<title>Welding Adaptive Functions Performed Through Infrared (IR) Simplified Vision Schemes</title>

An ideal integrated robotic welding system should incorporate off-line programmation with the possibility of real time modifications of a given welding programme. Off-line programmation makes possible the optimization of the various sequences of a programme by simulation and therefore promotes increased welding station duty cycle. Real time modifications of a given programme, generated either by an off-line programmation scheme or by a learn mode on a first piece of a series, are essential because on many occasions, the cumulative dimensional tolerances and the distorsions associated with the process, build up a misfit beetween the programmed welding path and the real joint to be welded, to the extent that welding defects occur.