PORTABLE ELECTRIC WELDING MACHINE, PRODUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DATA CAPTURED

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable electric welding machine, a production system comprising a portable electric welding machine and a mobile terminal, and a method for acquiring data.

[0002] US patent 10,010,959 B2 and German utility model DE 20 2012 012 977 U1 describe a welding power supply that can be set up by scanning a barcode or other machine-readable code. A welding power supply requires a variety of configurable parameters to be set to perform different welding operations. Industrial welding environments are generally unsuitable for the operation of conventional input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, or other mechanically intensive components. In contrast to these devices, barcode scanners are generally hermetically sealed and able to withstand harsh environmental conditions. The scanned data can be displayed on a screen.

[0003] US patent 2017 / 0032281 A1 describes a welding production expert system that is connected to a large number of welding systems. The expert system can receive and analyze data from individual welding systems. For this purpose, the individual welding systems are connected to the expert system via a data network. The welding systems can have various data interfaces (Bluetooth, ZigBee, Sonett, EtherCAT, PROFI-NET, Profibus, DeviceNet, Modbus, P2P, or an interface to another standardized network). Collecting data from a large number of different welding systems is highly advantageous because the larger the database, the better the expert system's analysis.

[0004] Portable welding equipment is used in a wide variety of situations and locations. Internet access is generally unavailable on construction sites. Therefore, connecting individual welding devices to a server, especially an expert system server, via a data line is difficult.

[0005] US 2021 / 0213553 A1 discloses a portable welding device in which operating data is wirelessly transmitted to an external device.

[0006] US 2015 / 286895 A1 describes a system for monitoring coffee machines. Such a coffee machine has several sensors, such as temperature sensors or fill level sensors. The data from these sensors is collected by an electronic device and displayed on a screen. The display shows the data as a barcode or QR code. Using a reader, such as a smartphone, this data can be read and transmitted to a server.

[0007] EP 3339996 A1 discloses a device system comprising a tool or measuring instrument. This tool or measuring instrument is characterized by the fact that the control unit of the device system can generate a QR code to encode the current data of the tool or measuring instrument and / or additional information in a QR code.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the objective of creating a portable electric welding machine, a production system and a method for recording data, with which welding data can be easily recorded and transferred to a server.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to create a method that can be easily retrofitted into existing portable welding machines.

[0010] One or more of the aforementioned problems are solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a portable electric welding machine according to claim 1 is provided.

[0012] The welding machine is characterized by the fact that the control unit is designed to summarize the recorded data in a data set, to convert the data set into a machine-readable data set image, and to display the data set image on the display device.

[0013] Such a machine-readable data set image can be captured using a camera, in particular a mobile device equipped with a camera, and transmitted to a server via a data connection.

[0014] This allows welding data from the portable electric welding machine to be reliably recorded even in remote locations where no data network, and especially no internet, is available. The relevant data can be temporarily stored on the mobile device, for example, and then transmitted to the appropriate server when the mobile device is moved to a location with a data network.

[0015] The control unit can be designed in such a way that the data record is converted into several data record images, onto which the data of the respective data record are distributed and which can be displayed simultaneously and / or sequentially on the display unit.

[0016] By splitting a data set across multiple data set images, it is also possible to transmit data sets with a data volume that exceeds the capacity of a single data set image.

[0017] The welding machine is preferably designed such that an assignment code is generated for each of the multiple data record images. This code is displayed simultaneously with the respective data record image on the display device, allowing the multiple data record images to be assigned to one another in a predetermined order. This assignment code can be integrated into the individual data record images or displayed independently of the data record images on the display device. The assignment code ensures that, when multiple data record images contain the data of a data record, these are correctly combined, so that the data contained in multiple data record images can be reliably assembled into the respective data record.

[0018] The data set images are represented using a machine-readable data encoding, namely a two-dimensional encoding such as a QR code or barcode. This allows larger amounts of data to be reliably represented in a data set image suitable for display on a screen and read by a machine reader. Preferably, the machine-readable encoding is standardized so that commercially available computer programs can be used to generate, scan, and read the encoding, or to extract the data it contains.

