Method to monitor the life of the contact tip in GMAW-pulse
US9227270B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 2012 |
| Grant date | Jan 5, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K9/1336
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of monitoring and assessing contact tip useful life in a GMAW-pulse application. The pulse welding waveform includes current and voltage that periodically change between peaks and background. The welding current and voltage are measured on a series of repeated representative welds. The data that corresponds to the arc start and the arc stop of a weld is removed. The data is averaged for each representative weld, which corresponds to production of welded parts and/or usage of the contact tip. The deterioration of the contact tip is assessed based on one or more of (i) a decrease in the frequency of the peaks, (ii) an increase in the length of the background, and (iii) an increase in the occurrence of abnormal low voltage. The assessment is outputted as contact tip life data, and continuously fed to a controller or operator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.