System and method for monitoring welding threshold conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101481-A1
Application number	US-201414513752-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2014
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal fabrication system includes one or more sensors configured to transmit a first signal relating to a first condition of an environment of the metal fabrication system, processing circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors, and a feedback device coupled to the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine the first condition of the environment based at least in part on the first signal and to compare the first condition to a first threshold. The feedback device is configured to provide a first notification when the first condition satisfies the first threshold.

First claim

1 . A metal fabrication system comprising:
one or more sensors configured to transmit a first signal relating to a first condition of an environment of the metal fabrication system; processing circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the first condition of the environment based at least in part on the first signal and to compare the first condition to a first threshold; and a feedback device coupled to the processing circuitry, wherein the feedback device is configured to provide a first notification when the first condition satisfies the first threshold.

2 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , wherein the first condition comprises a temperature of a work piece of the metal fabrication system.

3 . The metal fabrication system of claim 2 , comprising a temperature control system configured to heat the work piece, the first threshold comprises a minimum preheat temperature, and the first condition satisfies the first threshold when the temperature of the work piece is greater than the minimum preheat temperature.

4 . The metal fabrication system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more temperature sensors coupled to a work piece, the first threshold comprises a maximum initial temperature threshold, and the first condition satisfies the first threshold when the temperature of the work piece is less than the maximum initial temperature threshold.

5 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , comprising a gas supply system configured to displace gas in at least a portion of the environment, wherein the first condition comprises a gas concentration of the portion of the environment, the first threshold comprises a maximum concentration threshold of displaced gas in the portion of the environment, and the first condition satisfies the first threshold when the gas concentration of the portion of the environment is less than the maximum concentration threshold.

6 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , wherein the first notification of the feedback device comprises a visual feedback, an audible feedback, a haptic feedback, or any combination thereof.

7 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , wherein the feedback device comprises an operator interface of the metal fabrication system, and the metal fabrication system comprises a power unit, a welding device, a torch, or any combination thereof.

8 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , comprising communications circuitry communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry and to a remote device, wherein the communications circuitry is configured to provide the first notification to the remote device when the first condition satisfies the first threshold.

9 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to transmit a second signal relating to a second condition of the environment of the metal fabrication system, the processing circuitry is configured to determine the second condition of the environment related to the second signal, the processing circuitry is configured to compare the second condition to a second threshold, and the feedback device is configured to provide a second notification when the second condition satisfies the second threshold.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The metal fabrication system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to record a duration between when the feedback device provides the first notification and when an operator of the metal fabrication system performs a metal fabrication process.

12 . A method of operating a metal fabrication system, comprising:
receiving, using processing circuitry, a first signal relating to a first condition of an environment of the metal fabrication system; determining, using the processing circuitry, the first condition of the environment based at least in part on the first signal; comparing, using the processing circuitry, the first condition to a first threshold; and providing, using a feedback device, a first notification when the first condition satisfies the first threshold.

13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising enabling a component of the metal fabrication system to perform a process when providing the first notification, wherein the component comprises a power unit, a torch, or any combination thereof, and the process comprises a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process, a gas-metal arc welding (GMAW) process, a tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process, a laser welding process, a friction stir welding process, a plasma cutting process, a laser cutting process, an oxygen cutting process, a forming process, an induction heating process, or any combination thereof.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first condition comprises a temperature of a work piece of the metal fabrication system.

15 . The method of claim 12 , comprising providing the first notification to a remote device comprising a mobile device, a terminal, a cloud system, a helmet, or any combination thereof.

16 . The method of claim 12 , comprising determining, using the processing circuitry, a system efficiency based at least in part on a sum of idle durations, wherein each idle duration comprises a duration between when the feedback device provides the first notification and when an operator of the metal fabrication system performs a subsequent process.

17 . A welding monitoring system comprising:
one or more temperature sensors configured to determine a first temperature of a work piece of the welding monitoring system; processing circuitry configured to compare the first temperature to a first temperature threshold; and a feedback device configured to provide a first notification to an operator of the welding system when the first temperature satisfies the first temperature threshold, wherein the first notification comprises a visual feedback, an audible feedback, a haptic feedback, or any combination thereof.

18 . The welding monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the feedback device comprises an operator interface of a welding power unit, a welding device, a welding torch, or any combination thereof.

19 . The welding monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the feedback device comprises a mobile device, a terminal, a cloud system, a helmet, or any combination thereof.

20 . The welding monitoring system of claim 17 , comprising:
communications circuitry communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry and to a network; and the network, wherein the communications circuitry is configured to provide a first signal to the network when the first temperature satisfies the first temperature threshold and to provide a second signal to the network upon initiation of a welding process subsequent to the provision of the first notification, and the network is configured to record an idle duration between receipt of the first signal and the second signal.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Holverson Todd Earl
• Nelli Christopher J

Classifications

• B23K9/0953

  using computing means · CPC title

• B23K20/123

  Controlling or monitoring the welding process · CPC title

• B23K9/16

  making use of shielding gas · CPC title

• B23K9/10

  Other electric circuits therefor; Protective circuits; Remote controls · CPC title

• B23K9/0956 Primary

  using sensing means, e.g. optical · CPC title