[0019] The machine-readable encoding can also include OCR fonts. However, it is advantageous if the data is arranged in a predetermined format so that the data arrangement is taken into account during data extraction and interpretation. For example, data identifying the machine used, such as the machine's designation, serial number, etc., can be located in one specific area of ​​the data set image, and measurement data, such as welding current, welding speed, etc., can be located in another area. This can significantly simplify data extraction from the optically scanned data set image. According to the invention, the measurement data includes the welding speed.

[0020] The data set images are therefore specially prepared to allow for reliable and easy optical scanning and extraction of the data contained therein.

[0021] The welding machine includes one or more of the following sensors for monitoring the welding or cutting process: Temperature sensor, inertial sensor, position sensor, optical sensor, gas sensor (especially oxygen sensor), current and / or voltage measuring device, wire feed sensor.

[0022] Predefined data captured by the sensors are summarized in a data set, which can then be converted into one or more data set images.

[0023] One or more temperature sensors can be used to measure different temperatures during the welding process. For example, the temperature of a predetermined point on the welding head can be measured. This temperature describes the thermal stress on the welding head.

[0024] An inertial sensor can detect the movement of a specific part of the welding machine. In a cutting or welding machine where a cutting or welding head is moved manually or automatically, the movement of this head can be detected and recorded using the inertial sensor.

[0025] Some welding heads, particularly those used in orbital welding systems, feature an automatically moving welding electrode. The position of the welding electrode relative to the rest of the welding head can be detected and recorded using a position sensor.

[0026] The welding process can be monitored with an optical sensor. Typically, a camera is used as the optical sensor. However, non-imaging optical sensors can also be used. An optical sensor can be used to image the product being processed or the tool used to process it. It can also be used for spectral analysis. In this case, it is advantageous for the optical sensor to be a color sensor capable of detecting light at different wavelengths.

[0027] Furthermore, a gas sensor can be provided to detect the presence of a specific gas. This gas sensor can be designed either as a chemisensor for detecting specific gaseous substances or as a flow sensor for measuring the flow of gas supplied from a specific gas source.

[0028] The sensor can be configured as a current and / or voltage measuring device. This is particularly useful in electric welding equipment to measure the applied welding current.

[0029] A welding machine may also be equipped with a wire feed sensor, which measures the speed at which a welding wire is fed to a welding point.

[0030] Depending on the type of welding process to be monitored, the type and number of sensors can vary.

[0031] In addition to the data recorded by the sensors, the data set typically includes other data, such as an identification number of the welding machine, in the case of a welding device the wire diameter of a wire used or the material from which the wire is made, or other parameters that are known or can be determined on the welding machine, such as parameters derived from the sensor values ​​or other values.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present invention, a production system according to claim 5 is provided.

[0033] The invention can be retrofitted to existing welding machines that have a display device suitable for showing the data set images, requiring only a software modification and no hardware upgrade. Using a mobile device, particularly a standard mobile phone, it is possible to transmit the data generated by the welding machine to a server. The welding machine can be used in any location. A data network is not required at that location. The mobile device can capture the data and then be taken to a location with a data network connection to transmit the data to the server. The data set images, or the data extracted from them, can be temporarily stored on the mobile device until they are ready to be transmitted to the server.

[0034] The mobile device can thus capture the data images displayed on the welding machine's display unit and transmit them to a server via the data network. The mobile device is preferably a mobile phone. However, it can also be another device that includes a camera, a microprocessor, and an interface to a data network. The interface to a data network can be a mobile communication interface according to a mobile communication standard (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, and / or 5G). Alternatively, the interface to the data network can be a Wi-Fi or wired data network. Preferably, the mobile device is a commercially available mobile phone equipped with a computer program (= app) designed to capture one or more data images displayed on the screen and forward them to the server.

[0035] The mobile device is preferably designed to scan pre-prepared data set images, so that data extraction can be carried out easily.

