Patent ID: 7166815

Claim:
A short-time arc welding system, comprising: a robot having at least one arm; a welding head mounted on the arm, the welding head including a holding apparatus for holding an element to be welded; a measurement system operable to determine a relative position between a component and the element held by the holding apparatus, the measurement system including: a contact member mounted on the welding head and operable to contact the component during operation of the welding system, the contact member operably determining a relative spacing on a welding axis between the welding head and the component; and a positioning device operable to position the contact member between a rest position having the contact member retracted from the component and at least two different operating positions having the contact member in contact with the component; wherein the contact member is operable in at least two motions: a linear motion parallel to the welding axis relative to both the component and the welding head, and a rotating motion having the contact member rotatable with respect to the welding head through an angular displacement about the welding axis on which the element is welded to the component.