Method and Apparatus For Welding With Reduced Spatter
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsBruce P. Albrecht, Nathan G. Leiteritz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing spatter is disclosed. A welding gun, which can be an integrated part of a welding system, includes a device, such as a solenoid or motor and roller, to slow, stop or reverse the wire. The device is activated in response to feedback indicative of a short, a short that is about to form, or the imminent clearing of a short. The detection of the short, forming of a short, or clearing of a short is in response to feedback based on current and/or voltage. Output current can also be reduced.
Claims21
A welding gun for reducing spatter including, a path for wire through the gun, a liner, disposed about the wire path for at least a portion of the path through the gun, a solenoid, having an activated position that impinges on the wire path, and a deactivated position that does not impinge on the wire path, and a control circuit, including a feedback input and further including a control output connected to the solenoid.
A welding gun for reducing spatter including, a path for feeding wire through the gun, a liner, disposed about the wire path for at least a portion of the path through the gun, and at least one of a motor, electromagnetic brake, and particle brake, connected to a roller that has an active mode that impedes wire feeding and an inactive mode that does not affect wire feeding, and a control circuit, including a feedback input and further including a control output connected to the motor.
A method of reducing spatter in a welding process comprising:
- feeding a welding wire through a welding gun toward a workpiece;
- sensing a welding output parameter indicative of an impending short clearing;
- activating a solenoid to restrain the feeding of the welding wire in response to the sensing;
- and
- deactivating the solenoid to cease restraining the feeding of the welding wire.
A method of reducing spatter in a welding process comprising:
- feeding a welding wire through a welding gun toward a workpiece;
- sensing a welding output parameter indicative of an impending short clearing;
- activating at least one of a motor, electromagnetic brake, and particle brake, connected to a roller to restrain the feeding of the welding wire in response to the sensing;
- and
- deactivating the motor to cease restraining the feeding of the welding wire.
A welding gun for reducing spatter, comprising:
- means for sensing a welding output parameter indicative of an impending short clearing;
- means for restraining the feeding of the welding wire, wherein the means for restraining is responsive to the means for sensing;
- and
- means for ceasing the restraining of the feeding of the welding wire, wherein the means for ceasing is responsive to the means for sensing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.