[0036] According to another aspect of the present invention, the mobile device can be configured to capture data displayed on the welding machine's display unit and forward it to a server. The data does not need to be specially processed on the welding machine for this purpose. The mobile device is designed to capture the images conventionally displayed on the display unit, which contain the data, and extract the data from them. This is more complex than capturing specially processed data set images, but it allows for automated data acquisition without requiring any modifications to the welding machine. In such an embodiment, the captured images are typically subjected to an OCR process, and the resulting raw data is processed. This processing can be carried out using one or more filters.This OCR process and the processing of the data can be performed on the mobile device and / or on the server.

[0037] The mobile device is preferably designed such that several data set images containing data of a common data set are stored and / or transmitted via the data network on the mobile device and / or data of a data set is extracted from one or more data set images on the mobile device and stored and / or transmitted via the data network.

[0038] If the mobile device is configured to store extracted images and / or the data they contain as data records, then the images can be captured at the welding machine using the mobile device. If the welding machine is located in a location without network access, the images and / or the data they contain can be stored on the mobile device until it can be moved to a location with network access. This allows welding machines to be operated even in remote areas, enabling reliable data capture and transmission to the server with a slight delay.If the welding machine is located in a place where the mobile device has access to a data network, then the data set images and / or the data extracted from the data set images can be transmitted from the welding machine's display unit to the server via the data network immediately after capture.

[0039] The mobile device is preferably designed for the automatic capture of a sequence of data set images. For this purpose, the mobile device can, for example, be configured to automatically detect when a data set image changes on the display device, capture it, temporarily store it, and / or extract the data it contains and / or transmit it directly to the server via the data network. In this process, the individual data set images can be captured by the mobile device as individual "still images." However, it is also possible for the mobile device to record data set images displayed sequentially on the display device as a video sequence, which is then analyzed on the mobile device and / or on the server to extract the individual data set images.

[0040] The sequence of data set images or data is preferably displayed at the display device at a display frequency of at least 1Hz, particularly preferably at least 16Hz (so fast that it is not perceptible to the naked human eye) and most preferably at a frequency close to or corresponding to a camera frame rate of a mobile device, e.g. 24-60 Hz or even 60Hz to 240 Hz (slow motion mode).

[0041] The mobile device can also be configured to automatically assign multiple dataset images to a single dataset. This can be achieved, for example, by recognizing the assignment code associated with each dataset image, so that from a large number of dataset images, those containing data from a dataset are selected and arranged in such a way that the data in the dataset is correctly ordered. This makes it possible to transfer multiple datasets sequentially using a large number of dataset images.

[0042] If the mobile device is designed in such a way that the data of a data set can be extracted from one or more data set images, then further data captured on the mobile device can also be added to the respective data set.

[0043] The production system is preferably designed such that the mobile device has one or more sensors to capture predetermined data, for example geodata captured with a corresponding geosensor or image data captured with a camera, and the mobile device is designed to add the predetermined data to the respective data set.

[0044] The mobile device can have one or more additional sensors to collect predefined data. This data can include, for example, geospatial data captured by a corresponding geosensor (e.g., GPS), image data captured by a camera, or data manually entered by the user. The mobile device can, for instance, be configured to prompt the user for specific information, which they can then enter manually. The data collected in this way, either automatically and / or manually, is then added to the respective data record before being transmitted to the server.

[0045] The data captured on the mobile device can also be assigned to specific dataset images and transmitted to the server along with them. On the server, the data is then extracted from the dataset images, and the other data captured on the mobile device is integrated into the respective dataset.

[0046] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for acquiring data according to claim 9 is provided.

[0047] This method allows for the simple acquisition and transmission of welding data generated during a welding process on a portable welding machine to a server. The server can collect and analyze data from a variety of different welding machines and make it available for further processing. The server can be part of an expert system. Alternatively, it can be a cloud server where the data is simply temporarily stored and / or processed. An expert system can, for example, be integrated into such a cloud server.

[0048] The welding machine used here can be the same as the welding machine described above. The mobile device used here can be the same as the mobile device described above.

