Oxford Sensors Ltd
  Unit 11,   Arena 14   
  Bicester Park
  Charbridge Lane, Bicester
  Oxfordshire, OX26 4SS 
  United Kingdom  
 
 
 
  © 2025 Oxford Sensor Systems Ltd
 
 
 
 
 
  ArcView Camera System
  The ArcView System Overview
  The
  ArcView
  camera
  incorporates
  a
  Laser
  stripe
  projector,
  a
  video
  camera 
  and
  a
  video
  crosshair
  generator.
  The
  combination
  of
  these
  three
  components 
  on
  the
  resulting
  video
  image
  provides
  the
  operator
  with
  the
  ability
  to 
  remotely
  control
  both
  horizontal
  and
  vertical
  positions
  of
  the
  welding
  head 
  from observing the image on the video monitor.
  The
  ArcView
  system
  allows
  the
  operator
  to
  maintain
  the
  ideal
  welding 
  position and to monitor and correct stickout errors.
  The
  ArcView
  camera
  is
  mounted
  close
  to
  the
  weld
  torch,
  and
  is
  oriented
  to 
  look just ahead of the weld surface in the direction of travel during welding. 
  Horizontal Position Control
  The
  ArcView
  camera
  should
  be
  mounted
  so
  that
  the
  weld
  seam
  is
  located 
  roughly in the centre of the screen. 
  With
  the
  tip
  of
  the
  weld
  torch
  in
  the
  correct
  position
  for
  welding,
  the 
  horizontal
  crosshair
  should
  be
  adjusted
  to
  align
  with
  the
  laser
  stripe
  so
  that 
  the
  height
  can
  be
  maintained
  during
  welding.
  Similarly
  the
  vertical
  crosshair 
  should
  be
  positioned
  in
  the
  centre
  of
  the
  weld
  joint
  so
  that
  ideal
  horizontal 
  weld torch position can be maintained throughout the weld.  
  By
  keeping
  the
  Laser
  Crosshair
  perfectly
  aligned
  with
  the
  video
  crosshair 
  within
  the
  weld
  joint,
  the
  position
  of
  the
  welding
  torch
  relative
  to
  the
  weld 
  joint
  is
  kept
  constant
  and
  the
  operator
  can
  be
  confident
  that
  the
  electrode
  is 
  in
  the
  correct
  part
  of
  the
  joint
  and
  that
  the
  stickout
  is
  also
  correct.
  
  This
  is 
  why
  it
  is
  important
  to
  setup
  the
  crosshair
  positions
  when
  the
  torch
  is
  already 
  in the ideal position for welding.
 
  
 
  Height Control - Principal of Triangulation
  During
  the
  normal
  welding
  procedure,
  the
  ArcView
  camera
  projects
  a
  laser 
  stripe
  onto
  the
  surface.
  The
  laser
  stripe
  is
  projected
  down
  at
  an
  angle
  from
  the 
  camera integrated into the sensor.  
  Because
  the
  laser
  stripe
  is
  projected
  at
  an
  angle
  relative
  to
  the
  camera
  position 
  this
  means
  that
  if
  the
  workpiece
  moves
  closer
  to
  the
  camera,
  then
  the
  observed 
  position of the laser stripe on the workpiece moves up.
  If
  the
  workpiece
  moves
  further
  away
  from
  the
  camera,
  then
  the
  position
  of
  the 
  Laser
  stripe
  on
  the
  surface
  will
  appear
  to
  move
  down.
  
  The
  operator
  should 
  adjust
  the
  vertical
  slide
  position
  to
  correct
  for
  this
  change
  moving
  the
  slide
  up
  to 
  bring
  the
  Laser
  stripe
  back
  to
  its
  original
  position
  in
  line
  with
  the
  horizontal 
  crosshair
  line.
  
  Similarly,
  if
  the
  workpiece
  moves
  closer
  to
  the
  camera,
  then
  the 
  laser
  cross
  will
  appear
  to
  move
  up
  in
  the
  video
  display,
  and
  the
  operator
  should 
  then jog the vertical slide down to correct.
  The
  ArcView
  Camera
  must
  be
  mounted
  in
  front
  of
  the
  weld
  torch
  so
  that
  it 
  views
  the
  joint
  before
  it
  is
  welded.
  
  The
  correct
  weld
  torch
  position
  is
  then 
  achieved
  by
  keeping
  the
  distance
  from
  the
  weld
  torch
  to
  the
  workpiece 
  maintained
  throughout
  the
  weld,
  and
  keeping
  the
  torch
  in
  the
  centre
  of
  the 
  joint.
  When
  the
  welding
  torch
  is
  correctly
  positioned
  over
  the
  workpiece,
  the
  profile 
  of
  the
  weld
  joint
  should
  appear
  central
  in
  both
  horizontal
  and
  vertical
  crosshair 
  positions on the display screen.  
  The
  ArcView
  camera
  is
  set
  at
  its
  optimum
  focus
  for
  camera
  and
  laser
  at
  the 
  centre
  position
  of
  the
  video
  display,
  so
  their
  mountings
  should
  be
  adjusted
  to 
  achieve this. 
  Correct Height. Horizontal crosshair lines up with horizontal Laser line
  Laser
  line
  is
  above
  the
  vertical
  crosshair.
  The
  operator
  must
  correct
  the
  position 
  by moving Down.
  In
  first
  image
  shows
  both
  the
  laser
  crosshair
  and
  the
  video
  crosshair
  are
  centred 
  on
  the
  screen.
  This
  is
  the
  reference
  or
  ‘home’
  position
  for
  maintaining
  the
  torch 
  over
  the
  seam,
  and
  represents
  the
  ideal
  torch
  position.
  Throughout
  the
  weld, 
  the
  operator
  must
  adjust
  the
  horizontal
  and
  vertical
  slide
  position
  to
  maintain 
  this
  ideal
  setup.
  In
  this
  way
  the
  weld
  torch
  is
  kept
  in
  the
  ideal
  position 
  throughout the weld.
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  In
  first
  image
  shows
  both
  the
  laser
  crosshair 
  and
  the
  video
  crosshair
  are
  centred
  on
  the 
  screen.
  This
  is
  the
  reference
  or
  ‘home’
  position 
  for
  maintaining
  the
  torch
  over
  the
  seam,
  and 
  represents
  the
  ideal
  torch
  position. 
  Throughout
  the
  weld,
  the
  operator
  must
  adjust 
  the
  horizontal
  and
  vertical
  slide
  position
  to 
  maintain
  this
  ideal
  setup.
  In
  this
  way
  the
  weld 
  torch
  is
  kept
  in
  the
  ideal
  position
  throughout 
  the weld.
  The
  second
  image
  illustrates
  how
  the
  display 
  would
  look
  if
  the
  weld
  part
  had
  moved
  to
  the 
  Left.
  The
  vertical
  crosshair
  is
  no
  longer
  in
  the 
  centre
  of
  the
  weld
  joint.
  
  The
  operator
  should 
  correct
  by
  moving
  the
  horizontal
  slide
  left
  to 
  return
  the
  vertical
  video
  crosshair
  to
  the 
  centre of the weld joint.
  The
  third
  image
  illustrates
  how
  the
  display 
  would
  look
  if
  the
  weld
  part
  had
  moved
  right. 
  The
  operator
  should
  compensate
  by
  moving 
  the
  vertical
  slide
  right
  to
  return
  the
  horizontal 
  laser stripe to the centre of the video crosshair.