Welding machine group control device and multi-level welding machine group control system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a welding machine group control device and a multi-level welding machine group control system. The device includes a main control switch, at least one sub-control switch, and welding machine controllers respectively coupled to corresponding sub-control switches; a first communication link is established between the main control switch and any sub-control switch, and the first communication link is turned on or off through a first gating device; the first gating device receives a gating signal sent by the main control switch and turns on at least one first communication link according to the gating signal; a second communication link is established between the sub-control switch and the corresponding welding machine controller, and the second communication link is turned on or off through a corresponding second gating device; the second gating device receives the gating signal sent by the main control switch and turns on the second communication link according to the gating signal. This device can effectively control the host to any selected welding machine in a targeted manner in a complex environment, reduce interference and prevent misoperation of non-selected welding machines, and reduce the overall load of the system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of industrial control, and particularly to a welding machine group control device and a multi-level welding machine group control system. Background Art

[0002] The existing cluster control of welding machines generally involves a host communicating with multiple welding machine controllers through a switch, and then the welding machine controllers performing one-to-one command control on the welding machines. However, in the case of a large number of welding machines and a large amount of instantaneous data generated by industrial (medium) frequency transformation, the communication between the host and a welding machine controller through the switch will be interfered by the data sent by other welding machine controllers in the link. Moreover, in order to obtain the effective signals of each welding machine controller, it is necessary to define the communication protocol between each welding machine controller and the switch, resulting in complex data types in the link and making it difficult for the switch to obtain and identify the data. Summary of the Invention

[0003] At least one welding machine group control device is disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention. Through the device of this embodiment, the host can effectively control any selected welding machine in a complex environment, reduce interference and prevent misoperation of non-selected welding machines, and reduce the overall load of the system.

[0004] The device includes a main control switch, at least one sub-control switch, and welding machine controllers respectively coupled to the corresponding sub-control switches; a first communication link is established between the main control switch and any of the sub-control switches, and the first communication link is turned on or off through a first gating device; the first gating device receives a gating signal sent by the main control switch and turns on at least one of the first communication links according to the gating signal; a second communication link is established between the sub-control switch and the corresponding welding machine controller, and the second communication link is turned on or off through a corresponding second gating device; the second gating device receives the gating signal sent by the main control switch and turns on the second communication link according to the gating signal.

[0005] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the first gating device sends the gating signal to the second gating device; the second gating device receives the gating signal and turns on the second communication link according to the gating signal.

[0006] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the first gating device sends the gating signal to the second gating device corresponding to the first communication link that is turned on.

[0007] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the first gating device receives a primary gating signal sent by the master switch, and conducts at least one of the first communication links according to the primary gating signal; the first gating device receives a secondary gating signal sent by the master switch, and sends the secondary gating signal to the second gating device corresponding to the conducted first communication link; the second gating device conducts the second communication link according to the secondary gating signal.

[0008] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the second gating device conducts the second communication link within a preset conduction period according to the secondary gating signal.

[0009] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the first gating device includes a first power supply circuit, a first amplifier circuit, a first comparison circuit corresponding to the first communication link, a first switch circuit, and a first conduction circuit; the first power supply circuit enables the first amplifier circuit, the first comparison circuit, the first switch circuit, and the first conduction circuit; the input end of the first amplifier circuit is coupled to the master switch, and the output end is coupled to the positive input ends of all the first comparison circuits; the negative input ends of different first comparison circuits are coupled to different reference voltages output by the first power supply circuit, and the output ends are respectively coupled to the control ends of the corresponding first switch circuits; the input ends of the first switch circuits are all coupled to the input end of the first amplifier circuit, the output ends are coupled to the corresponding second gating devices and the first conduction circuit, and the first conduction circuit conducts or shuts off the first communication link.

[0010] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the first communication link is a physical link; the first conduction circuit includes a normally open relay; the coil of the normally open relay is coupled between the output end of the first power supply unit and the ground, and the normally open contacts are connected in series in the first communication link.

[0011] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the first communication link is a wireless link; the first conduction circuit includes a signal repeater; the first communication link is bridged through the signal repeater.

[0012] In some embodiments disclosed by the present invention, the second gating device includes a second power supply circuit, a monostable circuit, a second amplifier circuit, a second switch circuit, and a second conduction circuit; the second power supply circuit enables the monostable circuit, the second amplifier circuit, the second switch circuit, and the second conduction circuit; an input end of the monostable circuit is coupled to an output end of the first switch circuit, and an output end thereof is coupled to an input end of the second amplifier circuit; an output end of the second amplifier circuit is coupled to a control end of the second switch circuit; an input end of the second switch circuit is coupled to the input end of the monostable circuit, and an output end thereof is coupled to the second conduction circuit; the second conduction circuit conducts or shuts off the second communication link.

