Abstract: A method of robotic assembly, for manufacturing plastic components from parts mounted upon a plastic shell, using an integrated system of material handling and robots following a programmed series of operations. The robot cells carry out the following steps: (a) scanning the pallet and identifying that the pallet is locked in the docked position of the cell; (b) scanning an assembly area of the shell and communicating location and planarity data to the robot of the cell; (c) selecting a plastic part from a part supply device with the robot; (d) welding the part to the assembly surface of the plastic shell using the robot to perform a spin or fusion welding process. (e) determining the performance status of the foregoing cell steps and identifying the status as: good; scrap or rework. Good status results in conveyance of the loaded pallet for processing at any succeeding cell, but rework and scrap status result in conveyance of the loaded pallet to the unload station without processing at any succeeding cell.

Abstract: A method of robotic assembly, for manufacturing plastic components from parts mounted upon a plastic shell, using an integrated system of material handling and robots following a programmed series of operations. The robot cells carry out the following steps: (a) scanning the pallet and identifying that the pallet is locked in the docked position of the cell; (b) scanning an assembly area of the shell and communicating location and planarity data to the robot of the cell; (c) selecting a plastic part from a part supply device with the robot; (d) welding the part to the assembly surface of the plastic shell using the robot to perform a spin or fusion welding process. The spin welding process includes: engaging a mounting surface of the part with the assembly surface of the shell; rotating the part until the mounting and assembly surfaces are heated; and applying pressure to the part sufficient to fuse the mounting and assembly surfaces together.

Abstract: A welding torch apparatus for use with conventional arc welding torches which have a gooseneck, a gas nozzle with an interior and a longitudinal axis, a first passageway for supplying of both a welding wire to a tip, and gas mixtures to a gas diffuser. The welding torch apparatus comprises a second passageway for selectively introducing into the interior of the gas nozzle, gas mixtures which by-pass the first passageway, so that contact is avoided between gas mixtures passing through the second passageway and gas mixtures and welding wire passing through the first passageway, until the gas mixtures and welding wire enter the interior of the gas nozzle, and wherein gas mixtures passing through the first passageway do not contain oil additions.