[0049] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings schematically show: Figure 1 shows a welding system and a mobile terminal for transmitting the welding system data to a server, Figure 2 shows a method for recording data of a welding process performed on the welding system in a flowchart, Figure 3 shows a data set for a specific welding operation, and Figure 4 shows another data set for another welding operation.

[0050] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a welding machine. The welding machine 1 comprises a base station 2 and a welding head 3, which is connected to the base station 2 by a cable 11. The welding head 3 is designed as an orbital welding head, i.e., a welding head that can be used to join two pipe ends by means of a weld. Such welding machines are known, for example, from US 2010 / 0051586 A1 and EP 3 650 157 A1. They can have one or more sensors in the area of ​​both the base station 2 and the welding head 3. The base station 2, which is also referred to as the welding power source, serves to supply the welding head 3 with welding current. For this purpose, the base station 2 has an ammeter to measure the welding current.The welding head 3 can be equipped with an oxygen sensor for measuring the oxygen content within a welding chamber, a temperature sensor and / or an inertial sensor.

[0051] Base station 2 has a display device 4. The display device is preferably a color screen with a resolution of at least 200 x 150 pixels, and particularly 400 x 300 pixels, in a 4:3 aspect ratio. However, a screen with a higher resolution, for example 800 x 600 pixels or 1260 x 1440 pixels, and / or with a different aspect ratio such as 16:9 or 21:9, may also be provided. The display device is thus a two-dimensional display device suitable for displaying two-dimensional images or graphic representations.

[0052] Base station 2 has a central control unit that controls all functions of base station 2. Individual functions of the welding head 3 can also be controlled via the central control unit.

[0053] Base station 2 has a storage device (not shown) in which executable program code and other data can be stored.

[0054] During a welding process, the sensors record a wide variety of data and store it in base station 2 and / or welding head 3. Base station 2 can therefore be used to monitor the welding process.

[0055] This welding machine 1 is a portable welding machine, meaning it can be used for welding pipes at different locations. The display device 4 can, for example, be located on the inside of a cover 5 of the base station 2. The cover 5 can be folded down for transporting the welding machine 1, thus protecting the display device 4.

[0056] Welding machine 1 is part of a welding system that also includes a mobile device 6 and a server 7. The mobile device and the server 7 can be connected via a data network 8. The data network 8 is typically the internet. However, another WAN or LAN can also be used. The mobile device 6 can also be directly connected to the server 7 via a data interface.

[0057] In the present embodiment, a data analysis system is implemented on server 7. In this case, this system is an expert system 9 that regularly receives data from a multitude of welding machines 1, as explained in more detail below. The expert system 9 analyzes the data and automatically generates suggestions, control instructions, and conclusions that are made available to the users of the welding machines 1 for future welding operations. The output of the expert system is in Figure 1 This is symbolically represented by a screen 9. The output can be provided via a wide variety of data channels. For example, users of mobile devices 6 can receive corresponding evaluation results from the expert system.

[0058] The following describes the process from generating data of the welding process to transferring the data to server 7 or the data analysis system trained therein, using the example in Figure 2The flowchart shown explains this.

[0059] The process begins with step S1.

[0060] In step S2, data is generated during the execution of the welding process. This data is captured by the sensors of base station 2 and / or welding head 3, as described above, and stored in base station 2 and / or welding head 3. A data record is created in base station 2 for each welding operation, as described, for example, in Figure 3 and Figure 4This data set is also referred to as a log file. The data set contains information about the welding machine used, the time of welding, and welding parameters, which in this exemplary embodiment are welding parameters. In this exemplary embodiment, the welding parameters include current values ​​of a pulsed current for HP (high pulse) and LP (low pulse), the electrode movement speed, the welding voltage, and the shielding gas flow rate.

[0061] The data sets contain further data about the person performing the welding process, information about the welding gas and parameters for certain components of the welding machine 1.

[0062] The creation of the data records takes place in base station 2 (step S3).

