Automatic weld arc monitoring system

A method for monitoring a quality level of a weld procedure in a welding system comprising a controller and a memory component, the method comprising:

• performing a weld of an acceptable quality and storing a weld command parameter and a weld feedback parameter corresponding to the weld in a programmed weld in the memory component;
• associating a fault limit with the weld command parameter and the weld feedback parameter in the memory component;
• switching between a programmed weld mode, where the weld command parameter from the programmed weld is used to control the welding system, and a monitor weld mode where an external weld command parameter provided by a user is used to control the welding system;
• monitoring the external weld command parameter supplied by the user and a corresponding weld feedback parameter during a subsequent weld;
• comparing the weld command parameter supplied by the user and the corresponding weld feedback parameter to the fault limits during the weld;
• and
• providing a fault alarm signal when the weld command parameter exceeds the fault limit, the fault signal indicating the weld is outside of a predetermined quality parameter.

A method for monitoring a quality level of a weld procedure comprising:

• performing a weld with a welding power source;
• evaluating whether the weld is of an acceptable quality;
• storing a weld command parameter and a weld feedback parameter corresponding to the weld as a programmed weld in a memory component of the welding power source when the weld is of an acceptable quality;
• performing a second weld;
• determining whether the second weld is of an acceptable quality;
• storing a weld command parameter and a weld feedback parameter corresponding to the second weld as a second programmed weld when the weld is of an acceptable quality;
• selectively linking the programmed weld and the second programmed weld in a sequential order as a part program in the memory component of the welding power source;
• and retrieving the part program to perform a weld;
• selectively switching between a programmed weld mode where the part program is retrieved from the memory and the stored weld command in the programmed weld and the second programmed weld are used to control the welding power source, and a monitor mode where an external command weld parameter is received from an external source and is used to control the welding power source;
• and during the monitor weld mode, comparing the received weld command parameter from the user-supplied external source to a limit stored in the memory component of the welding power source and selectively storing a fault in memory when the weld command exceeds the limit, and comparing weld feedback from the sensor to the limit stored in the memory component of the welding power source and selectively storing a fault in memory when the weld feedback exceeds the limit, the fault indicating that the weld is outside a predetermined quality parameter.