# US 2019/0168342 A1 · Devices, Methods, and Control Programs for Laser Welding Using Welding Wire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168342 A1 - Document ID: US20190168342A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/267,484 - Filed: 2019-02-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-05 - Assignees: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG - Applicants: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG - Inventors: Wolfgang Andreasch; Moritz Berger; Patrick Weber; Martin Johannes Geiger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168342A1 ## CPC - B23K 26/211: with interposition of special material to facilitate connection of the parts - B23K 9/124: {Circuits or methods for feeding welding wire} - B23K 26/0884: {in at least three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots} - B23K 26/1464: {Supply to, or discharge from, nozzles of media, e.g. gas, powder, wire} - B23K 26/32: taking account of the properties of the material involved - B23K 26/70: Auxiliary operations or equipment - 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 ## Abstract Devices for laser welding using welding wire have a welding head, a wire guide for the welding wire, and a wire feed drive. The welding wire can be moved by the wire feed drive during a welding process with a feed movement in a feed direction, guided by the wire guide A positioning device has a positioning drive, by which the welding wire is moved in an oscillating manner in the longitudinal direction of the welding wire, when a wire end of the welding wire is arranged in a welding readiness position. Methods for laser welding using a welding wire as added material are carried out using the aforementioned device. A control program controls the devices. The devices for laser welding can be provided as a part of a welding robot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for laser welding using welding wire as added material, the device comprising: a welding head that is connected to a beam source and generates a laser beam that is directed at a welding point; a wire guide for the welding wire; a wire feed drive configured to move the welding wire during a welding process relative to the wire guide with a feed movement in a feed direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the wire; and a positioning device configured to position a wire end of the welding wire in a welding readiness position on the device for laser welding, the welding readiness position being a desired position relative to the welding point; wherein the positioning device for the welding wire includes a positioning drive configured to oscillate the welding wire in the longitudinal direction of the welding wire relative to the wire guide when the wire end of the welding wire is positioned in the welding readiness position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein a wire drive is provided including the positioning drive and the wire feed drive and having a reversible drive direction such that the wire drive is configured to move the welding wire in an oscillating manner in the longitudinal direction of the wire relative to the wire guide by moving the welding wire in a drive direction extending in the feed direction or in a drive direction extending in a direction opposite to the feed direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning drive is configured to move the welding wire, while the welding wire is moving in an oscillating manner in the longitudinal direction of the wire, into a position where the welding wire projects in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the positioning device for the welding wire includes a separating device configured to cut the welding wire projecting in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position such that the wire end produced as a result of the cutting is in the welding readiness position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the beam source, to which the welding head is connected, may be selectively operated in a welding mode or in a separating mode, wherein the separating device comprises the welding head and is configured to cut the welding wire projecting in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position when the beam source is operated in the separating mode such that the wire end produced as a result of the cutting is in the welding readiness position. ### Claim 6 A welding robot having a device for laser welding using welding wire as added material, the device comprising: a welding head that is connected to a beam source and generates a laser beam that is directed at a welding point; a wire guide for the welding wire; a wire feed drive configured to move the welding wire during a welding process relative to the wire guide with a feed movement in a feed direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the wire; and a positioning device configured to position a wire end of the welding wire in a welding readiness position on the device for laser welding, the welding readiness position being a desired position relative to the welding point; wherein the positioning device for the welding wire includes a positioning drive configured to oscillate the welding wire in the longitudinal direction of the welding wire relative to the wire guide when the wire end of the welding wire is positioned in the welding readiness position. ### Claim 7 A method for laser welding using welding wire as added material, the method comprising: generating a laser beam by a beam source; directing the laser beam by a welding head to a welding point; moving the welding wire during a welding process relative to a wire guide by a wire feed drive with a feed movement in a feed direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the wire; positioning a wire end of the welding wire by a positioning device on the device for laser welding at a welding readiness position, the welding readiness position being a desired position in which the wire end is arranged relative to the welding point at a start of the welding process; and oscillating the welding wire in the longitudinal direction of the wire relative to the wire guide when the leading wire end of the welding wire is positioned in the welding readiness position by a positioning drive of the positioning device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the welding wire is moved in an oscillating manner in the longitudinal direction of the wire by a wire drive having a reversible drive direction, and depending on the drive direction of the wire drive is moved in the feed direction or in an opposite direction, and thereby relative to the wire guide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the welding wire is moved in an oscillating manner in the longitudinal direction of the wire by the positioning drive until the welding wire projects in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising cutting the welding wire projecting in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position by a separating device of the positioning device such that the wire end produced as a result of the cutting is in the welding readiness position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising selectively operating the beam source in a welding mode or in a separating mode, and when the beam source is operated in the separating mode, the welding wire projecting in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position is cut by the welding head such that the wire end produced as a result of the cutting is in the welding readiness position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the welding wire and the separating device to a separating position remote from the welding point for cutting the welding wire projecting in the feed direction beyond the welding readiness position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the welding head, being the separating device, to the separating position remote from the welding point. ### Claim 14 A control program for operating a device for laser welding using welding wire as added material, the device comprising: a welding head that is connected to a beam source and generates a laser beam that is directed at a welding point; a wire guide for the welding wire; a wire feed drive configured to move the welding wire during a welding process relative to the wire guide with a feed movement in a feed direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the wire; and a positioning device configured to position a wire end of the welding wire in a welding readiness position on the device for laser welding, the welding readiness position being a desired position relative to the welding point; wherein the positioning device for the welding wire includes a positioning drive configured to oscillate the welding wire in the longitudinal direction of the welding wire relative to the wire guide when the wire end of the welding wire is positioned in the welding readiness position; wherein control instructions ensure that a method for laser welding using welding wire as added material is carried out when the control program runs on a numeric control unit of the device for laser welding, the method comprising: generating a laser beam by a beam source; directing the laser beam by a welding head to a welding point; moving the welding wire during a welding process relative to a wire guide by a wire feed drive with a feed movement in a feed direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the wire; positioning a wire end of the welding wire by a positioning device on the device for laser welding at a welding readiness position, the welding readiness position being a desired position in which the wire end is arranged relative to the welding point at a start of the welding process; and oscillating the welding wire in the longitudinal direction of the wire relative to the wire guide when the leading wire end of the welding wire is positioned in the welding readiness position by a positioning drive of the positioning device.