MIG-MIG Welding Process
AssigneeIllinois Tool Work Inc.
InventorsRichard M. Hutchison, Joseph K. Fink
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for MIG-MIG welding includes at least first and second sources (104,114) of wire, and first and second sources of power (102,112). The first source of wire provides a first wire (106) to a main arc between the first wire (106) and a workpiece (110). The first source of power (102) provides MIG power to a first current path including the first wire (106) and the workpiece (110). The second source of wire provides a second wire to a filler arc between the first wire (106) and the second wire (116). The second source of power (112) provides MIG power to a second current path including the first wire (106) and the second wire (116).
Claims57
A MIG-MIG welding system comprising:
- a first source of wire, disposed to provide a first wire to a main arc between the first wire and a workpiece;
- a first source of EP MIG power;
- disposed to provide a first current having a path including the first wire and the workpiece;
- a second source of wire, disposed to provide a second wire to a filler arc between the first wire and the second wire;
- and
- a second source of EN MIG power, disposed to provide a second current having a path including the first wire and the second wire.
The system of claim one, further comprising a user adjustable voltage control that effects a change in the intersection of the first wire and the second wire.
The system of claim one, wherein the user adjustable voltage control is an arc voltage control.
The system of claim one, wherein the main arc and the filler arc spatially overlap.
The system of claim one, further comprising a first MIG gun through which the first wire is provided in a first direction, a second MIG gun through which the second wire is provided in a second direction at an angle A relative to the first direction, wherein the first MIG gun and the second MIG gun are mounted on a gun assembly, and further wherein the gun assembly includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting angle A.
The system of claim one, wherein the first wire is a solid wire.
The system of claim one, wherein the first wire is a tubular wire.
The system of claim one, wherein the first wire has a first alloy composition, and the second wire has a second alloy composition, and wherein the first alloy composition is different from the second alloy composition.
The system of claim one, wherein the first wire has a first wire size, and the second wire has a second wire size, and wherein the first wire size is different from the second wire size.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power is a first source of CV, EP MIG power and the second source of EN MIG power is a first source of CV, EN MIG power.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power is a first source of CV, EP MIG power and the second source of EN MIG power is a second source of CC, EN MIG power.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power is a first source of CC, EP MIG power and the second source of EN MIG power is a second source of CV, EN MIG power.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power is a first source of CC, EP MIG power and the second source of EN MIG power is a second source of CC, EN MIG power.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power is a first source of pulse MIG power.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power is a first source of spray MIG power.
The system of claim one, further comprising a controller, wherein the controller includes a first wire feed speed output connected to the first source of wire, and a second wire speed output connected to the second source of wire, wherein the controller provides a first signal on the first wire feed speed output indicative of a first wire feed speed, and provides second signal on the second wire speed output indicative of a second wire feed speed, and further wherein the controller has a user adjustable balance control that effects a change in a ratio of the first wire feed speed to the second wire feed speed, without changing the sum of the first wire feed speed and the second wire feed speed.
The system of claim one, further comprising a controller, wherein the controller includes a first wire feed speed output connected to the first source of wire, and a second wire speed output connected to the second source of wire, wherein the controller provides a first signal on the first wire feed speed output indicative of a first wire feed speed, and provides second signal on the second wire speed output indicative of a second wire feed speed, and further wherein the controller receives at least one of a main arc feedback signal, a filler arc feedback signal, and an output feedback signal, and in response thereto effects a change in a ratio of the first wire feed speed to the second wire feed speed, without changing the sum of the first wire feed speed and the second wire feed speed.
The system of claim one, further comprising a controller, wherein the controller includes a first wire feed speed output connected to the first source of wire, and a second wire speed output connected to the second source of wire, wherein the controller provides a first signal on the first wire feed speed output indicative of a first wire feed speed, and provides second signal on the second wire speed output indicative of a second wire feed speed, and further wherein the controller has a user adjustable first wire feed speed control that effects a change in the first wire feed speed output without effecting a change in the second wire feed speed output, and further wherein the controller has a user adjustable second wire feed speed control that effects a change in the second wire feed speed output without effecting a change in the first wire feed speed output.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power controls the first current to have a desired first magnitude and the second source of EN MIG power controls the second current to have a desired second magnitude, and further comprising a user adjustable balance control that effects a change in the ratio of the first magnitude to the second magnitude, without changing the sum of the first magnitude and the second magnitude.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power controls the first current to have a desired first magnitude and the second source of EN MIG power controls the second current to have a desired second magnitude, and further comprising at least one of a main arc feedback, an output feedback, and a filler arc feedback, and in response thereto a change in the ratio of the first magnitude to the second magnitude is effected, without changing the sum of the first magnitude and the second magnitude.
The system of claim one, wherein the first source of EP MIG power controls the first current to have a desired first magnitude and the second source of EN MIG power controls the second current to have a desired second magnitude, and further comprising a user adjustable first current control that effects a change in the first magnitude without changing the second magnitude, and a user adjustable second current control that effects a change in the second magnitude without changing the first magnitude.
A method of MIG-MIG welding comprising:
- feeding a first wire to a main arc between the first wire and a workpiece;
- providing EP MIG power through a first current path including the first wire and the workpiece;
- feeding a second wire to a filler arc between the first wire and the second wire;
- and
- providing EN MIG power through a second current path including the first wire and the second wire.
A method of filling a gap using MIG-MIG welding comprising:
- feeding a first wire to a main arc between the first wire and a workpiece;
- providing MIG power through a first current path including the first wire and the workpiece;
- feeding a second wire to a filler arc between the first wire and the second wire;
- providing MIG power through a second current path including the first wire and the second wire;
- and
- therein melting the first wire and the second wire to fill the gap.
A method of hard-facing comprising:
- feeding a first wire to a main arc between the first wire and a workpiece;
- providing MIG power at a first magnitude through a first current path including the first wire and the workpiece;
- feeding a second wire to a filler arc between the first wire and the second wire;
- and
- providing MIG power at a second magnitude through a second current path including the first wire and the second wire, wherein the second magnitude is greater than the first magnitude;
- wherein at least one of the first and second wires includes carborundum.
A MIG-MIG-MIG welding system comprising:
- a first source of wire, disposed to provide a first wire to a main arc between the first wire and a workpiece;
- a first source of EP MIG power;
- disposed to provide a first current having a path including the first wire and the workpiece;
- a second source of wire, disposed to provide a second wire to a filler arc between the first wire and the second wire;
- a second source of EN MIG power, disposed to provide a second current having a path including the first wire and the second wire;
- a third source of wire, disposed to provide a third wire to a third arc between the first wire and the third wire;
- and
- a third source of EN MIG power, disposed to provide a third current having a path including the first wire and the third wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.