Welding system for determining a quality of a welding operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10213862-B2
Application number	US-201414262588-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	May 10, 2013
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A welding system includes a repositionable temperature sensor. The repositionable temperature sensor is configured to detect temperatures corresponding to a workpiece and to provide temperature data corresponding to the detected temperatures. The welding system also includes a power supply configured to receive the temperature data from the temperature sensor. The power supply is configured to modify control of an output of the power supply based on the detected temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A welding system comprising:
a repositionable temperature sensor configured to detect a plurality of temperatures corresponding to a workpiece and to provide a plurality of temperature signals corresponding to the detected temperatures during a welding operation for the workpiece; and
a power supply that, when in operation,
receives the plurality of temperature signals from the temperature sensor,
compares the plurality of temperature signals to a plurality of threshold temperatures,
determines a duration of time the welding operation occurred within a desired range of threshold temperatures, and
modifies control of an output of the power supply for the welding operation on the workpiece based at least in part on the detected temperatures and the duration.

2. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein a processing of the plurality of temperature signals derives a first result, wherein the first result comprises the detected temperatures.

3. The welding system of claim 2 , wherein the power supply is configured to execute the processing of the plurality of temperature signals to derive the first result, and
wherein the power supply is configured to provide a visual or audio indication of the first result.

4. The welding system of claim 2 , wherein the power supply is configured to communicate the plurality of temperature signals to an external device, and the external device is configured to execute the processing of the plurality of temperature signals to derive the first result.

5. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the external device comprises a cloud-based device.

6. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a wireless temperature sensor disposed in a handheld device.

7. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a wireless temperature sensor configured to be mounted onto the workpiece.

8. The welding system of claim 1 , comprising a detector configured to detect identification data used to uniquely identify an operation and to provide the identification data to the power supply, wherein the operation comprises a welding operation, a cutting operation, a grinding operation, an induction heating operation, or a testing operation, or a combination thereof, and wherein power for the operation is provided via the power supply.

9. The welding system of claim 8 , wherein the identification data comprises a bar code, quick response (QR) code, a radio frequency identification (RPID), or a combination thereof.

10. The welding system of claim 2 , wherein the power supply is configured to derive a second result based on the first result, and wherein the second result comprises a measure of quality of an operation performed on the workpiece.

11. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein an external device is configured to receive the plurality of temperature signals and to provide a visual indication, an audio indication, storage, or combination thereof, of the detected temperatures.

12. A method for determining a quality of a welding operation, comprising:
receiving, via a power supply, a plurality of temperature signals representative of one or more temperatures of a workpiece detected by a temperature sensor during an operation for the workpiece;
processing the plurality of temperature signals to derive a processed temperature data;
comparing the processed temperature data to a desired range of threshold temperatures;
determining a duration of time the operation occurred within the desired range of threshold temperatures;
receiving operations data corresponding to the operation for the workpiece;
determining a quality of the operation by applying the processed temperature data, the duration of time, and the operations data; and
controlling the operation for the workpiece based at least in part on the processed temperature data, the duration of time, and the operations data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein processing the plurality of temperature signals to derive the processed temperature data comprises the power supply processing the plurality of temperature signals, a cloud-based device processing the temperature data, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12 , comprising transmitting the plurality of temperature signals to a cloud-based device, wherein the cloud-based device is configured to store the temperature signal.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the plurality of temperature signals comprises receiving the temperature signal via a memory storage device, via a handheld device configured to wirelessly transmit the plurality of temperature signals, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the quality of the operation is based on the plurality of temperature signals, the duration of time, a speed of the workpiece, a speed of a welding torch speed coupled to the power supply, a deposition rate on the workpiece, a cooling rate of the workpiece, a preheating of the workpiece, a gas monitoring, a power supply voltage, a power supply current, a power supply waveform, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising updating the desired range of threshold temperatures based on the plurality of temperature signals.

18. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive, via a power supply, a plurality of temperature signals representative of one or more temperatures of a workpiece detected by a temperature sensor during an operation for the workpiece;
process the plurality of temperature signals to derive a processed temperature data;
comparing the processed temperature data to a desired range of threshold temperatures;
determining a duration of time the operation occurred within the desired range of threshold temperatures;
receive operations data corresponding to the operation for the workpiece;
determine a quality of the operation by applying the processed temperature data, the duration of time, and the operations data; and
control the operation for the workpiece based at least in part on the processed temperature data, the duration of time, and the operations data.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein processing the plurality of temperature signals to derive the processed temperature data comprises the power supply processing the plurality of temperature signals, an external device processing the temperature data, or a combination thereof.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , comprising instructions configured to transmit, via the power supply, the plurality of temperature signals, the duration of time, a speed of the workpiece signal, a speed of a welding torch signal, a deposition rate signal, a cooling rate signal, a preheating signal, a gas monitoring signal, a power supply voltage signal, a power supply current signal, a power supply waveform signal, or a combination thereof, to an external device.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Holverson Todd Earl
• Fink Joseph K
• Mulroy Andrew Patrick
• Luo Jyi-Jiin

Classifications

• B23K9/322

  Head protecting means · CPC title

• B23K9/0956

  using sensing means, e.g. optical · CPC title

• B23K31/125

  Weld quality monitoring · CPC title

• B23K2101/06

  Tubes · CPC title

• B23K9/167

  and of a non-consumable electrode · CPC title