Welding system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10369668-B2
Application number	US-201615180597-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2016
Priority date	Jul 2, 2015
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A welding system is disclosed that includes a power supply, a controller in communication with the power supply, and a welder in communication with the controller. The controller detects a configuration of the welder that includes at least a 1G configuration. Upon the controller detecting the 1G configuration, the controller inverts a height adjustment and automatically calculates a contact tip to work distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding system comprising:
a power supply;
a controller in communication with the power supply;
a welder in communication with the controller, wherein the welder is configurable to an angular configuration and a fixed configuration, wherein the fixed configuration comprises a 1G configuration;
wherein the controller is configured to:
detect a configuration of the welder,
upon detection of the fixed configuration, invert a height adjustment and automatically calculate a contact tip to work distance, wherein the contact tip to work distance comprises a distance between a contact tip of the welder and a workpiece; and
adjust at least one of the contact tip to work distance or an arc current level based on the inverted height adjustment.

2. The welding system of claim 1 , further comprising a positioner connectable to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to convert a travel position of the welder into a motion of the positioner upon detection of the fixed configuration.

3. The welding system of claim 2 , wherein the positioner comprises a chuck mounted on a drive shaft of a motor, and wherein the motion of the positioner set by the controller is a revolutions per minute value.

4. The welding system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to coordinate movement of the positioner with operation of the welder in the fixed configuration.

5. The welding system of claim 2 , wherein the positioner is configured to move a workpiece relative to the welder.

6. The welding system of claim 5 , wherein the positioner is further configured to rotate the workpiece relative to the welder.

7. The welding system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface connected to the controller, wherein the user interface includes a display configured to convey at least the configuration of the welder.

8. The welding system of claim 7 , wherein the user interface further comprises a user input.

9. The welding system of claim 8 , wherein the user input allows the user to set welder parameters including at least one of a travel speed and a workpiece diameter.

10. The welding system of claim 1 , further comprising a positioner assembly including a first positioner and a second positioner, wherein the first positioner is configured to define a first workstation and the second positioner is configured to define a second workstation.

11. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect if the welder is in an inverted configuration.

12. The welding system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
invert the height adjustment if the controller detects that the welder is in the inverted configuration; and
calibrate the welder for orbital operation if the controller does not detect that the welder is in the inverted configuration.

13. A welding system for welding a workpiece comprising:
a power supply;
a controller in communication with the power supply;
a positioner assembly in communication with the controller, the positioner assembly including at least a first positioner, the first positioner including a chuck, the chuck being mounted on a drive shaft and driven by a drive motor to rotate the chuck;
a welder in communication with the controller; and
a support configured to hold the welder in an inverted configuration; wherein the controller is configured to:
detect the inverted configuration of the welder;
upon detection of the inverted configuration, invert a height adjustment and automatically calculate a contact tip to work distance, wherein the contact tip to work distance comprises a distance between a contact tip of the welder and a workpiece; and
adjust at least one of the contact tip to work distance or an arc current level based on the inverted height adjustment.

14. The welding system of claim 13 , further comprising a user interface connected to the controller.

15. The welding system of claim 14 , wherein the support is moveable in a vertical direction to set a height of the welder relative to the chuck.

16. A method comprising:
detecting, by a controller, an inverted configuration of a welder;
inverting, by the controller, a height adjustment control of the welder and automatically calculating a contact tip to work distance, in response to detection of a first configuration, wherein the contact tip to work distance comprises a distance between a contact tip of the welder and a workpiece; and
adjusting at least one of the contact tip to work distance or an arc current level based on the inverted height adjustment.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising automatically calculating a contact tip to work distance in response to the detection of the first configuration.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first configuration comprises a fixed, inverted configuration.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, upon detection of a second configuration, calibrating the welder for orbital operation, wherein the second configuration comprises a non-inverted configuration.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Jack Christopher
• Cole Stephen

Classifications

• B23K2101/06

  Tubes · CPC title

• B23K37/0276

  for working on or in tubes (B23K37/0211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K26/282

  of tube sections · CPC title

• B23K9/16

  making use of shielding gas · CPC title

• B23K9/0026

  specially adapted for particular articles or work · CPC title