Welding job sequencer
First Claim
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1. A semi-automatic welding work cell for welding an assembly defined by a plurality of welds, the plurality of welds being defined by at least two weld schedules, the semi-automatic welding work cell comprising:
- welding equipment for use by a welding operator to perform said plurality of welds and complete the assembly during a semi-automatic welding operation, said welding equipment having a plurality of functions; and
a welding job sequencer which selects and implements at least one of the plurality of functions to define at least a first weld schedule and a second weld schedule from the at least two weld schedules so as to organize a sequence of operations for creating the welded assembly, said first weld schedule contains at least one first weld set up parameter and at least one first weld instruction for said welding operator and said second weld schedule contains at least one second weld set up parameter and at least one second weld instruction for said welding operator, at least one of said first weld set up parameter and said first weld instruction is different from said second weld set up parameter and said second weld instruction, said welding job sequencer automatically modifying said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations between the first weld schedule and the second weld schedule without said welding operator intervention for completing the welded assembly, with said welding operator performing said semi-automatic welding operation after said welding job sequencer automatically modifies said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations based on said first and second weld schedules.
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Abstract
A semi-automatic welding work cell, including a welding job sequencer that automatically selects a welding schedule for use by an operator in the semi-automatic welding work cell. The automatic selection may be by way of elapsed time, a detection of welding operations, a detection of the amount of welding wire supplied for the welding operation, or a detection of the amount of energy supplied for the welding operation.
465 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A semi-automatic welding work cell for welding an assembly defined by a plurality of welds, the plurality of welds being defined by at least two weld schedules, the semi-automatic welding work cell comprising:
- welding equipment for use by a welding operator to perform said plurality of welds and complete the assembly during a semi-automatic welding operation, said welding equipment having a plurality of functions; and
a welding job sequencer which selects and implements at least one of the plurality of functions to define at least a first weld schedule and a second weld schedule from the at least two weld schedules so as to organize a sequence of operations for creating the welded assembly, said first weld schedule contains at least one first weld set up parameter and at least one first weld instruction for said welding operator and said second weld schedule contains at least one second weld set up parameter and at least one second weld instruction for said welding operator, at least one of said first weld set up parameter and said first weld instruction is different from said second weld set up parameter and said second weld instruction, said welding job sequencer automatically modifying said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations between the first weld schedule and the second weld schedule without said welding operator intervention for completing the welded assembly, with said welding operator performing said semi-automatic welding operation after said welding job sequencer automatically modifies said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations based on said first and second weld schedules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- welding equipment for use by a welding operator to perform said plurality of welds and complete the assembly during a semi-automatic welding operation, said welding equipment having a plurality of functions; and
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29. A welding production line comprising:
- at least one semi-automatic welding work cell for welding an assembly defined by a plurality of welds, the plurality of welds being defined by at least two weld schedules, the semi-automatic welding work cell including welding equipment for use by a welding operator to perform the plurality of welds and complete the assembly during a semi-automatic welding operation, the welding equipment having a plurality of functions; and
a welding job sequencer which selects and implements at least one of the plurality of functions to define at least a first and a second weld schedule from the at least two weld schedules to organize a sequence of operations for completing the weld assembly, said first weld schedule contains at least one first weld set up parameter and at least one first weld instruction for said welding operator and said second weld schedule contains at least one second weld set up parameter and at least one second weld instruction for said welding operator, at least one of said first weld set up parameter and said first weld instruction is different from said second weld set up parameter and said second weld instruction, said welding job sequencer automatically modifying said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations between the first weld schedule and the second weld schedule without said welding operator intervention for completing the assembly, with said welding operator performing said semi automatic welding operation after said welding job sequencer automatically modifies said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations based on said first and second weld schedules. - View Dependent Claims (30)
- at least one semi-automatic welding work cell for welding an assembly defined by a plurality of welds, the plurality of welds being defined by at least two weld schedules, the semi-automatic welding work cell including welding equipment for use by a welding operator to perform the plurality of welds and complete the assembly during a semi-automatic welding operation, the welding equipment having a plurality of functions; and
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31. A semi-automatic welding work cell for use by an operator, comprising:
- welding equipment having a plurality of functions for performing welds by the operator during a semi-automatic welding operation; and
a welding job sequencer selecting from the plurality of functions to set up and organize the welding equipment for the operator without operator intervention according to a sequence of operations, the plurality of functions including;
a weld schedule function defining at least one weld operation;
a notify function to instruct the operator to perform the weld schedule; and
a quality check function to monitor at least one weld operation;
wherein said welding job sequencer automatically modifies said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations before the at least one weld operation without said operator intervention, with said operator performing said semi-automatic welding operation after said welding job sequencer automatically modifies said welding equipment in accordance with said sequence of operations based on said plurality of functions. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- welding equipment having a plurality of functions for performing welds by the operator during a semi-automatic welding operation; and
Specification