Filler wire position control
AssigneeLiburdi Engineering Limited
InventorsRobert Joseph Pistor, Matthew Ronald Reid
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for controlling the position of a filler wire and/or a laser head, or other heating head, in a welding system. The distal end of the filler wire is gradually moved, e.g., upward, until electrical continuity with the weld pool is lost; the filler wire is then moved back into contact with the weld pool. The heating head may be stationary relative to the weld pool, or it may move, with the distal end of the filler wire, relative to the weld pool.
Claims18
A method for adjusting the position of a filler wire relative to a weld pool during welding, the method comprising:
- determining whether an electrical continuity criterion, for electrical continuity between the filler wire and the weld pool, is met;
- moving a distal end of the filler wire in a first direction relative to the weld pool, while the electrical continuity criterion is met, the first direction being selected to cause the electrical continuity criterion to cease to be met;
- and
- when the electrical continuity criterion ceases to be met, moving the distal end of the filler wire in a second direction relative to the weld pool, the second direction being selected to cause the electrical continuity criterion to be met.
A system for welding, the system comprising:
- a heating head for heating a substrate;
- a conductive substrate attachment for forming a conductive connection to the substrate;
- a filler wire;
- a circuit for determining whether an electrical continuity criterion, for electrical continuity between the filler wire and the substrate, is met;
- and
- a filler wire relative position control system,
- the filler wire relative position control system being configured, in operation, to
- move a distal end of the filler wire in a first direction relative to a weld pool on the substrate, while the electrical continuity criterion is met, the first direction being selected to cause the electrical continuity criterion to cease to be met;
- and
- when the electrical continuity criterion ceases to be met, to move the distal end of the filler wire in a second direction relative to the weld pool, the second direction being selected to cause the electrical continuity criterion to be met.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.