Patent · US Expired

Real time adaptive control for resistance spot welding process

US4861960A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 1989
Grant dateAug 29, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 19, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B2219/49219
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This real time adaptive control and method of controlling a spot welding process compensates for electrode wear, oxidized surfaces, fit up variations and machine variations. Workpiece thermal growth is the measurement discriminant and the welding machine heat command is the control input. The control utilizes a least squares estimator to monitor the process and workpiece displacement, a precompensator to shape a desired displacement trajectory command, and a model reference control with a Smith-predictor to compensate for time delays and a proportional-integral-derivative compensator. The model reference control has a mathematical model of the spot welding process and calculates an estimated displacement using a predicated process gain and bias calculated by the estimator. The estimated displacement is compared to the precompensator displacement trajectory and an error is generated which regulates the heat command through the PID compensator.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.