[0013] The present invention discloses a multi-level welder group control system, and the system includes a host computer, and at least two of the welder group control devices are coupled to the host computer.

[0014] For the above solution, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings for the disclosed exemplary embodiments, so as to make other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clear. Description of the Drawings

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention, and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a topology diagram of the welder group control device for the embodiment;

[0017] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the first gating unit for the embodiment;

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the second gating unit for the embodiment;

[0019] Figure 4 It is a topology diagram of the multi-level welder group control device for the embodiment. Detailed Embodiments

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Usually, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0021] This embodiment preferably provides settings for terminal devices such as a main control switch and sub-control switches. The terminal devices in this embodiment are implemented with at least a memory and a processor. The memory mainly includes a program storage area and a data storage area; among them, the program storage area can store an operating system and instructions required for at least one function. And, the data storage area can store data created according to usage. In addition, the memory may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, and other volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0022] This embodiment discloses a welding machine group control device. Figure 1 The device includes a main control switch arranged in a control room and communicating with a host, and several sub-control switches arranged locally and communicating with the main control switch. The sub-control switches communicate with local welding machine controllers. A physical first communication link is built between the main control switch and each sub-control switch, and a physical second communication link is built between the sub-control switch and the corresponding welding machine controller. The conduction and closing of each first communication link are driven by a first gating device. The conduction and closing of the second communication link are controlled and driven by respective second gating devices.

[0023] As Figure 2 shown, the first gating device includes a first power supply circuit, a first amplifier circuit, and several conduction groups corresponding to each first communication link. Each conduction group includes a first comparison circuit, a first switch circuit, and a first conduction circuit.

[0024] The first power supply circuit of this embodiment is generally composed of a capacitor, a voltage regulator chip, and several voltage dividing resistors, and can output the operating voltage enabling the above circuit units, as well as several reference voltages with different voltage values.

[0025] The first amplifier circuit is a proportional amplifier circuit composed of an operational amplifier and its peripheral circuits. Its input end is used to receive the gating signal sent by the main control switch, and its output end is coupled to the positive input ends of the first comparison circuits of all conduction groups. The first comparison circuit includes a voltage comparator, whose negative input end is coupled to a reference voltage output by the first power supply circuit, and whose output end is coupled to the control end of the first switch circuit. Then the gating signal amplified by the first amplifier circuit will be compared with the reference voltage output by each first power supply circuit, and only when the gating signal is greater than the reference voltage will the corresponding first comparison circuit output a high level, otherwise it will output a low level.

[0026] The first switch circuit includes a three-terminal conduction element, such as an NMOS transistor or an NPN bipolar transistor. The input terminal of the three-terminal conduction element is coupled to the input terminal of the first amplification circuit, and the output terminal is coupled to the first conduction circuit. Then, when the first comparison circuit outputs a high level, the first switch circuit conducts, and the selection signal drives the first conduction circuit through the first switch circuit. After the first conduction circuit is driven, the first communication link is conducted, and the main control switch and the sub-control switch can interact through the first communication link.

[0027] Then, the device in this embodiment selects and drives the first communication link to conduct through the numerical value of the analog selection signal, realizes the selection of the sub-control switch, and reduces other interferences existing in the link.

[0028] Preferably, the first conduction circuit is a normally open relay. The coil of the normally open relay is coupled between the output terminal and the ground terminal of the first power supply unit, and the normally open contact is connected in series in the first communication link.

[0029] The output terminal of the first switch circuit in this embodiment is coupled to the second selection circuit for sending the selection signal to the second selection circuit.

[0030] Such as Figure 3 As shown, the second selection circuit of this embodiment includes a monostable circuit, a second amplification circuit, a second switch circuit, a second conduction circuit, and a second power supply circuit.

[0031] The second power supply circuit of this embodiment generally consists of a storage battery, a voltage regulator chip, and several voltage dividing resistors, and can output the working voltage enabling the above circuit units to work.

[0032] The monostable circuit is a basic pulse unit circuit with two working states: a stable state and a transient state. When there is no external signal triggering, the monostable circuit is in the stable state; when triggered by an external signal, generally the rising edge of the signal, the monostable circuit flips from the stable state to the transient state, and after a preset time, the circuit will automatically return to the stable state. The length of the transient time depends on the parameters of the circuit itself and has nothing to do with the length of the triggering signal action time. The input terminal of the monostable circuit in this embodiment is coupled to the output terminal of the first switch circuit, and the output terminal is coupled to the input terminal of the second amplification circuit.

