Systems and methods for automated cleaning of wire electrodes after welding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090585-B2
Application number	US-202217867095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2022
Priority date	Apr 30, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods for cleaning a wire electrode after a welding process has ended are described. During a welding process, a wire electrode may be fed forward from a wire feeder through a welding torch to create a molten weld pool. While, conventionally, feeding of the wire electrode stops when the welding process ends, the present disclosure contemplates instead continuing to feed the wire electrode forward after the welding process ends. More particularly, the present disclosure contemplates feeding the wire electrode into the weld pool so that the wire electrode can be “cleaned” in the molten weld pool created by the welding process. The “cleaned” wire electrode end can be more easily used to establish an electrical arc at the beginning of the next welding process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding system, comprising:
a welding-type power supply configured to provide power to a welding torch, the welding torch configured to provide the power to a welding wire fed from a wire feeder to establish an electrical arc between the welding wire and a workpiece,
the welding-type power supply comprising control circuitry configured to:
detect an end of a welding process,
in response to detecting the end of the welding process, output a signal to the wire feeder to feed the welding wire forward,
detect a contact between the welding wire and the workpiece,
in response to detecting the contact, output a signal to the wire feeder to feed the welding wire forward for a first time period or first distance, or output a signal to the wire feeder to stop feeding the welding wire forward for the first time period, and
in response to the first time period or first distance expiring, retract the welding wire.

2. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the arc creates a molten weld pool during the welding process, the control circuitry being configured to, in response to detecting the end of the welding process, output the signal to the wire feeder to feed the welding wire forward into the molten weld pool so that the molten weld pool can clean residue accumulated during the welding process off on an end of the welding wire.

3. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to output a signal to control a current magnitude of the power to a magnitude above zero in response to detecting the end of the welding process.

4. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein detecting the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece comprises detecting a short circuit formed by the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece.

5. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
detect a cessation of the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece, and
in response to detecting the cessation of contact, decrease the current magnitude for a second time period or until a second distance of welding wire has been retracted.

6. The welding system of claim 5 , wherein detecting the cessation of contact between the welding wire and the workpiece comprises detecting an increase in voltage corresponding to cessation of a short circuit.

7. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein detecting the end of the welding process comprises detecting a trigger release of the welding torch, detecting a torch deactivation command entered via an operator interface, or detecting a termination signal of a welding program.

8. A method for wire cleaning after a welding process has finished, comprising:
detecting an end of the welding process using control circuitry of a welding-type power supply;
in response to detecting the end of the welding process, feeding a welding wire forward toward a workpiece;
detecting a contact between the welding wire and the workpiece using the control circuitry of the welding-type power supply;
in response to detecting the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece, continuing feeding of the welding wire forward towards the workpiece for a first time period or first distance, or stopping feeding of the welding wire forward towards the workpiece for the first time period; and
in response to expiration of the first time period or first distance, retracting the welding wire.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein feeding the welding wire forward comprises sending a feed signal from the control circuitry of the welding-type power supply to a wire feeder, the feed signal being representative of a command to feed the welding wire forward.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein an arc generated during the welding process creates a molten weld pool on the workpiece, and feeding the welding wire forward toward the workpiece comprises feeding the welding wire forward into the molten weld pool so that the molten weld pool can clean residue accumulated during the welding process off on an end of the welding wire.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising decreasing a magnitude of a welding current to a value above zero in response to detecting the end of the welding process, the welding current being provided by the welding-type power supply to a welding torch.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein detecting the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece comprises detecting a short circuit formed by the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting a cessation of the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece;
in response to detecting the cessation of contact, disabling the welding-type power supply from providing power for a second time period or until a second distance of welding wire has been retracted;
enabling the welding-type power supply to provide power after expiration of the second time period or second distance;
detecting a second contact between the welding wire and the workpiece; and
in response to detecting the second contact between the welding wire and the workpiece, retracting the welding wire until a second cessation of contact is detected or a third time period expires.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein detecting the end of the welding process comprises detecting a torch deactivation command entered via an operator interface, detecting a termination signal of a welding program, or detecting a trigger release of a welding torch.

15. A welding-type system, comprising:
a wire feeder configured to feed welding wire forward from the wire feeder or retract welding wire into the wire feeder;
a welding torch configured provide the welding wire with power to establish an electrical arc between the welding wire and workpiece;
a welding-type power supply configured to provide the power to the welding torch, the welding-type power supply comprising control circuitry configured to:
detect an end of a welding process,
in response to detecting the end of the welding process, output a signal to the wire feeder to feed the welding wire forward,
detect a contact between the welding wire and the workpiece,
in response to detecting the contact, output a signal to the wire feeder to feed the welding wire forward for a first time period or first distance, or output a signal to the wire feeder to stop feeding the welding wire forward for the first time period, and
in response to the first time period or first distance expiring, retract the welding wire.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the electrical arc creates a molten weld pool during the welding process, the control circuitry configured being configured to, in response to detecting the end of the welding process, output the signal to the wire feeder to feed the welding wire forward into the molten weld pool so that the molten weld pool can clean residue accumulated during the welding process off on an end of the welding wire.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to output a signal to control a current magnitude of the power to a magnitude above zero in response to detecting the end of the welding process.

18. The welding system of claim 15 , wherein detecting the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece comprises detecting a short circuit formed by the contact between the welding wire and the workpiece.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
detect a cessation of the contact between the

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Uecker James Lee

Classifications

• B23K9/133

  Means for feeding electrodes, e.g. drums, rolls, motors · CPC title

• B23K9/125 Primary

  Feeding of electrodes (for stabilising arc B23K9/073) · CPC title

• B23K9/1043

  characterised by the electric circuit (B23K9/1012 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K9/095

  Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters · CPC title

• B23K9/328 Primary

  Cleaning of weld torches, i.e. removing weld-spatter; Preventing weld-spatter, e.g. applying anti-adhesives · CPC title