Application of sensing technology in intelligent robotic arc welding: A review

As a traditional fusion welding method, arc welding occupies most of the total welding production. However, the current industrial welding robots with the “teaching and playback” mode cannot satisfy the requirements of modern welding manufacturing. To overcome this major challenge, advanced sensing technology can be used to efficiently imitate and reproduce the welder's senses and brain. Many recent studies on application of sensing technology have promoted the development of robotic arc welding toward intelligent welding. In this paper, from the perspective of intelligent welding systems (IWS), the application of advanced sensing technology in the pre-process, in-process, and post-process stages of intelligent robotic arc welding is summarized and discussed. First, the development and application of various sensing technologies and multisensor fusion technologies for intelligent arc welding are reviewed and discussed. Subsequently, according to the different objectives of each welding stage, the advanced sensing technologies, including those for weld path recognition, weld seam tracking, weld pool monitoring, weld quality diagnosis, and weld bead inspection, are summarized and compared. Finally, a summary is provided and future prospects are put forward. This paper reviews the research progress of sensing technology for different monitoring objectives of intelligent robotic arc welding, and to provide a basis for future work.