Lightweight Model-Based Weld Line Generation and Its Applications to Support the Construction of Ships and Offshore Plants

Welding is the most expensive process in building ships and offshore plants. Therefore, the quantity of welding material should be calculated for the subsections (cells) of the blocks for efficient work planning, and welding paths must be generated for welding automation. Three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models have been used for this work. However, relevant information regarding welding is often omitted, and a separate database and interface to this database must be developed. In this study, a method of lightweight model-based weld line generation is proposed, followed by the calculation of bead length for welding material quantity estimation and welding path generation. Experiments were performed on various test cases of curved parts and blocks. The proposed method accurately generated weld lines, calculated bead length, and generated welding paths in a short time of approximately 1 s.