[0033] The circuit design of the second amplification circuit is the same as that of the first amplification circuit, and its output terminal is coupled to the control terminal of the second switch circuit. The circuit design of the second switch circuit is the same as that of the first switch circuit, the input terminal is coupled to the input terminal of the monostable circuit, and the output terminal is coupled to the second conduction circuit; the second conduction circuit is a normally open relay, and its coil is coupled between the output terminal of the second power supply circuit and the ground terminal, and the normally open contact conducts or disconnects the second communication link.

[0034] Preferably, the master switch of this embodiment sequentially sends a first gating signal and a second gating signal before and after a conduction cycle. Moreover, the minimum level of the trigger signal at the input end of the monostable circuit is greater than the first gating signal and less than the second gating signal. The two-selection gating signal causes the low level of the output of the monostable circuit to flip to a high level. Thus, the first gating circuit conducts the first communication link according to the first gating signal, and the second gating circuit conducts the second communication link according to the second gating signal, realizing the communication between the master switch and the welder controller.

[0035] Of course, this embodiment only limits the unidirectional communication between the master switch and the welder controller. The communication from the welder controller to the master switch is implemented through other interfaces, or taking the device of this embodiment as an example, the link conduit and closing for the unidirectional communication between the welder controller and the master switch are set.

[0036] Preferably, the first communication link and the second communication link of this embodiment are optionally wireless links. The first conduction circuit and the second conduction circuit are both controllable signal repeaters. The signal repeater conducts or closes the first communication link and the second communication link according to the gating signal allowed to pass through by the first switch circuit or the second switch circuit.

[0037] This embodiment further discloses a multi-level welder group control system. As Figure 4 shown, the system of this embodiment includes welder group control devices isolated in different sites. The master switch of each welder group control device communicates with an upper computer.

[0038] The above has introduced in detail a welder group control system provided by this application. The embodiments in the specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts among the embodiments can be referred to each other. For the system disclosed in the embodiments, since it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple. For the relevant parts, refer to the description of the method part. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art in this technical field, without departing from the principle of this application, several improvements and modifications can still be made to this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.

[0039] The embodiments in the specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts among the embodiments can be referred to each other. For the device disclosed in the embodiments, since it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple. For the relevant parts, refer to the description of the method part.

[0040] Those skilled in the art may further realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the composition and steps of each example have been generally described according to functions in the above description. Whether these functions are executed in a hardware or software manner depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods for each specific application to implement the described functions, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of this application.

[0041] It should also be noted that in this specification, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the term "comprising", "including" or any other variation thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "comprising an..." does not exclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element.

Claims

1. A welding machine group control device, characterized in that, the device includes a main control switch, at least one sub-control switch, and welding machine controllers respectively coupled to the corresponding sub-control switches; a wireless first communication link is built between the main control switch and any of the sub-control switches, and the first communication link is turned on or off through a first gating device; a wireless second communication link is built between the sub-control switch and the corresponding welding machine controller, and the second communication link is turned on or off through a corresponding second gating device; the first gating device receives a primary gating signal sent by the main control switch and turns on at least one of the first communication links according to the primary gating signal; the first gating device receives a secondary gating signal sent by the main control switch and sends the secondary gating signal to the second gating device corresponding to the turned-on first communication link; the second gating device turns on the second communication link within a preset conduction period according to the secondary gating signal; wherein, the first gating device includes a first power supply circuit, a first amplifier circuit, a first comparison circuit corresponding to the first communication link, a first switch circuit, and a first conduction circuit; the first power supply circuit enables the first amplifier circuit, the first comparison circuit, the first switch circuit, and the first conduction circuit; the input end of the first amplifier circuit is coupled to the main control switch, and the output end is coupled to the positive input ends of all the first comparison circuits; the negative input ends of different first comparison circuits are coupled to different reference voltages output by the first power supply circuit, and the output ends are respectively coupled to the control ends of the corresponding first switch circuits; the input ends of the first switch circuits are all coupled to the input end of the first amplifier circuit, and the output ends are coupled to the corresponding second gating devices and the first conduction circuit, and the first conduction circuit turns on or off the first communication link; wherein, the second gating device includes a second power supply circuit, a monostable circuit, a second amplifier circuit, a second switch circuit, and a second conduction circuit; the second power supply circuit enables the monostable circuit, the second amplifier circuit, the second switch circuit, and the second conduction circuit; the input end of the monostable circuit is coupled to the output end of the first switch circuit, and the output end is coupled to the input end of the second amplifier circuit; the output end of the second amplifier circuit is coupled to the control end of the second switch circuit; the input end of the second switch circuit is coupled to the input end of the monostable circuit, and the output end is coupled to the second conduction circuit; the second conduction circuit turns on or off the second communication link; wherein, the first conduction circuit and the second conduction circuit are signal repeaters.

2. A multi-level welding machine group control system, characterized in that, the system includes a host computer, and at least two welding machine group control devices as described in claim 1 are coupled to the host computer.

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