Configuring signal devices in thermal processing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10713448-B2
Application number	US-201916425197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2012
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

In some aspects, material processing head can include a body; an antenna disposed within the body; a first tag, associated with a first consumable component, disposed within a flux communication zone of the body at a first distance from the antenna, the first tag having a first resonant frequency; and a second tag, associated with a second consumable component, disposed within the flux communication zone of the body at a second distance from the antenna, the second tag having a second resonant frequency that is different than the first resonant frequency, where the first and second resonant frequencies are tuned based upon at least one of: i) a difference between the first distance and the second distance; or ii) a characteristic (e.g., shape) of the flux communication zone in which the first tag and/or the second tag is disposed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A plasma processing system, comprising:
a torch comprising a torch consumable;
a fluid delivery system including a supply gas pressure regulator and a supply pressure sensor configured to sense a supply pressure of an inlet flow to the supply gas pressure regulator;
a gas supply line supplying gas from the gas pressure regulator to the torch; and
a controller comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the gas pressure regulator and the supply pressure sensor to receive a pressure signal from the supply pressure sensor and to provide a control signal to the gas pressure regulator to set an output pressure of the gas pressure regulator,
wherein the memory stores a lookup table establishing a correlation between supply pressures to the supply gas pressure regulator and respective levels of the control signal for one or more consumables, wherein the controller is configured to identify the consumable based on the supply pressure to the gas pressure regulator and the control signal provided to the gas pressure regulator.

2. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , further comprising an output pressure sensor downstream of the gas pressure regulator and configured to sense the output pressure of the gas pressure regulator.

3. The plasma processing system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the consumable based on one or more of the supply pressure to the gas pressure regulator and the output pressure of the gas pressure regulator.

4. The plasma processing system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the consumable by comparing at least one of (i) the sensed supply pressure to expected supply pressures associated with known consumables or (ii) the sensed output pressure to expected output pressures associated with known consumables.

5. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein the consumable is a swirl ring.

6. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein the consumable includes at least one of a swirl ring or a nozzle.

7. A plasma processing system, comprising:
a torch comprising a consumable installed on the torch;
a fluid delivery system including a supply gas pressure regulator and a supply pressure sensor;
a gas conduit supplying gas from the gas pressure regulator to the torch;
a controller operatively connected to the gas pressure regulator and the supply pressure sensor to receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor and to provide a control signal to the gas pressure regulator to set an output pressure, and
a memory, accessible by the controller, configured to store consumable parameters including a valve position,
wherein the controller is configured to identify the consumable based on the consumable parameters including the valve position.

8. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , further comprising an output pressure sensor downstream of the gas pressure regulator and configured to sense the output pressure of the gas pressure regulator.

9. The plasma processing system of claim 7 , wherein the consumable is a swirl ring.

10. The plasma processing system of claim 7 , wherein the consumable includes at least one of a swirl ring or a nozzle.

11. A plasma processing system, comprising:
a torch comprising a consumable;
a fluid delivery system including a regulator means and a sensing means for sensing a supply pressure of an inlet flow supplied to the regulator means;
a means for supplying gas from the regulator means to the torch; and
a control means comprising a memory means, wherein the controller means is operatively connected to the regulator means and sensing means to provide a control signal to the regulator means for setting an output pressure based on a pressure signal received from the sensing means,
wherein the memory means stores a lookup table establishing a correlation between supply pressures to the supply gas pressure regulator and respective levels of the control signal for one or more consumables, wherein the control means is configured to identify the consumable based on the supply pressure and the control signal.

12. The plasma processing system of claim 11 , further comprising a second sensing means downstream of the regulator means and configured to sense the output pressure.

13. The plasma processing system of claim 12 , wherein the controller means is configured to identify the consumable by comparing at least one of (i) the sensed supply pressure to expected supply pressures associated with known consumables or (ii) the sensed output pressure to expected output pressures associated with known consumables.

14. The plasma processing system of claim 11 , wherein the consumable is one of a swirl ring or a nozzle.

Assignees

• Hypertherm Inc

Inventors

• Hoffa Michael
• Shipulski E Michael

Classifications

• H05H1/34

  Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles · CPC title

• B23K5/00 Primary

  Gas flame welding · CPC title

• H05H1/3494

  Means for controlling discharge parameters · CPC title

• H05H1/3473

  Safety means · CPC title

• H05H1/3489

  Means for contact starting · CPC title