Identifying components in a material processing system

• US 9,395,715 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2015
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Inventors: Brandt, Aaron, Shipulski, E. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, GEORGE BINH MINH
• Application Number:
  US14/589,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20150127137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 451/2, 451/5, 451 36- 40, 451 75-102, 451/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/006 Control circuits therefor circuits for plasma torches H05H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/02 Plasma welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/04 Steel or steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/20 Bonding soldering by means of radiant energy B23K1/005; joining of preformed plastics parts by heating using laser beam B29C65/16
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 5/00 Gas flame welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 7/10 Auxiliary devices, e.g. for guiding or supporting the torch guiding means applicable to other metal-working machines B23Q
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 1/045 for cutting energy dissipating devices therefor B26F3/008
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/004 by means of a fluid jet methods for use of abrasive blasting for cutting B24C1/045; guns for abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet B26F1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45041 Laser cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49001 Machine tool problems
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/34 Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3473 Safety means
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3494 Means for controlling discharge parameters

Abstract

An automated material processing system is provided for processing a workpiece using a processing table. The system includes a replaceable component comprising at least one cutting head consumable, one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) signal devices disposed in or on the replaceable component, and at least one reader communicatively connected to the one or more signal devices. The one or more signal devices are encoded with information about the replaceable component and the reader is configured to sense the information encoded on the one or more signal devices. In addition, the system includes a computing device communicatively connected to the reader for (i) processing the information transmitted by the reader and (ii) configuring a set of operating parameters of the material processing system based on the sensed information.

Claims

1. An automated material processing system for processing a workpiece using a processing table, the system comprising:

a replaceable component comprising at least one cutting head consumable, the replaceable component configured for mounting on the processing table;

one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) signal devices disposed in or on the replaceable component, wherein the one or more signal devices are encoded with information about the replaceable component that identifies two or more of a name, trademark, manufacturer, serial number, usage history, operating parameter, or type associated with the replaceable component;

at least one reader communicatively connected to the one or more signal devices, the at least one reader configured to sense the information encoded on the one or more signal devices; and

a computing device communicatively connected to the at least one reader for (i) processing the information transmitted by the reader and (ii) configuring a set of operating parameters of the material processing system based on the sensed information to operate the material processing system in a manner suitable for the replaceable component, the configuring including adjusting a motion setting of the processing table based on the sensed information.

4. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the replaceable component is a cutting head.

5. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the sensed information identifies a type of the replaceable component that comprises one of a plasma cutting head, oxy-fuel cutting head, laser cutting head, or waterjet cutting head.

6. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein configuring the set of operating parameters comprises performing one or more of a system selection, replaceable component height selection, software selection, gas selection, abrasive selection, gas pressure, flow, or mixture selection, or circuit function selection.

7. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to predict cut quality or life expectancy of the replaceable component based on the sensed information.

8. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the usage history records at least one of a time of use, a duration of use, or a condition of use of the replaceable component.

9. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the usage history records a number of cutting cycles of the replaceable component.

10. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the sensed information identifies at least one feature unique to the replaceable component that is capable of distinguishing the replaceable component from another of the same type.

11. The automated material processing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one reader is external to the replaceable component.

2. The automated material processing system 1, further comprising a mount coupled to the processing table for connecting the replaceable component to the processing table.

3. The automated material processing system of claim 2, wherein the computing device is further configured to identify the replaceable component in response to installation of the replaceable component into the mount.

12. A method for configuring a material processing system to process a workpiece using a processing table, the method comprising:

providing a first cutting head having a first radio frequency identification mechanism attached thereto, wherein the first identification mechanism is encoded with information about the first cutting head;

installing the first cutting head into a first cutting head mount of the processing table;

communicating the information between the first identification mechanism and a reader coupled to the material processing system;

adjusting at least one operating parameter of the material processing system based on the information; and

updating the information encoded in the first identification mechanism after an operation of the first cutting head by the material processing system.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a second cutting head having a second radio frequency identification mechanism attached thereto, wherein the second identification mechanism is encoded with information about the second cutting head,

installing the second cutting head in a second cutting head mount coupled to the processing table;

communicating the information about the second cutting head between the second identification mechanism and a second reader; and

adjusting the at least one operating parameter of the material processing system based on information about at least one of the first or second cutting head.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising prioritizing operations between the first and second cutting heads based on the information about the first cutting head, the second cutting head, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second readers are the same reader or different readers.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein updating the information encoded in the first identification mechanism comprises updating usage data associated with the operation.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a period of use, a time of use or a condition of use of the first cutting head based on the usage data.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising predicting a cut quality or life expectancy of the first cutting head based on the usage data.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting at least one operating parameter comprises performing one or more of a system selection, replaceable component height selection, software selection, fluid selection, abrasive selection, amperage selection, gas pressure, flow, or mixture selection, or circuit function selection.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting at least one operating parameter comprises modifying a motion setting or cutting head height setting of the processing table.

21. An automated material processing system comprising:

a processing table;

a first replaceable component comprising a first set of cutting head consumables, the first replaceable component configured for installation into a mount coupled to the processing table, wherein the first replaceable component is coupled to a first electronic identification mechanism;

a second replaceable component comprising a second set of cutting head consumables, the second replaceable component configured for installation into a second mount coupled to the processing table, wherein the second replaceable component is coupled to a second electronic identification mechanism;

at least one reader communicatively connected to the first and second identification mechanisms, the at least one reader configured to transmit information about the first and second identification mechanisms; and

a computing device communicatively connected to the at least one reader for (i) processing information about the first and second replaceable components transmitted by the reader and (ii) configuring a set of operating parameters of the material processing system based on the sensed information.

22. The automated material processing system of claim 21, wherein the first replaceable component comprises a first cutting head and the second replaceable component comprises a second cutting head.

23. The automated material processing system of claim 21, wherein the first electronic identification mechanism comprises a first set of one or more RFID signaling devices and the second electronic identification mechanism comprises a second set of one or more RFID signaling devices.

24. The automated material processing system of claim 21, wherein the computing device is further configured to prioritize use of the first and second mounts based on the sensed information to sequentially operate the first and second cutting heads.

25. The automated material processing system of claim 22, wherein the sensed information identifies a type of the first or second cutting head that comprises one of a plasma cutting head, oxy-fuel cutting head, laser cutting head, or waterjet cutting head.

26. The automated material processing system of claim 21, wherein the material processing system comprises a thermal processing system adapted to process a workpiece using thermal energy.

27. The automated material processing system of claim 21, wherein the at least one reader is external to the first and second replaceable components.