Method of detecting a welding voltage

• US 6,710,297 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fronius International GmbH (G&K Privatstiftung)
• Original Assignee: Fronius International GmbH (G&K Privatstiftung)
• Inventors: Artelsmair, Josef, Brunner, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US09/980,957
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 219/130.01, 219/130.21, 219/130.31, 219/130.33, 219/130.51, 219/137.PS, 219/130.32
• US Class Current: 219/130.01
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1043 characterised by the electric circuit B23K9/1012 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention describes a method of detecting welding process voltage, whereby the welding process voltage between a welding torch (10) and a workpiece (16) is detected and the welding process voltage is calculated in real time taking account of the interference variables of a welding system, in particular an inductance and a resistance.

Claims

1. Method of detecting a welding process voltage detected between a welding torch and a workpiece, comprising the step of performing a calculation of the welding process voltage in real time, taking account of the interference variables including a calculated inductance and a resistance of a welding system, the calculation for determining inductance being performed at specific time intervals during a welding process without the welding process being affected.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculated welding process voltage is applied by a control unit to the welding process.

3. Method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interference variables are detected and/or calculated by the control unit before the start of the actual welding process.

4. Method as claimed in claim, 2, wherein, at a predetermined point in time of the current curve, a measurement is taken or the values of the voltage and current detected at the output terminals of the current source by the control unit are used to calculate the resistance.

5. Method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interference variables are calculated by the control unit by means of software using the detected values and a predetermined calculation program.

6. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a voltage and a current at the outputs of the current source are measured by a measuring device.

7. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in order to provide a static calculation of the interference variable of the resistance and the inductance of the hose pack and optionally other ohmic interference variables during a secondary short-circuit prior to the start of the welding process, a current change is imposed on a current curve and the measured voltage is evaluated.

8. Method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lines of the hose pack are short-circuited or a short-circuit is produced between the electrode of the welding torch and the workpiece with the supply lines of the hose pack connected thereto, taking account of other interference variables, in particular of the welding torch.

9. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a process control or a welding process control is performed during the entire pulse duration.