Welder with integrated wire feeder having single-knob control
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorDarrell L. Sickels
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A welding-type component is disclosed having a single user input that requires a user to input only a single parameter to identify a welding-type process. From the single input, operating parameters for the welding-type process automatically are set or otherwise determined. The invention streamlines the welding-type process prescription process by allowing a user to input only a single parameter than can be used to determine and coordinate other parameters for the welding-type process.
Claims16
A tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding system, comprising:
- an enclosure comprising:
- a power input on the enclosure and configured to receive an input power into the enclosure for power conversion;
- a power output on the enclosure and configured to deliver welding power from the enclosure to a welding torch to perform a TIG welding process on a workpiece;
- a control panel on the enclosure and having a single input device configured to allow a user to select a characteristic of the workpiece;
- and
- circuitry within the enclosure and configured to establish operating parameters for the TIG welding process based on the selected characteristic of the workpiece.
A controller configured to:
- receive a user input identifying a material thickness to be welded via a single input device disposed on a front panel of a tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding power source;
- determine operating parameters of the TIG welding power source based on the user input;
- and
- control the TIG welding power source to deliver a welding output consistent with the determined operating parameters.
A tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding power source comprising:
- a multi-positional knob rotatable to one of a plurality of input positions for receiving a user input identifying a value for an operating parameter relating to a material thickness or a range of material thicknesses to be welded by a TIG welding process, wherein each input position identifies the material thickness to be welded or the range of material thicknesses to be welded;
- means for determining at least one other operating parameter for the TIG welding process from the user input to the single receiving means;
- and
- means for controlling the TIG welding process consistent with the operating parameters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.