Method of diagnosing degradation of a welding system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDaniel Ruiz, Juan Martinez, Jose Luis Perez Guerrero, M. Segrelles Munoz, Marivi Alonso Ortiz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of diagnosing electrical degradation of a welding system. The method includes determining whether a predetermined number of welds has been executed, positioning welding electrodes, applying and measuring current applied through the electrodes, and comparing the measured current to a threshold value.
Claims20
A method of diagnosing electrical degradation of a welding system, the welding system including a weld gun having a set of electrodes, an actuator for positioning at least one member of the set of electrodes, and a power source, the method comprising:
- determining whether a predetermined number of welds has been executed;
- positioning at least one member of the set of electrodes a predetermined distance from another member of the set of electrodes if the predetermined number of welds has been executed;
- applying current with the power source through the set of electrodes;
- measuring the current applied through the set of electrodes;
- comparing the current applied through the set of electrodes to a threshold value;
- and
- generating a pass signal if the current applied through the set of electrodes is greater than the threshold value.
A method of diagnosing electrical degradation of a welding system, the welding system including a weld gun having a set of electrodes, an actuator for positioning at least one member of the set of electrodes, and a power source, the method comprising:
- determining whether a predetermined number of welds has been executed;
- positioning at least one member of the set of electrodes proximate another member of the set of electrodes if the predetermined number of welds has been executed;
- applying current with the power source through the set of electrodes;
- measuring the current applied through the set of electrodes;
- comparing the current applied through the set of electrodes to a threshold value;
- and
- generating a pass signal if the current applied through the set of electrodes is greater than the threshold value.
A method of diagnosing electrical degradation of a robot-mounted welding system for a vehicle assembly line, the welding system including a weld gun having first and second electrodes, the method comprising:
- determining whether a predetermined number of welds has been executed;
- positioning the welding gun away from a workpiece with a robot;
- positioning the first and second electrodes proximate each other if the predetermined number of welds has been executed;
- applying current through the first and second electrodes;
- measuring the current applied through the first and second electrodes;
- comparing the current applied through the first and second electrodes to a threshold range;
- and
- generating a pass signal if the current applied through the first and second electrodes is within the threshold range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.