Welding machine

Abstract

To provide a welding machine capable of automatically correcting at least partially parameters of the welding machine, reliably and directly during the welding.SOLUTION: A welding machine (1) of at least two parts to be welded (2), comprises at least one mobile assembly (10). The mobile assembly comprises: at least one pair of drive wheels (12) intended to move the mobile assembly relative to the parts to be welded; and at least one welding head (14) comprising at least two welding wheels (16) and able to generate a weld portion intended to fixedly join the parts to be welded by rolling the welding wheels against the parts to be welded. The welding machine further comprises a control unit (30) of the welding head. The control unit is able to control parameters of the welding machine.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a welding apparatus provided with an electrode in the shape of a welding wheel, which can integrally weld welded parts.

Background Art

[0002] The current welding machine includes a drive wheel, a welding wheel capable of welding welded parts, and a drive member capable of rotationally driving at least the drive wheel along the welded parts. Electricity is supplied to the welding wheel by a current unit during the movement of the welding machine, ensuring reliable welding of the welded parts. The current welding machine can follow welding instructions input by an operator prior to the implementation of the welding method by the welding machine.

[0003] However, the current welding machine has a problem in that there is no means to continuously monitor welding instructions during the welding process, so there is no means to control the parameters of the welding machine. In addition, the current welding machine has no means to directly modify the parameters of the welding machine during the welding process, and it must be stopped every time a modification is required during the welding process.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a welding machine capable of continuously controlling the parameters of the welding machine during the welding process, and capable of at least partially and reliably directly modifying the parameters of the welding machine automatically during the welding of the welded parts. Therefore, the present invention provides a welding machine that is at least partially autonomous in the monitoring and control of the welding process.

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention relates to a welding machine for at least two workpieces, the welding machine comprising at least one movable assembly, the movable assembly comprising at least a pair of drive wheels intended to move the movable assembly relative to the workpieces, and at least one welding head comprising at least two welding wheels, the welding head capable of generating a weld intended to fix the workpieces by rolling the welding wheels relative to the workpieces, the welding machine comprising a unit for controlling the welding head, the control unit capable of controlling parameters of the welding machine selected from the following: the contact pressure of the welding wheels relative to the workpieces, and / or the speed at which the movable assembly moves along the workpieces, and / or the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheels, and / or the duration of pulses of the current flowing through the welding wheels, and / or the position of the movable assembly relative to the workpieces.

[0006] The welding machine according to the present invention can be used, for example, to weld together two raised edges of a sealing membrane that constitutes the wall of a tank for storing and / or transporting cryogenic products such as liquefied natural gas, and / or to an anchor wing.

[0007] For this purpose, the welding machine comprises at least a pair of drive wheels that provide movement of a movable assembly along the workpiece to be welded in a linear welding direction (also referred to as the forward direction of the welding machine) via a drive member controlled by a control unit. The drive member may be, for example, an electric drive member, a hydraulic drive member, a pneumatic drive member, or a mechanical drive member. Preferably, the drive member in the context of the present invention is an electric motor.

[0008] A welding wheel can generate a weld by contact with at least one of the parts to be welded (which may be at least one of the raised edges of an anchor flange). More specifically, according to a non-limiting example of the present invention, when welding parts to be welded, the movement of the welding machine relative to the parts to be welded causes the welding wheel to rotate relative to the parts to be welded, and a current supplied by an electrical supply unit and flowing through the welding wheel can form a weld bead on the parts to be welded. The pressure of the welding wheel relative to the parts to be welded can be ensured by a pressurizing device controlled by a control unit. The pressurizing device may be, for example, a hydraulic cylinder.

[0009] Furthermore, the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel is controlled by a current converter, which can be controlled by a control unit. The number of current pulsations is controlled by the control unit in conjunction with a transformer.

[0010] The position of the movable assembly relative to the part to be welded can be ensured by a positioning member controlled by a control unit.

[0011] The function of a welding machine control unit is to control, at least partially, some of the welding machine's parameters. The term "control" means that the control unit can process information received regarding the parameters, such as their values, with the aim of ensuring that these values ​​conform to expected reference thresholds for those parameters, and, if necessary, adjusting these values ​​to converge toward those reference thresholds. Therefore, the advantage of such a control unit is that it can monitor and adjust the welding machine parameters itself, at least partially autonomously.