[0063] The individual data records are each transformed into one or more data record images (step S4). In the present embodiment, a standardized QR code is used as the data record image. However, within the scope of the invention, other encoding methods as data record images are possible, in particular in the form of two-dimensional graphic representations.

[0064] In principle, it is also possible to convert the data set into data set images that represent the data in OCR-compatible font, with each data set image containing a specific amount of data or specific data values. However, according to the invention, encoding the data set in a two-dimensional graphic representation, such as a QR code, is provided, since a large amount of information can be compressed and displayed on a small area, and this information can be reliably scanned.

[0065] For larger datasets, it is advisable to distribute the data from one dataset across multiple dataset images and generate an assignment code for each dataset image. The assignment code can be integrated into the respective dataset image.

[0066] The data set image(s) 10 are displayed on the display unit 4 of the base station 2 (step S5).

[0067] If a single data set image 10 contains a complete data set, then the data set image 10 can be scanned with the mobile device 6 which has a camera (step S6).

[0068] If a data record is distributed across multiple data record images 10, these images can either be displayed simultaneously side-by-side on the display device 4, provided it is sufficiently large, or the individual data record images 10 belonging to a data record can be displayed sequentially on the display device 4. The multiple data record images 10 belonging to a data record are preferably displayed on the display device 4 together with their respective assignment codes. The assignment code can be part of the data record images 10 or displayed separately on the display device 4. The assignment code is also read in by the mobile device 6, and multiple data record images 10 are assigned to a specific data record based on this code.

[0069] The mobile device 6 has a storage device in which the(s) data set images 10 can be stored.

[0070] In a preferred embodiment, the data from the dataset images are extracted directly in the mobile device 6 (step S7) in order to restore the datasets of the welding machine 1 to their original form. Further information can be added to the datasets available on the mobile device 6. This additional information can be provided by sensors (camera, position sensor, etc.) on the mobile device 6 or by data entered manually by the user (step S7).

[0071] The processed data sets are then transferred from the mobile device 6 to the server 7 via the data network 8 (step S8). This data transfer can also occur with a time delay compared to when the data is captured by the mobile device 6 at the base station 2. This is particularly useful if the welding machine 1 is located in a location without access to the data network 8. The data set images or data sets from multiple welding processes can be temporarily stored on the mobile device 6 and transferred to the server at a later time when the mobile device 6 is located in a location with access to the data network 8.

[0072] On server 7, the data from welding machine 1 is evaluated and fed into the expert system, which is available to the users of the corresponding welding machine 1 for further welding operations.

[0073] This process ends with step S9.

[0074] In the embodiment described above, the data records are extracted from the data record images 10 on the mobile device. Within the scope of the invention, it is also possible to transfer the data record images essentially unchanged from the mobile device 6 to the server 7 and extract them there. Steps S7 and S8 are then reversed. Additional data can also be added to the data record images 10, which are transferred from the mobile device 6 to the server 7, and this additional data is then entered into the corresponding data records on the server 7.

[0075] The invention has been explained above using an exemplary embodiment of a welding machine.

[0076] The invention enables the acquisition of welding process data from portable welding machines and its transmission to a central server 7 without requiring the individual welding machines themselves to be connected to a data network. By graphically processing the data sets and scanning the data set images with a mobile device, the data from the welding machine can be easily transmitted to the central server 7 via a data network. The invention can be easily retrofitted to existing welding machines equipped with a display device. Only the welding machine's software needs to be modified; no hardware modifications are necessary. This makes it possible to acquire welding data from a large number of similar welding machines, centrally aggregate and evaluate it, and automatically generate corresponding conclusions, instructions, and the like.All that is needed is suitable software on the welding machine to display the data on the display device and suitable software (=app) on the mobile device to read and forward the data to the server.

[0077] The transmission between the mobile device 6 and the server 7 is preferably encrypted.

[0078] If the data records are to be divided into several data record images 10, then preferably the software on the mobile device 6 is designed in such a way that the several data record images 10 are automatically read in successively and correctly sorted and assigned to the respective data records.

