Systems and methods for controlling arc initiation and termination in a welding process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12128508-B2
Application number	US-201916653567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	Oct 22, 2018
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods for initiating and/or terminating a GMAW-P welding process are disclosed. A welding-type power supply may include a power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to welding-type power, and a controller configured to control the power conversion circuitry based on a plurality of operating parameters. In examples, the systems and methods disclosed herein implement pulsed cycles with one or more increased output parameters (such as current, pulse width, etc.) in order to jump start a pulsed welding cycle at a cold start (i.e. at initiation of a welding process), and thereby prevent a ball forming and remaining on the end of an electrode wire as the welding process continues. In a similar manner, a pulsed cycle with one or more increased parameters can be used to terminate the welding process, also preventing the ball forming and remaining on the electrode wire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding-type system, comprising:
power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to welding-type power; and
control circuitry configured to control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power in a plurality of pulse cycles, each pulse cycle comprising a background portion, a ramp up portion, a peak portion, and a ramp down portion at a given polarity, wherein the controlling the power conversion circuitry comprises:
commanding the power conversion circuitry to initiate a welding process by outputting the welding-type power as a first pulse cycle of the plurality of pulse cycles, wherein the first pulse cycle comprises a first peak current, a first pulse width, or a combination of both;
commanding the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power as a second pulse cycle of the plurality of pulse cycles, wherein the second pulse cycle comprises a second peak current, a second pulse width, or a combination of both, wherein the first peak current is greater than the second peak current, and the first pulse width is greater than the second pulse width; and
commanding the power conversion circuitry to transition the output of the welding-type power from the second pulse cycle to a third pulse cycle of the plurality of pulse cycles, wherein the third pulse cycle comprises a third peak current, a third pulse width, or a combination of both,
wherein the third peak current is greater than the first peak current, or the third pulse width is greater than the second pulse width.

2. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the power conversion circuitry to initiate the welding process by outputting the welding-type power as the first pulse cycle following clearance of a short circuit.

3. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , the controller is configured to command the power conversion circuitry to transition from the first pulse cycle to the second pulse cycle after a predetermined duration.

4. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , the controller is configured to command the power conversion circuitry to transition from the first pulse cycle to the second pulse cycle after a predetermined number of pulses.

5. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
monitor one or more output power parameters of the welding-type power during the first pulse cycle; and
command the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power as the second pulse cycle based on the one or more output power parameters.

6. The welding-type system as defined in claim 5 , wherein the one or more output parameters comprises a duration, a voltage, a current, or a temperature.

7. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first pulse cycle comprises a first frequency, a first background voltage and the first background current, and wherein the second pulse cycle comprises a second frequency different from the first frequency, a second background voltage different from the first background voltage, and a second background current different from the first background current.

8. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to command the power conversion circuitry to terminate the welding process by transitioning the welding-type power from the second pulse cycle to the third pulse cycle.

9. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to command the power conversion circuitry to discontinue output of the welding-type power after a predetermined duration of outputting the welding-type power as the third pulse cycle.

10. The welding-type system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the third pulse cycle comprises a third frequency different from the second frequency, a third background voltage different from the second background voltage, and a third background current different from the second background current.

11. A method for pulse welding, the method comprising:
controlling, via control circuitry, power conversion circuitry to convert input power to output welding-type power in a plurality of pulse cycles, each pulse cycle comprising a background portion, a ramp up portion, a peak portion, and a ramp down portion at a given polarity, wherein the controlling the power conversion circuitry comprises:
commanding the power conversion circuitry to initiate a welding process by outputting the welding-type power as a first pulse cycle of the plurality of pulse cycles, wherein the first pulse cycle comprising a first peak current, a first background current, a first pulse width, or a combination thereof;
commanding the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power as a second pulse cycle of the plurality of pulse cycles, wherein the second pulse cycle comprises a second peak current, a second pulse width, or a combination of both, wherein the first peak current is greater than the second peak current and the second peak current is greater than the first background current; and
commanding the power conversion circuitry to transition the output of the welding-type power from the second pulse cycle to a third pulse cycle of the plurality of pulse cycles, wherein the third pulse cycle comprises a third peak current, a third pulse width, or a combination of both,

wherein the third peak current is greater than the first second peak current, or the third pulse width is greater than the second pulse width.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 , further comprising commanding the power conversion circuitry to terminate the welding process by transitioning the welding-type power from the second pulse cycle to the third pulse cycle.

13. The method as defined in claim 11 , further comprising commanding the power conversion circuitry to discontinue output of the welding-type power after a predetermined duration of outputting the welding-type power as the third pulse cycle.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the first pulse width is greater than the second pulse width.

15. The method as defined in claim 11 , further comprising transitioning from the first pulse cycle to the second pulse cycle after a predetermined duration.

16. The method as defined in claim 11 , further comprising transitioning from the first pulse cycle to the second pulse cycle after a predetermined number of pulses.

17. The method as defined in claim 11 , further comprising:
monitoring one or more output power parameters of the welding-type power during the first pulse cycle; and
commanding the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power as the second pulse cycle based on the one or more output power parameters.

18. The method as defined in claim 17 , wherein the one or more output parameters comprises a duration, a voltage, a current, or a temperature.

19. The method as defined in claim 11 , further comprising commanding the power conversion circuitry to initiate the welding process by outputting the welding-type power as the first pulse cycle following clearance of a short circuit.

20. A welding-type system, comprising:
power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to welding-type power; and
control circuitry configured to control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power in a plurality of pulse cycles, each pulse cycle comprising a background portion, a ramp up portion, a peak portion, and a ramp down portion, wherein the

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Knoener Craig Steven
• Johnson Lucas Charles
• Macmullen Zach W
• Tyler Charles Ace
• Dong Christine

Classifications

• B23K9/093

  the frequency of the pulses produced being modulable · CPC title

• B23K9/0953

  using computing means · CPC title

• B23K9/1062

  with computing means · CPC title

• B23K9/092 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the pulses produced · CPC title

• B23K9/067 Primary

  Starting the arc · CPC title