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US 8,680,434 B2Granted
Welding method and welding system with determination of the position of the welding torch
AssigneeFronius International GmbH
InventorsMarkus Stöger, Manfred Wittmann, Tomas Leko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a welding method and a welding system that use a welding torch, the position of which is determined. In order to develop such a welding method and system, with which it is possible to reliably determine the position of the welding torch in three dimensions, it is provided that a signal is emitted by a transmitter, the signal being received by at least one sensor which is integrated in or is associated with the welding torch, the received data readings being sent to an evaluation unit, which determines values relating to the position of the welding torch in three dimensions.
Claims31
A manual welding method for determining a position of a welding torch comprising the steps of:
- emitting a signal via a transmitter, wherein the signal is received by at least one sensor arranged in or associated with the welding torch and forms measurement data;
- sending the measurement data to an evaluation unit;
- performing a first real-time welding process via the welding torch;
- determining via the evaluation unit three-dimensional position values for the position of the welding torch in a three-dimensional space during the first welding process performed by the welding torch;
- storing the three-dimensional position values and welding parameters for the first welding process in a memory;
- performing via the welding torch a subsequent real-time welding process of a same kind as the first real-time welding process;
- emitting a subsequent signal via the transmitter, wherein the subsequent signal is received by the at least one sensor forming subsequent measurement data when the welding torch is located at a subsequent position in the three-dimensional space during the subsequent real-time welding process;
- sending the subsequent measurement data to the evaluation unit;
- determining via the evaluation unit subsequent three-dimensional position values for the subsequent position;
- comparing via the evaluation unit the subsequent three-dimensional position values to the three-dimensional position values stored in the memory;
- using both the three-dimensional position values and the welding parameters stored in the memory as reference values for the subsequent welding process;
- and
- automatically adjusting welding parameters of the subsequent welding process on a basis of the three-dimensional position values stored in the memory.
10 more elements
A manual welding system comprising:
- a welding apparatus;
- a hose pack;
- a welding torch connected to the welding apparatus via the hose pack, said welding torch comprising a memory;
- and
- a device for determining a position of the welding torch comprising:
- at least one transmitter;
- at least one sensor for acquiring measurement data arranged in or associated with the welding torch;
- and
- an evaluation unit connected to the at least one sensor for determining three-dimensional position values of a three-dimensional position of the welding torch via the measurement data acquired by the at least one sensor during a first welding process and during a subsequent welding process performed by the welding torch;
- wherein the memory in the welding torch stores the three-dimensional position values and welding parameters for the first welding process;
- and
- wherein the evaluation unit is programmed to automatically adjust welding parameters of a subsequent welding process on a basis of the three-dimensional position values stored in the memory.
9 more elements
A manual welding system comprising:
- a welding apparatus;
- a hose pack;
- a welding torch connected to the welding apparatus via the hose pack, said welding torch comprising a memory;
- and
- a device for determining a position of the welding torch comprising:
- at least one transmitter arranged in or associated with the welding torch;
- at least one sensor for acquiring measurement data arranged in three-dimensional space surrounding the welding torch;
- and
- an evaluation unit connected to the at least one sensor for determining three-dimensional position values of a three-dimensional position of the welding torch via the measurement data acquired by the at least one sensor during a first welding process and during a subsequent welding process performed by the welding torch;
- wherein the memory in the welding torch stores the three-dimensional position values and welding parameters for the first welding process;
- and
- wherein the evaluation unit is programmed to automatically adjust welding parameters of a subsequent welding process on a basis of the three-dimensional position values stored in the memory.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.