[0079] The invention thus makes it possible to read out a large number of existing welding machines used in remote locations and integrate them into a common data system. This can significantly improve the quality of the welding process.

[0080] The invention can be summarized as follows: The present invention relates to a portable electric welding machine, a production system comprising a portable electric welding machine and a mobile device, and a method for data acquisition. According to the invention, welding data is automatically acquired at the welding machine, organized into data sets, and converted into data set images, which are displayed on a screen. The displayed data set images are captured with a mobile device and transmitted to a central server. This allows a large number of welding machines to be integrated into a data system without requiring any hardware modifications to the welding machines. Reference symbol list

[0081] 1 Welding machine 2 Base station 3 Welding head 4 Display unit 5 Cover 6 Mobile device 7 Server 8 Data network 9 Screen 10 Data record image 11 Cable

Claims

1. Portable electric welder, with a base station (2), one or more sensors for monitoring a welding process, a display device configured for displaying a two-dimensional graphical display, and a control device configured to monitor the welding process, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to capture data describing the welding process characterized in that the portable electric welder comprises an orbital welding head (3), the data comprise a welding speed, and the control device is configured to combine the captured data into a data set and translate the data set into a machine-readable data set image, and display the data set image as a QR code or barcode on the display device.

2. The portable electric welder of claim 1, characterized in that the control device is configured so as to convert the data set into a plurality of data set images, into which the data of the data set are distributed, and which are displayed simultaneously and / or sequentially on the display device.

3. The portable electric welder of claim 2, configured such that an allocation code is respectively generated for the plurality of data set images and displayed simultaneously with the respective data set image on the display device, such that the plurality of data set images can be allocated to one another in a predetermined order.

4. The portable electric welder of one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the welder comprises one or more of the following sensors for monitoring the welding process: - Temperature sensor - Inertial sensor - Position sensor - Optical sensor - Gas sensor, in particular oxygen sensor - Ammeter and / or voltmeter - Wire feeder sensor.

5. A production system comprising a portable electric welder having - a base station (2) and an orbital welding head (3), - one or more sensors for monitoring a welding process, - a display device suitable for displaying a two-dimensional graphical display, and - a control device, which is configured to monitor the welding process, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to collect data which describe the welding process, wherein the data comprises a welding speed, wherein the control device is configured to combine the captured data into a data set, translate the data set into a machine-readable data set image and display the data set image on the display device, the production system further comprising a mobile terminal comprising a camera, wherein the mobile terminal is configured so as to capture the data set image displayed on a display device, and wherein the mobile terminal comprises an interface to a data network, and is configured such that the data set image and / or data contained in the data set image can be transmitted via a data network to a server a server, wherein the mobile terminal is connectable to the server via the data network to transmit the data set image and / or data included in the data set image to the server.

6. The production system of claim 5, characterized in that the mobile terminal is configured such that a plurality of data set images containing data from a common data set is stored on the mobile terminal while being allocated to one another and / or transmitted via the data network and / or data of a data set is extracted on the mobile terminal from one or more data set images and stored on the mobile terminal and / or transmitted via the data network.

7. The production system of claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the mobile terminal is configured so as to automatically capture a sequence of data set images, and / or the mobile terminal is configured to automatically associate multiple data set images with a data set.

8. The production system of any of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the mobile terminal comprises one or more further sensors to capture predetermined data, for example geodata captured with a corresponding geosensor or image data captured with a camera and the mobile terminal is configured to add the predetermined data to the respective data set.

9. A method for acquiring data describing a welding process, which is carried out with a portable electric welder, wherein the welding process is monitored with sensors, wherein the data describing the welding process is generated, wherein the data form a data set for each specific welding process or specific step of a welding process, and the data of a data set are converted into one or more machine-readable data set images, and the data set image or images is / are displayed on a display device of the portable electric welder and collected with a mobile terminal that scans the display device, then transmitted to a server from the mobile terminal via a data network, wherein a portable electric welder according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and / or a production system according to any one of claims 5 to 8 is used.