Automatic welding machine path correction method

Claim 1

A path correction method in an automatic welding machine in which a torch of a welding machine is grasped by a robot and welding is performed while the welding torch is weaved to the left and right of a welding line, which method comprises the steps of: computing, every half cycle, an integrated value of welding current of the torch weaved with respect to a given welding line; deciding a correction direction; deciding an amount of correction by performing a computation, which is based on said integrated value, in dependence upon the correction direction and correcting a weaving path of said torch every half cycle by multiplying the decided amount of correction by a predetermined coefficient; wherein welding is performed while the welding torch is weaved in a weaving plane to the left and right of a welding line, and method includes storing a reference value of the integrated value of said half cycle of welding current determining an actual integrated value of said half cycle, comparing said reference value to said actual integrated value, and determining a correction amount in a direction which will vary a distance between the weaving plane and a workpiece in dependence upon a difference in the actual integrated value with respect to said reference value.