激光传感器和激光视觉系统已经在世界多个地区同时开发了20多年。如今，它们越来越多地被用于指导和控制焊接机器人和自动焊接机在制造业几乎所有领域的操作。应用这项仍然相对昂贵的技术的原因很多；质量保证的改进、技术可行性、焊接速度的提高、消耗性材料的节约、训练有素的人力的短缺等，是选择采用激光传感技术的一些主要原因。

Laser sensors and laser vision systems have been under development for over 20 years in several parts of the world simultaneously. They are used more and more today to guide and control the operation of welding robots and automatic welding machines in almost all segments of the manufacturing industry. The reasons to apply this still relatively expensive technology are numerous; quality assurance improvements, technical feasibility, increased welding speed, saving of consumable materials, shortage of trained manpower, etc., are some of the reasons that prevail in the choice of implementing laser sensing technology.