Weld Cell System With Communication

• US 20130264319A1
• Filed: 12/28/2011
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Feldhausen, Joseph E., Holverson, Todd E., Ihde, Jeffery R., Schneider, Joseph C., Albrecht, Bruce P., Bunker, Thomas A., Temby, Timothy N., Rappl, James F., Novak, Michael H., Byron, Clay A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,058,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/130.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/095 Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1043 characterised by the electric circuit B23K9/1012 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/323 Combined coupling means, e.g. gas, electricity, water or the like electrical only H01R

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing welding-type power is disclosed and includes a means for communicating.

Claims

1. A welding-type system that can identify a weld cable, comprising a welding power supply having a controller, a power circuit connected to receive at least one signal from the controller, at least one weld cable connection connected to receive power from the power circuit, and a weld cable locator module having a cable locator output connected to at least one of the controller, the power circuit, and the weld cable connection.

2. The welding-type system of claim 1, wherein the cable locator output is connected to, and able to provide an identifier signal to, the weld cable connection.

3. The welding-type system of claim 1, wherein the weld cable locator module comprises:

a memory, capable of storing cable identifier information;

a receiver, capable of receiving a cable identifier signal; and

a comparator, connected to compare the stored cable identifier information and the received cable identifier signal;

wherein the cable locator output is responsive to the comparator.

4. The welding-type system of claim 3 further comprising, a pendant with a cable sensor and a transmitter responsive to the cable sensor.

5. The welding-type system of claim 4 wherein the cable sensor includes an RFID reader.

6. The welding-type system of claim 4 wherein the cable sensor includes a bar code reader.

7. The welding-type system of claim 4 further comprising a weld

8. The welding-type system of claim 4 wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter and the receiver is a wireless receiver.

9. The welding-type system of claim 4 further comprising a wire feeder connected to a distal end of the weld cable, a power supply binding module in the welding power supply and a wire feeder binding module in the wire feeder, wherein the power supply binding module and the wire feeder binding module are responsive to the weld cable locator module.

10. A method of locating a distal end of a weld cable having a proximal end connected to a welding-type power supply, comprising providing an identifying signal to the proximal end, transmitting the identifying signal to the distal end and detecting the identifying signal at the distal end.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a visual indicator at the distal end in response to the identifying signal.

12. A method of locating a distal end of an output cable having a proximal end connected to a welding-type power supply, comprising:

storing in the welding-type power supply cable identifier information indicative of the cable connected to the welding-type power supply;

receiving a distal end cable identifier signal;

comparing the cable identifier information to the distal end cable identifier signal;

providing a signal indicative of the result of the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising sensing identifying information at the distal end and transmitting the distal end cable identifier signal in response to the sensing.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein sensing includes reading an RFID signal.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein sensing includes reading a bar code.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein transmitting includes transmitting a wireless signal and receiving includes receiving a wireless signal.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising binding a wire feeder to the welding-type power supply in response to the signal indicative of the result of the comparison.

18. A weld cable comprising, a proximal end capable of being connected to a welding-type power supply, and a distal end having a visual indicator of an identification of the cable.

19. A welding-type system located in a weld cell that can provide welding power to a weld location and can communicate information to a location outside of the weld cell, comprising:

a controller, disposed to provide at least one control signal;

a power circuit, disposed to receive the at least one control signal;

an output connection, connected to the power circuit, and further connected to a proximal end of a weld cable;

a power supply weld cable communication module, connected to the output connection, and further connected to a data transmitter;

a weld location weld cable communication module, connected to a distal end of the weld cable and located at the weld location; and

a data receiver, capable of receiving data transmitted by the data transmitter, and located at a location outside of the weld cell.

20. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the data transmitter includes a first smart grid communication module and wherein the data receiver include a second smart grid communication module.

21. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the data

22. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the weld location weld cable communication module is disposed in a wire feeder connected to the distal end of the weld cable.

23. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the weld location weld cable communication module is disposed in a pendant in communication with the distal end of the weld cable.

24. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the weld location weld cable communication module is disposed in a torch connected to the distal end of the weld cable.

25. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the transmitter is capable of transmitting data indicative of at least one of operating parameters, quality information, and safety information.

26. The welding-type system of claim 19, wherein the power supply weld cable communication module and the a weld location weld cable communication module are two-way weld cable communication modules.

27. A method of communicating welding-related data from a weld location to outside a weld cell, comprising:

sensing welding-related data at the weld location;

transmitting the welding-related data from the weld cell, on a weld cable, to a weld cable data receiver outside of the weld location;

transmitting the welding-related data received by the weld cable data receiver to a location outside of the weld cell;

receiving the welding-related data outside of the weld cell.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the welding-related data to a location outside of the weld cell includes transmitting the welding-related data

29. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the welding-related data to a location outside of the weld cell includes wirelessly transmitting the welding-related data.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein sensing the welding-related data at the weld location includes sensing data in a wire feeder.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein sensing the welding-related data at the weld location includes sensing data in a pendant.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein sensing the welding-related data at the weld location includes sensing data in a torch.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting data indicative of at least one of operating parameters, quality information, and safety information.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting operating data from outside the weld cell at least partially on a weld cable, to a weld cable data receiver at the weld location.