Tool based welding technique monitoring systems
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorWilliam Joshua Becker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are examples of tool based welding technique monitoring systems that provide an inexpensive, intuitive, and relatively robust way of tracking an orientation of a welding-type tool, and providing welding technique feedback based on the orientation. The system requires no sensors apart from a simple and/or relatively inexpensive sensor module that can travel with the welding-type tool, which makes the system highly portable. The system can also provide some feedback with minimal calibration, which can be valuable in situations where an operator forgets, or is unwilling, to take the time to fully calibrate the system. Additionally, full calibration of the system can be accomplished with a fast, simple, intuitive calibration technique.
Claims20
A method of monitoring welding technique, the method comprising:
- determining, via processing circuitry, a first joint characteristic vector and a second joint characteristic vector based on a joint orientation and first sensor data detected during a first time duration by a sensor system attached to, or integrated with, a welding-type tool;
- tracking, in real time during a welding-type operation, via the processing circuitry, a tool orientation of the welding-type tool using second sensor data detected by the sensor system during a second time duration;
- and
- identifying, via the processing circuitry, a welding technique parameter value based on the first or second joint characteristic vector and the tool orientation of the welding-type tool.
A method of monitoring welding technique, the method comprising:
- determining, in real time during a welding-type operation, via processing circuitry, a joint characteristic vector based on a joint orientation and sensor data of a sensor system attached to, or integrated with, a welding-type tool;
- tracking, in real time during the welding-type operation, via the processing circuitry, a tool orientation of the welding-type tool using the sensor data;
- identifying, via the processing circuitry, a welding technique parameter value based on the joint characteristic vector and the tool orientation of the welding-type tool.
A welding technique monitoring system, the system comprising:
- a sensor system integrated with, or configured for attachment to, a welding-type tool;
- and
- processing circuitry configured to:
- determine a joint characteristic vector based on a joint orientation and first sensor data detected by the sensor system during a first time duration;
- track, in real time during a welding-type operation, a tool orientation of the welding-type tool using the first sensor data, or second sensor data detected by the sensor system during a second time duration;
- and
- identify a welding technique parameter value based on the joint characteristic vector and the tool orientation of the welding-type tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.