[0012] Furthermore, it is understood that the measurement of pulses of current flowing through the welding wheel is performed when the current is applied to the welding wheel. Each pulse is defined by two values: a first value corresponding to the maximum current intensity flowing through the welding wheel, and a second value corresponding to the minimum current intensity flowing through the welding wheel. Thus, the pulses of current flowing through the welding wheel correspond to these alternating maximum and minimum current intensities. Nevertheless, it should be noted that these pulses constitute continuous welding.

[0013] The time during which maximum strength flows through the welded wheel is called the hot time, and the time during which minimum strength flows through the welded wheel is called the cold time.

[0014] The minimum intensity is less than the maximum intensity. Preferably, this minimum intensity is not zero.

[0015] In a preferred example, the minimum strength is equal to 10% of the maximum strength. This feature allows for optimization of the energy required to produce a continuous weld.

[0016] According to the features of the present invention, the control unit can receive various parameter values ​​from the welding machine and control them.

[0017] The control unit is understood to receive and process values ​​for various parameters of the welding machine, and to enable monitoring of these parameters of the welding machine.

[0018] According to the features of the present invention, the welding machine is provided with at least one control interface capable of displaying at least the values ​​of various parameters of the welding machine.

[0019] It is understood that a control unit, upon receiving the parameter values ​​of the welding machine, sends these values ​​to the control interface, allowing the operator to directly monitor the welding machine parameters during the welding process.

[0020] According to one feature of the present invention, the control interface is a functional unit for inputting reference threshold values ​​for various parameters of the welding machine.

[0021] It is understood that the control interface aggregates the reference thresholds input by the operator and transmits them to the control unit, which then processes the received parameter values ​​for each reference threshold input by the operator to the control interface.

[0022] According to the features of the present invention, the welding machine is equipped with at least one cooling device for the welding head, and the control unit is capable of controlling the parameter values ​​of the cooling device.

[0023] The welding machine cooling system includes an internal circuit that circulates a coolant as close as possible to the welding wheel. This circuit further includes a tank and a pump.

[0024] According to one feature of the present invention, the parameters of the cooling device include at least one parameter selected from the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the welding machine and / or the temperature of the coolant.

[0025] According to one feature of the present invention, the welding machine comprises a first identifying means capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the contact pressure of the welding wheel with respect to the part to be welded, and / or a second identifying means capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the moving speed of the movable assembly along the part to be welded, and / or a third identifying means capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel, and / or a fourth identifying means capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the position of the movable assembly with respect to the part to be welded, and / or a fifth identifying means capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the duration of the pulse of the current flowing through the welding wheel.

[0026] The specific means can be, for example, a sensor that specifies the values of various parameters, or a device that can specify the value of a parameter from another parameter measured elsewhere. It is understood that the specific means detects the values of the parameters and transmits them to the control unit so that the control unit can process them.

[0027] According to a feature of the present invention, the welding machine includes a support separated from the movable assembly, and the support is connected to the movable assembly by a wire harness. The control unit is supported by the movable assembly or the support.

[0028] The support of the welding machine is intended to support specific elements of the welding machine, such as the tank of the cooling device, or the electrical supply unit, and the control interface. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is supported by the movable assembly of the welding machine.

[0029] According to a feature of the present invention, the movable assembly includes at least one electric converter. The converter includes, among other things, a rectifier bridge, a capacitor, and an inverter. In particular, it is possible to send this to a transformer / rectifier that converts the 50 Hz alternating current supplied from the power supply unit of the welding machine into a 1000 Hz alternating current and converts the 1000 Hz alternating current into a pulsed current supplied to the welding wheel.

[0030] According to a feature of the present invention, the electric converter and the control unit are supported on the same printed circuit board. According to a preferred embodiment, it is understood that the printed circuit board carrying the converter and the control unit is supported by the movable assembly of the welding machine.

[0031] According to a feature of the present invention, the control of the parameter and / or the reception of the parameter value are continuously carried out between the starting position and the arrival position of the movable assembly.

[0032] In other words, parameter control and / or parameter value reception are carried out continuously throughout the entire process of welding the parts to be welded.

