System for enabling arc welders

• US 6,710,299 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Houston, William S., Hillen, Edward D., Blankenship, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US10/349,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20030111451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 219/130.5, 219/124.34, 219/125.1, 219/125.11, 219/130.01, 228/103, 901/42
• US Class Current: 219/130.5
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means

Abstract

A system for enabling an electric arc welder adapted to perform various welding processes using weld parameters and a welding wire. The system comprises a first receptacle for a first memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of a specific welding procedure specification constituting a set of at least weld parameters, a specific weld process, electrical characteristics, and selected welding wire features; a second receptacle for a second memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of recorded features of welding wire loaded onto the welder; and, a disable circuit to disable the welder to process the specific welding procedure when the data indicative of recorded features of the welding wire fails to correspond with the data indicative of the selected welding wire features.

Claims

1. A system for enabling an electric arc welder having a controller designed to perform various welding processes using weld parameters and a welding wire comprising a first receptacle for a first memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of at least one welding procedure specification that includes a set of weld parameters, a specific weld process, electrical characteristics, and selected welding wire features;

and a circuit to load said at least one welding procedure specification into controller of said welder to control at least one operation of said welder.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said digital data of said first chip includes digital data defining selected qualifications of the operating welder and including a second receptacle for a second memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of actual welding qualifications of a welder;

and a disable circuit to disable said welder to process said welder procedure specification when said actual welding qualification fails to fall within a predefined deviation of said selected qualifications.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, including a program to update said digital data indicative of at least one actual welding qualification in response to the processing of said specific welding procedure specification.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein the circuit includes a memory for storing said digital data and said first chip includes a coded data to output at least a portion of said digital data into said controller.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein digital data at least partially from a network and said first chip includes coded data to output at least a portion of said digital data into said controller.

6. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the circuit includes a memory for storing said digital data and said first chip includes a coded data to output at least a portion of said digital data into said controller.

7. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein digital data at least partially from a network and said first chip includes coded data to output at least a portion of said digital data into said controller.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, including a program to update said digital data indicative of at least one actual welding qualification in response to the processing of said specific welding procedure specification.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a memory for storing said digital data and said first chip includes a coded data to output at least a portion of said digital data into said controller.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein digital data at least partially from a network and said first chip includes coded data to output at least a portion of said digital data into said controller.

11. A system for controlling an electric arc welder comprising a memory loaded with digital data indicative of a specific welding procedure specification that includes a set of weld parameters, a controller with a digital processing device having a memory for receiving said digital data and controlling said welder in compliance with said digital data, and a digital reading interface to at least partially load said digital data from said memory to said section of said controller, said memory device is a memory button having an IC chip loaded with said digital data and readable by touch and said interface is a touch contactor in a receptacle to touch said memory button when said button is placed into said receptacle.

12. A system for controlling an electric arc welder at a weld station comprising a controller for the power supply and external drives at said weld station, a data entry station, and a logic network, said controller having a digital processing device including a section to receive digital data and at least partially control said welder in compliance with said digital data, said digital data including a selected value for an external weld condition, said data entry station adapted for an operator to select a level for said external condition, said logic network comparing said selected level and said selected value to create an action signal based upon said comparison.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein digital data includes a selected welding procedure specification having a high and low value for external condition.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein said action signal is a signal selected from the group consisting of a command signal setting said power supply or external drive to a given value for said external condition, a signal recording said condition, a signal to set said power supply at a value of external condition between a high and a low value, a signal disabling welder when selected level is not within a selected deviation from said selected value, and combinations thereof.

15. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein said controller generates a command signal for said external condition to said power supply or external drive based upon said welding procedure specification and said action signal, a sensor to read said external condition on a real time basis, and a circuit to disable said welder when said sensed external conditions deviate from said command signal.

17. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

18. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein said data entry station is separate from said weld station.

19. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein said weld station is a robot.

20. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein said action signal is a signal selected from the group consisting of a command signal setting said power supply or external drive to a given value for said external condition, a signal recording said condition, a signal to set said power supply at a value of external condition between a high and a low value, a signal disabling welder when selected level is not within a selected deviation from said selected value, and combinations thereof.

21. The system as defined in claim 20, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

22. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein said controller generates a command signal for said external condition to said power supply or external drive based upon said welding procedure specification and said action signal, a sensor to read said external condition on a real time basis, and a circuit to disable said welder when said sensed external conditions deviate from said command signal.

23. The system as defined in claim 22, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

24. The system as defined in claim 20, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

25. The system as defined in claim 24, wherein said controller generates a command signal for said external condition to said power supply or external drive based upon said welding procedure specification and said action signal, a sensor to read said external condition on a real time basis, and a circuit to disable said welder when said sensed external conditions deviate from said command signal.

26. The system as defined in claim 25, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

27. The system as defined in claim 26, wherein said data entry station is separate from said weld station.

28. The system as defined in claim 27, wherein said weld station is a robot.

29. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

30. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein said controller generates a command signal for said external condition to said power supply or external drive based upon said welding procedure specification and said action signal, a sensor to read said external condition on a real time basis, and a circuit to disable said welder when said sensed external conditions deviate from said command signal.

31. The system as defined in claim 30, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

32. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein said data entry station is separate from said weld station.

33. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein said weld station is a robot.

34. A system for controlling an electric arc welder at a weld station comprising a controller for the power supply of said welder, a reading device to load control data containing a specific welding procedure specification, said controller having a digital processing device with a memory for receiving digital data and controlling said welder in compliance with said digital data, said reading device loading said control data into said memory, said control data including a selected level for an external condition, said controller generating a command signal for said external condition for a sensor to read said external condition on a real time basis and a comparator circuit to disable said welder when said external condition deviates from said selected level.

35. The system as defined in claim 34, wherein said external condition is a condition selected from the group consisting of travel speed of an external drive, wire feed speed of an external drive, arc current of said power supply, arc voltage of said power supply, and combinations thereof.

36. The system as defined in claim 35, wherein one of said external drives is a wire feeder.

37. The system as defined in claim 36, wherein one of said drives is a robot drive for travel speed during welding.

38. The system as defined in claim 35, wherein one of said drives is a robot drive for travel speed during welding.

39. The system as defined in claim 34, wherein one of said external drives is a wire feeder.

40. The system as defined in claim 34, wherein one of said drives is a robot drive for travel speed during welding.