中文摘要：

介绍了焊缝跟踪技术的研究现状，分析了用于焊缝检测的传感器工作原理及其优缺点，重点论述了基于机器视觉的焊缝跟踪系统的硬件组成和图像处理的工作流程。同时对多种控制算法（经典控制和智能控制）和焊缝边缘检测技术（基于形态学和遗传算法的边缘检测等）进行了分析，研究了机器视觉目前在焊接应用中存在的问题及解决思路，并对基于机器视觉的焊缝跟踪技术进行了展望。

英文摘要：

The present research status of the weld seam tracking technology was introduced in this paper. The operating principle as well as the merits and faults of the sensors used in the weld seam tracking were analyzed. Especially, the morkflow of the image processing and hardware of the weld seam tracking system based on machine vision were discussed. Some control arithmetic （ such as classical control and intelligent control ） and weld seam edge detecting technology （ such as the edge detecting method based on morphology and genetic arithmetic ） were analyzed. The problems and solving methods of the machine vision applied in welding were studied and the development of the weld seam tracking technology based on machine vision was previewed.