[0033] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for controlling the welding of at least two parts by a welding machine described in any one of the above features, wherein the welding control method is - An input step of at least one first parameter of the welding machine to a reference threshold control interface, - The control unit receives at least one side value of the first parameter of the welding machine, - The control unit compares at least one side value of the first parameter with the reference threshold of the first parameter, - If the measured value of the first parameter does not converge to the reference threshold of the first parameter, the control unit controls at least one of the parameters of the welding machine; The present invention relates to a control method comprising at least the following.

[0034] Here, according to the first alternative example, it is understood that the control unit can modify the first parameter such that the next measurement of the first parameter converges to a reference threshold of the first parameter. Furthermore, according to the second alternative example, the control unit can modify a parameter different from the first parameter such that the next measurement of the first parameter converges to a reference threshold of the first parameter.

[0035] According to the features of the present invention, the control step includes adjusting at least one of the welding machine parameters such that, during welding of the workpiece, the measured value of the first parameter converges to a reference threshold of the first parameter. In other words, it is understood that the control unit can autonomously correct a fault in at least one of the welding machine parameters to cause the next measured value of the first parameter to converge to a reference threshold of the first parameter.

[0036] According to one feature of the present invention, the controlling step includes stopping the welding of the part to be welded if at least one of the measured values ​​of the first parameter deviates by more than 5-20% from the reference threshold of the first parameter.

[0037] If the parameter measurements deviate too far from the reference threshold, the control unit will stop the welding process, for example, so that the operator can make corrections.

[0038] According to the features of the present invention, the method is carried out continuously between the starting position of the movable assembly and the arrival position of the movable assembly.

[0039] According to one feature of the present invention, in the receiving step, the control unit records the measured values ​​of various parameters.

[0040] Other features, details, and advantages of the present invention will become clearer by reading the description below, which is made for illustrative purposes in conjunction with the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0041] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of a tank for storing and / or transporting cryogenic products, comprising at least two welded parts that form a sealing membrane of the tank. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a welding machine according to the present invention that can weld the two welded parts shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart of the steps of a method for controlling the welding of a workpiece using a welding machine according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0042] While the drawings illustrate the present invention in detail for its implementation, it should first be noted that these drawings can, of course, be used to better define the invention as needed. It should also be noted that these drawings only illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. Finally, throughout all drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements.

[0043] Figure 2 shows a welding machine 1 configured to move along at least two parts to be welded 2. More specifically, the parts to be welded 2 constitute a sealing membrane 4 of the wall 6 of a tank 8 for storing and / or transporting cryogenic products such as liquefied natural gas, as shown in Figure 1.

[0044] The welding machine 1 comprises at least one movable assembly 10. The movable assembly 10 has a substantially parallelepiped shape and extends in a principal extending direction P parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the welding machine 1. The movable assembly 10 of the welding machine 1 is intended to move along the workpiece 2, and for this purpose includes at least one pair of drive wheels 12 intended to move the welding machine 1 relative to the workpiece. More specifically, the drive wheels 12 are positioned in contact with the workpiece 2 by a pressurizing device 13, such as a hydraulic cylinder. They can be rotationally driven relative to the workpiece by a drive member (not shown), thereby moving the movable assembly 10 of the welding machine 1. The drive member may be, for example, an electric drive member, a hydraulic drive member, a pneumatic drive member, or a mechanical drive member. Preferably, the drive member in the context of the present invention is an electric motor. According to an illustrated example of the present invention, the movable assembly 10 of the welding machine 1 comprises two pairs of drive wheels 12 positioned opposite each other in the principal extending direction P of the movable assembly 10.

[0045] The movable assembly 10 further comprises a welding head 14 including at least two welding wheels 16. By rolling the welding wheels 16 against the workpiece to be welded, a weld intended to fix the workpiece to be welded can be generated. In the illustrated example of the present invention, the welding head 14 is positioned between two pairs of drive wheels 12 in the main extending direction P of the movable assembly 10. The welding head 14 further comprises at least one device 15 for pressurizing the welding wheels 16 against the workpiece 2. The pressurizing device 15 may take the form of, for example, a hydraulic cylinder.

