Automatic process and/or set up of welding type system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10906115-B2
Application number	US-201715814650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Nov 16, 2017
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a welding type power using a welding power circuit having a control input and a welding type power output, a feedback circuit and a controller connected to the control input and the feedback circuit is disclosed. The controller includes a parameter setting module and/or a process selection module that are connected to and responsive to at least one of the feedback circuit. The a process selection module can be responsive to the parameter setting module.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A welding type system, comprising:
a welding power circuit having a control input and a welding type power output;
a feedback circuit;
a controller, connected to the control input and the feedback circuit, wherein the controller includes a parameter setting module, and further includes a process selection module configured to automatically select a welding process from a plurality of welding processes responsive to at least one of the feedback circuit or the parameter setting module; and
at least one of a heat sensing module and a weld history module, wherein the at least one of a heat sensing module and a weld history module has an input connected to the feedback circuit and has an output connected to the process selection module, and the process selection module is configured to automatically select the welding process responsive.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit includes a weld image sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the weld image sensor includes a smart phone.

4. The welding type system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one user input connected to the parameter setting module.

5. The welding type system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one user input includes a plurality of a user set wire feed speed, a user set output voltage, a user set current, a user set power, a user set heat, a user set travel rate, a user set deposition rate, a user set material type, a user set joint type, a user set wire type, a user set wire size, a user set manual/automation selection, a user set gas type, a user set weld duration and a user set travel length.

6. The welding type system of claim 5 , further comprising at least one robot set input connected to the parameter setting module.

7. The welding type system of claim 4 , wherein the controller includes a window module responsive to at least one of the feedback circuit and the parameter setting module, and wherein the window module is further responsive to the at least one user input, and wherein the window module provides an operating window as a window input to the process selection module.

8. The welding type system of claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit provides a signal responsive to at least one of the welding type power output, a welding advisor, and an external sensor that senses sound, light or spatter, and wherein the signal is provided to the process selection module, whereby the process selection module is responsive to the feedback circuit.

9. The welding type system of claim 1 , wherein the process selection module includes at least two of a short circuit transfer module, a controlled short circuit module, a MIG module, a pulsed MIG module, a retractable wire feed module, a spray module, a regulated metal deposition module, and a versa pulse module.

10. The welding type system of claim 1 , wherein the process selection module includes at least one of a process recommendation module and a process purchase recommendation module, and wherein the at least one of a process recommendation module and a process purchase recommendation module is responsive to at least one of the feedback circuit and the parameter setting module.

11. The welding type power supply of claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes a tuning module active at the start of a weld.

12. The welding type power supply of claim 1 , wherein the process selection module is located in at least one of a housing that includes the welding power circuit, a weld cell that includes the welding power circuit, outside of the weld cell that includes the welding power circuit, and outside of a facility in which the welding power circuit is located.

13. A welding type power supply, comprising:
a welding power circuit having a control input and a welding type power output;
a feedback circuit; and
a controller, connected to the control input and the feedback circuit, wherein the controller includes a parameter setting module, and further includes a process recommendation module configured to automatically recommend, responsive to at least one of the feedback circuit and the parameter setting module, a weld process of a plurality of weld processes.

14. A welding type system, comprising:
a welding power circuit having a control input and a welding type power output;
a feedback circuit; and
a controller, connected to the control input and the feedback circuit, wherein the controller includes a parameter setting module configured to automatically set one or more parameters from a plurality of parameters for a selected welding process responsive to the feedback circuit,
wherein the parameter setting module is at least one of a MIG parameter setting module and a TIG parameter setting module connected to and responsive to the feedback circuit, and wherein the MIG parameter setting module includes a first MIG output control setting a slope and a second MIG output control setting an output inductance and wherein the TIG parameter setting module includes a first TIG output control setting a balance, a second TIG output control setting a pulsing frequency.

15. The welding type system of claim 14 , wherein the parameter setting module includes an activation/deactivation module that is responsive to at least one of a user input, a start detection module, and a stability detection module.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Albrecht Bruce P
• Davidson Robert R

Classifications

• B23K9/20

  Stud welding · CPC title

• B23K9/09

  Arrangements or circuits for arc welding with pulsed current or voltage · CPC title

• B23K9/1087

  Arc welding using remote control · CPC title

• B23K9/23

  taking account of the properties of the materials to be welded · CPC title

• B23K9/12

  Automatic feeding or moving of electrodes or work for spot or seam welding or cutting · CPC title