System for measuring and storing data relating to the time durations of steps in a welding operation as well as weld current and gun pressure

• US 4,585,918 A
• Filed: 02/25/1983
• Issued: 04/29/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BUDD Company The A Corporation PA
• Original Assignee: The Budd Company (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Inventors: Lunova, Casper P., Corrigan, James I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US06/470,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 219/109, 219/110, 219/108, 219/117.1
• US Class Current: 219/110
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/252 using digital means

Abstract

A system is provided to measure, store and display data relating to a series of steps in a plurality of welding operations. The data stored may be printed out to assist in locating steps in an operation which do not conform to predetermined time standards to permit corrective actions to be taken, if necessary.

Claims

1. In combination with a welding gun disposed to engage a workpiece and apply welding direct current thereto in a resistance welding system, means for measuring the time durations of a plurality of sequential steps including the time of squeezing said welding gun on said workpiece, welding current time, hold time and idle time in a welding operation comprising:

(a) first bi-stable circuit means responsive to the starts of said plurality of steps to generate enable electrical signals and for maintaining said enable signals for the duration of the steps being measured;

(b) second circuit means responsive to the end of said plurality of steps to terminate said enable electrical signals generated by said first bi-stable circuit means;

(c) a timing circuit for generating pulse signals;

(d) a plurality of counter circuits responsive to said pulse signals when said enable signals are applied thereto to measure the time durations of said electrical signals;

(e) a plurality of bi-directional circuits selectively passing data signals stored in said counter circuits representative of said time duration;

(f) display means;

(g) said display means comprising means having printed out data relating to the data stored in said counters;

(h) means for allowing said bi-directional circuits to pass said data signals to said display means;

(i) means to discontinue said welding operation when any one of said time durations deviate from predetermined time standards;

(j) said first bi-stable circuit means comprising a plurality of relays for operating a plurality of pairs of contacts;

(k) said relay circuits and contacts associated with said hold time are utilized with the relays and contacts of said squeeze and weld current time measurements and included in control circuitry for generating the enable signal relating to said hold time, and

(l) said control circuitry for generating said hold signal being combined with an inverter circuit to generate the enable signal relating to said off time measurement.