# US 2017/0282277 A1 · Methods and apparatus to control advancement of a welding electrode wire for arc ignition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0282277 A1 - Document ID: US20170282277A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/419,519 - Filed: 2017-01-30 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Craig Steven Knoener; Zach MacMullen; Charles Ace Tyler; Lucas Charles Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282277A1 ## CPC - B23K 9/125: {Feeding of electrodes (for stabilising arc B23K9/073)} - B23K 9/095: Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters - B23K 9/124: {Circuits or methods for feeding welding wire} - B23K 9/1336: {Driving means} - B65H 51/10: with opposed coacting surfaces, e.g. providing nips - B65H 51/30: Devices controlling the forwarding speed to synchronise with supply, treatment, or take-up apparatus (B65H59/10, B65H59/38 take precedence) - B65H 2701/36: Wires - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract Methods and apparatus to control advancement of a welding electrode wire for arc ignition are disclosed. An example electrode wire feeder includes a wire feed motor to advance electrode wire to a welding torch, a temperature monitor to determine a temperature of the electrode wire using at least one of a temperature measurement or a thermal model, and a motor controller to control a run-in wire speed based on a temperature of the electrode wire. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wire feeding system, comprising: a wire feed motor to advance electrode wire to a welding torch; a temperature monitor to determine a temperature of the electrode wire using at least one of a temperature measurement or a thermal model; and a motor controller to control a run-in wire speed based on the temperature of the electrode wire. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 1, wherein the motor controller is configured to select the run-in wire speed based on a proportional relationship between the temperature of the electrode wire and the run-in wire speed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 2, wherein the proportional relationship comprises discrete run-in wire feed speeds corresponding to elapsed time periods following an end of a weld. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 2, wherein the proportional relationship comprises a continuous decrease in the run-in wire speed as an elapsed time following an end of a weld increases during a time period following the end of the weld. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 1, wherein the motor controller is configured to: determine an upper limit of the run-in wire speed corresponding to an upper temperature threshold of the electrode wire; and decrease the run-in wire speed from the upper limit as time progresses following a first weld until an arc is initiated for a second weld or a lower limit of the run-in wire speed is reached. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 1, wherein the motor controller is configured to determine a lower limit of the run-in wire speed corresponding to at least one of a lower temperature threshold or a threshold elapsed time following a previous weld. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of at least one of the electrode wire or a component in thermal communication with the electrode wire, the temperature sensor comprising at least one of an infrared optical temperature sensor, a thermocouple, or a thermistor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wire feeding system as defined in claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to communicate the temperature measurement to the temperature monitor via at least one of a wired communication or a wireless communication, the temperature monitor to apply the thermal model to the temperature measurement to determine the temperature of the electrode wire. ### Claim 9 A welding-type system, comprising: a wire feed motor to advance electrode wire to a welding torch; a welding-type power source to provide welding-type power to the welding torch; a temperature monitor to determine a temperature of the electrode wire using at least one of a temperature measurement or a thermal model; and a motor controller to control a run-in wire speed based on the temperature of the electrode wire. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The welding-type system as defined in claim 9, wherein the motor controller is configured to select the run-in wire speed based on a proportional relationship between the temperature of the electrode wire and the run-in wire speed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The welding-type system as defined in claim 10, wherein the proportional relationship comprises discrete run-in wire feed speeds corresponding to elapsed time periods following an end of a weld. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The welding-type system as defined in claim 10, wherein the proportional relationship comprises a continuous decrease in the run-in wire speed as an elapsed time following an end of a weld increases during a time period following the end of the weld. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The welding-type system as defined in claim 9, wherein the motor controller is configured to: determine an upper limit of the run-in wire speed corresponding to an upper temperature threshold of the electrode wire; and decrease the run-in wire speed from the upper limit as time progresses following a first weld until an arc is initiated for a second weld or a lower limit of the run-in wire speed is reached. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The welding-type system as defined in claim 9, wherein the motor controller is configured to determine a lower limit of the run-in wire speed corresponding to at least one of a lower temperature threshold or a threshold elapsed time following a previous weld. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The welding-type system as defined in claim 9, further comprising a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of at least one of the electrode wire or a component in thermal communication with the electrode wire, the temperature sensor comprising at least one of an infrared optical temperature sensor, a thermocouple, or a thermistor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The welding-type system as defined in claim 15, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to communicate the temperature measurement to the temperature monitor via at least one of a wired communication or a wireless communication, the temperature monitor to apply the thermal model to the temperature measurement to determine the temperature of the electrode wire. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory machine readable medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a control circuit to: identify an end of a welding arc at a welding torch; select a run-in wire speed based on a temperature of electrode wire to be fed by the welding torch; identify a trigger actuation event at the welding torch; and control a wire feeder to feed the electrode wire at the run-in wire speed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory machine readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to cause the control circuit to identify an arc ignition and, in response to the are ignition, control the wire feeder to feed the wire at a setpoint wire feed speed. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory machine readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions are to cause the control circuit to select the run-in wire speed based on a proportional relationship between the temperature of the electrode wire and the run-in wire speed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory machine readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions are to cause the control circuit to select the run-in wire speed based on the temperature of the electrode wire comprises determining an elapsed time following the end of the welding arc, the temperature being based on the elapsed time according to a time-temperature relationship.