Apparatus and methods for controlling a welding process
US5061841A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1989 |
| Grant date | Oct 29, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K9/0956
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of controlling an arc welding process includes establishing an arc between a welding electrode and weld joint wherein light generated by the arc is reflected by the weld pool and by the metal surrounding the weld pool. The rays of reflected light travelling substantially parallel to the axis of the electrode are collected in a video camera. The output of the video camera is fed to a monitor where an image of the weld pool is displayed in which the arc is obscured by the electrode and the arc process can be manually controlled on the basis of the image. In another method, the width of a weld pool is determined by analyzing a video image of the weld pool area.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.