Method and system of using consumable with weld puddle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687929-B2
Application number	US-201313790868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2013
Priority date	Jul 6, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A system for and a method of controlling filler wire is provided. The system includes a high intensity energy source configured to heat at least one workpiece to create a molten puddle on a surface of the at least one workpiece. A filler wire feeder is configured to feed a filler wire into said molten puddle, and a travel direction controller is configured to advance the high intensity energy source and the filler wire in a travel direction to deposit the filler wire on the at least one workpiece. The system also includes a filler wire controller configured to move the filler wire in at least a first direction during the feeding and advancing of the filler wire. At least the first direction is controlled to obtain a desired shape, profile, height, size, or an admixture of a bead formed by the molten puddle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling filler wire, the method comprising:
heating at least one workpiece with a high energy heat source to create a molten puddle on a surface of said at least one workpiece;
feeding a filler wire into said molten puddle;
advancing each of said high energy heat source and said filler wire in a travel direction to deposit said filler wire on said at least one workpiece;
moving said filler wire in at least a first direction during said feeding of said filler wire and said advancing of said filler wire where said at least first direction is different from said travel direction;
controlling at least said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction to obtain a desired shape, profile, height, size, or an admixture of a bead formed by said molten puddle; and
preheating said filler wire to at or near a melting temperature of said filler wire prior to said filler wire entering said molten puddle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, and an elliptical motion.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said high energy heat source comprises a laser which directs a laser beam onto said at least one workpiece to create said molten puddle, and said method further comprises:
moving said laser beam in at least a second direction during said advancing of said high energy heat source where said at least second direction is different from said travel direction,
wherein said controlling to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle further comprises controlling said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction, and
wherein said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, and an elliptical motion.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said controlling of said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction is synchronized with said controlling of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said controlling of said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction is independent of said controlling of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
feeding a second filler wire into said molten puddle; and
advancing said second filler wire in said travel direction to deposit said second filler wire on said at least one workpiece,
moving said second filler wire in at least a third direction during said feeding of said second filler wire and said advancing of said second filler wire where said at least third direction is different from said travel direction,
wherein said controlling to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle further comprises controlling said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction, and
wherein said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, and an elliptical motion.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said controlling of said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction is synchronized with said controlling of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said controlling of said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction is independent of said controlling of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein said at least first direction is a direction that is opposite that of said at least third direction.

10. A system for controlling a filler wire, the system comprising:
a high intensity energy source which heats at least one workpiece to create a molten puddle on a surface of said at least one workpiece;
a filler wire feeder which feeds a filler wire into said molten puddle;
a travel direction controller which advances each of said high intensity energy source and said filler wire in a travel direction to deposit said filler wire on said at least one workpiece;
a filler wire controller which moves said filler wire in at least a first direction during said feeding of said filler wire and said advancing of said filler wire, where said at least first direction is different from said travel direction; and
a wire power supply which preheats said filler wire to at or near a melting temperature of said filler wire prior to said filler wire entering said molten puddle,
wherein at least said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction is controlled to obtain a desired shape, profile, height, size, or an admixture of a bead formed by said molten puddle.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, and an elliptical motion.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said high intensity energy source comprises a laser which directs a laser beam onto said at least one workpiece to create said molten puddle, and the system further comprises:
a laser beam controller which moves said laser beam in at least a second direction during said advancing of said high intensity energy source where said at least second direction is different from said travel direction,
wherein said controlling to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle further comprises controlling said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction, and
wherein said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, and an elliptical motion.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said controlling of said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction is synchronized with said controlling of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein said controlling said movement of said laser beam in said at least second direction is independent of said controlling said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction.

15. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second filler wire feeder which feeds a second filler wire to said molten puddle, said travel direction controller further configured to advance said second filler wire in said travel direction to deposit said second filler wire on said at least one workpiece; and
a second filler wire controller which moves said second filler wire in at least a third direction during said feeding of said second filler wire and said advancing of said second filler wire, where said at least third direction is different from said travel direction,
wherein sa

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Ash Elliott

Classifications

• B23K35/0261 Primary

  Rods, electrodes or wires · CPC title

• B23K26/24

  Seam welding · CPC title

• B23K26/342

  Build-up welding · CPC title

• B23K9/095 Primary

  Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters · CPC title

• B23K26/322

  involving coated metal parts (using absorbing layers on the workpiece B23K26/18) · CPC title