BASIC RESEARCH ON THE INTRODUCTION OF WELDING ROBOTS TO COMMERCIAL SHIPBUILDING

A research program was launched aimed at realizing the smooth and rapid utilization of welding robotics to commercial shipbuilding. One of the tasks of the program was the preparation of a comprehensive report containing an annotated bibliography of welding automation and robotics and a register discussing current state of the art in welding robotics. Another task involved the preparation of technical feasibility studies on future applications of robotics in shipbuilding. Special attention was focused on the development of visual sensing and the processing techniques useful for nondestructive evaluation of welds. All information gathered and generated by the various tasks of the research program were organized and presented in this final report.