will display the run job panel.

7. Home button

This button navigates to the Weld Builder home page. If the job has not been built, it will be built before leaving the editor.

8. Jogging button

This button partially displays the jogging panel, allowing the user to move the robot using the pendant while teaching instructions on the same screen.