Method and apparatus for controlling and simultaneously displaying arc welding process parameters
First Claim
1. A method of controlling and simultaneously displaying on a video color display signals representative of the demand and actual welding parameters associated with an arc welding torch including the weld voltage, the weld current and the speed of a motor which sets the travel speed of the torch electrode relative to the workpiece or the feed rate of a consumable wire supplied to the weld area comprising:
- a) selecting a demand weld voltage, weld current and motor speed;
b) supplying a weld voltage and a weld current to the torch in accordance with the selected demand values thereof;
c) selecting a demand motor speed;
d) controlling the speed of the motor in accordance with the selected demand value thereof; and
e) displaying on the video color display signals representative of the selected demand values of the weld voltage, weld current and motor speed, each signal being displayed in a separate color and simultaneously displaying on the video color display, in real time, signals representative of the actual weld voltage, actual weld current and actual motor speed with the actual and demand value signals for each separate parameter being displayed in the same color, whereby an operator may readily correlate the demand and actual parameter values and ascertain deviations therebetween.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system (and method) of controlling and simultaneously displaying arc welding torch parameters includes a power supply for supplying weld voltage and current to the torch in accordance with demand signals from a computer. The computer also supplies a demand motor speed to a motor for controlling the travel speed of the torch electrode relative to a workpiece or the fed rate of a filler wire to the weld area. The actual values of the weld voltage/current and the motor speed are fed back to the computer and displayed on a video color display in separate colors and in real time to enable on operator to readily correlate the actual with the demand parameter values. The position of the electrode relative to the workpiece is also fed back to the computer for presentation on the video display. In addition, deviations of the individual actual parameter values from acceptable tolerance limits are highlighted on the display.
136 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of controlling and simultaneously displaying on a video color display signals representative of the demand and actual welding parameters associated with an arc welding torch including the weld voltage, the weld current and the speed of a motor which sets the travel speed of the torch electrode relative to the workpiece or the feed rate of a consumable wire supplied to the weld area comprising:
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a) selecting a demand weld voltage, weld current and motor speed; b) supplying a weld voltage and a weld current to the torch in accordance with the selected demand values thereof; c) selecting a demand motor speed; d) controlling the speed of the motor in accordance with the selected demand value thereof; and e) displaying on the video color display signals representative of the selected demand values of the weld voltage, weld current and motor speed, each signal being displayed in a separate color and simultaneously displaying on the video color display, in real time, signals representative of the actual weld voltage, actual weld current and actual motor speed with the actual and demand value signals for each separate parameter being displayed in the same color, whereby an operator may readily correlate the demand and actual parameter values and ascertain deviations therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for controlling and displaying the weld process parameters for an arc welding torch having an electrode which is positioned adjacent a workpiece and an electric motor for setting the travel speed of the electrode relative to the workpiece or the feed rate of a consumable wire supplied to the workpiece, the combination comprising:
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a power supply for supplying the demand weld voltage and current to the torch and for controlling the motor in accordance with the demand motor speed; weld voltage monitoring means for providing a weld voltage signal representative of the actual voltage, supplied to the torch; weld current monitoring means for providing a weld current signal representative of the actual current supplied to the torch; motor speed monitoring means for providing a motor speed signal representative of the actual motor speed; a video color display; and a controller responsive to the signals representative of the demand and actual weld voltages, the demand and actual weld currents and the demand and actual motor speeds for controlling the display to simultaneously display, in real time, each of said signals, with the signals representing the voltage being displayed in a first color, the signals representing the currents being displayed in a second color, and the signals representing the motor speeds being displayed in a third color. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification