Welding system and methodology providing multiplexed cell control interface
AssigneeLincoln Global, Inc.
InventorsEdward Dennis Hillen, George Daryl Blankenship
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a welding system and methodology to facilitate communications and control. The system includes a cell controller to control one or more welders over a control network. An interface module associated with the cell controller and the control network communicates with the welders and employs a communications protocol adapted to the interface module to facilitate communications and control between the cell controller and the one or more welders over the control network.
Claims19
A system that facilitates welding control, comprising:
- a singular communications interface module that adds a first welder to a control network associated with a welding system;
- and
- a cell controller that concurrently controls the first welder and a second welder previously existent within the welding system by way of the control network.
A method that facilitates communication in a welding control system, comprising:
- providing a welding system that comprises a first welder;
- adding a second welder to the welding system;
- communicating with and digitally controlling the first and second welders over a scalable control network;
- providing a communications interface to the control network to communicate and digitally control the first and second welders;
- and
- providing a protocol with the interface to facilitate communications and digital control of the first and second welders over the control network.
A welding system, comprising:
- means for providing a welding system that comprises a first welder;
- means for adding the first welder to the welding system;
- means for adapting the first and second welders from an analog communications mode to a digital communications mode if the first and second welders are not in a digital communications mode;
- means for digitally communicating with the first and second welders over a scalable control network;
- means for interfacing to the scalable control network to communicate with the first and second welders;
- and
- means for adapting a protocol to facilitate communications with the first and second welders over the scalable control network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.