System and method for managing welding procedures and welding resources

A system for managing welding procedures, comprising:

• a welding system having first welding procedures stored thereon and operatively coupled to a network;
• a local server having second welding procedures stored thereon communicating with the welding system via the network;
• at least one remote system having third welding procedures stored thereon;
• and,
• wherein at least one of the welding system and the local server are operatively coupled to the remote system and the welding system is adapted to search the stored first welding procedures, the stored second welding procedures, and the stored third welding procedures in response to a user query.

A system for managing welding procedures, comprising:

• a welding system having first welding procedures stored;
• at least one remote system having second welding procedures stored thereon;
• and,
• wherein the welding system and the remote system are operatively coupled and the welding system is adapted to search the stored first welding procedures and the stored second welding procedures in response to a user query.

A method for managing welding procedures and welding resources, comprising:

• receiving welding parameters;
• searching for welding procedures;
• calculating welding costs associated with a welding procedure;
• and,
• presenting welding procedure search results and relative welding costs to a user.

A method for managing welding procedures and welding resources, comprising:

• communicating information regarding a welding procedure and/or associated consumables to an inventory & distribution system and/or ordering system;
• loading the welding procedure into a welding system;
• determining whether the welding procedure is qualified;
• qualifying and/or approving the welding procedure;
• preparing a procedure qualification record;
• updating a part documentation with the procedure qualification record;
• storing the welding procedure on a local server;
• updating the welding system's expert system with the welding procedure;
• and,
• updating a remote system's database with the welding procedure.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for executing the method of:

• receiving welding parameters;
• searching for welding procedures;
• calculating welding costs associated with a welding procedure;
• and,
• presenting welding procedure search results and relative welding costs to a user.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for executing the method of:

• communicating information regarding a welding procedure and/or associated consumables to an inventory & distribution system and/or ordering system;
• loading the welding procedure into a welding system;
• determining whether the welding procedure is qualified;
• qualifying and/or approving the welding procedure;
• preparing a procedure qualification record;
• updating a part documentation with the procedure qualification record;
• storing the welding procedure on a local server:
• updating the welding system's expert system with the welding procedure;
• and,
• updating a remote system's database with the welding procedure.

A signal for communicating between a welding system and a remote system, comprising:

• a welding system having first welding procedures stored thereon and operatively coupled to a network;
• a local server having second welding procedures stored thereon and communicating with the welding system via the network;
• at least one remote system having third welding procedures stored thereon;
• wherein at least one of the welding system and the local server are operatively coupled to the remote system by the signal and the welding system is adapted to search the stored first welding procedures, the stored second welding procedures, and the third welding procedures stored on the remote system via the signal in response to a user query.

A system for managing welding procedures, comprising:

• means for receiving welding parameters from a user;
• means for searching welding procedures based at least in part upon the welding parameters;
• means for calculating relative welding costs associated with a welding procedure;
• means for presenting welding procedure results and relative welding costs to a user.