Optical Zoom System for Laser Welding Robot

In this research, we established the design rules for providing a laser welding robot with an adaptable imaging system (a zoom lens optics). Goal of this system was the ability to deliberately move the focus point - the welding point - of the optical system in longitudinal direction. Such a system would make a robot much more flexible than a fixed-focus system as it would lead to a virtual increase of the robot´s arm length. While conventionally increasing the arm length of a robot would result in an increase of its mass, a higher amount of power needed, and a deterioration of its dynamic properties, a variable-focus system would widely avoid these drawbacks. Finally, this would also lead to higher working speed of the system and, thus, to higher manufacturing throughput.