A data processing apparatus for processing data described in a welding
operation program of an arc welding robot system. The data processing
apparatus includes a data obtaining section for obtaining a plurality of
position and orientation data at a plurality of different teaching points
previously taught and included in the welding operation program; a
reference plane setting section for setting a virtual reference plane as
a reference defining a geometric placement of an arc welding torch
relative to a workpiece during a welding operation, based on the position
and orientation data obtained in the data obtaining section; an angle
calculating section for calculating a plurality of angle data
representing the geometric placement of the arc welding torch at every
teaching points, by using the position and orientation data obtained in
the data obtaining section and the virtual reference plane set in the
reference plane setting section; and an angle processing section for
performing at least one of a displaying process and a correcting process
of the angle data calculated in the angle calculating section.