[0046] The welding machine 1 further comprises at least one cooling device 18 intended to cool at least the welding head 14. More specifically, the cooling device 18 consists of an internal circuit (not shown) that circulates a coolant as close as possible to the welding wheel 16. The cooling device 18 further comprises a coolant tank 20, a pump (not shown), and a cooling unit (not shown). Such a cooling device 18 can prevent overheating of the welding wheel 16, in particular, during the operation of the welding machine 1.

[0047] The welding machine 1 also includes a support 22 spaced apart from the movable assembly 10, which is connected to the movable assembly 10 by a wire harness 24. The wire harness 24 includes, among other things, electrical and hydraulic connections necessary for the operation of the movable assembly. The support 22 is configured to support elements of the welding machine 1, such as the power supply unit 26 of the welding machine 1, as well as the tank 20, pump and cooling unit of the cooling device 18.

[0048] The function of the power supply unit 26 is, in particular, to rotate the drive wheels to move the movable assembly 10 of the welding machine 1 by supplying current to at least the drive wheel drive member 12, and to supply current to the welding wheels 16 so that the parts to be welded 2 can be welded when this current flows through them. Furthermore, the current from the power supply unit 26 is alternating current. Therefore, the welding machine 1 is equipped with an electrical converter 28 (hereinafter referred to as the converter) located in the current path between the power supply unit 26 and the welding wheels 16. The converter 28 can convert the 50Hz alternating current from the power supply unit 26 to the 1000Hz alternating current required by the welding wheels 16. The converter includes, in particular, at least one rectifier bridge, a capacitor, and an inverter. The current at the output of the converter is led to a transformer / rectifier that converts the 1000Hz alternating current into a pulsed current sent to the welding wheels 16.

[0049] According to the present invention, the welding machine 1 includes a control unit 30 for the welding head 14. The control unit 30 can control parameters of the welding machine 1, selected from the following: the contact pressure of the welding wheel 16 with respect to the workpiece 2, and / or the speed at which the movable assembly 10 moves along the workpiece 2, and / or the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel 16, and / or the position of the welding machine 1 relative to the workpiece 2. In other words, it is understood that the control unit 30 can control at least the device for pressurizing the welding wheel, and / or the drive wheel drive member 12, and / or the intensity of the current supplied by the power supply unit 26, and / or the position of the welding machine 1 relative to the workpiece 2 according to its forward speed.

[0050] The term "control" means that the control unit 30 can process the values ​​of various parameters of the welding machine 1 it receives, allowing the operator to continuously monitor the welding method between the starting position and the arrival position of the movable assembly 10 of the welding machine 1 on the workpiece 2. The starting position is understood as the position of the movable assembly 10 on the workpiece 2 where the start of welding is desired, and the arrival position is understood as the position of the movable assembly 10 on the workpiece 2 where the end of welding is desired. Such positions of the movable assembly 10 are determined by a positioning member, which is optionally mounted on the movable assembly 10 as a component of the welding machine. This member is controlled by the control unit 30.

[0051] According to the present invention, the control unit 30 is supported by the movable assembly 10 or support 22 of the welding machine 1. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 30 is supported by the movable assembly 10.

[0052] Furthermore, according to one example of the present invention, the converter 28 is supported by a movable assembly 10 of the welding machine 1. More specifically, the converter 28 and the control unit 30 are supported on the same printed circuit board, and the printed circuit board is supported by the movable assembly 10.

[0053] According to one example of the present invention, the control unit 30 can control the parameter values ​​of the cooling device 18. More specifically, the parameters of the cooling device 18 include at least one of the flow rate of the coolant circulating in the welding machine 1 and / or the temperature of the coolant.

[0054] According to the present invention, the control unit 30 can receive values ​​of various parameters that the unit 30 can control from the welding machine 1. More specifically, the welding machine 1 includes at least a first identification means 32a capable of detecting a parameter value relating to the contact pressure of the welding wheel 16 with respect to the part to be welded 2, and / or a second identification means 32b capable of detecting a parameter value relating to the moving speed of the movable assembly 10 along the part to be welded 2, and / or a third identification means 32c capable of detecting a parameter value relating to the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel 16, and / or a fourth identification means 32d capable of detecting a parameter value relating to the position of the welding machine 1 with respect to the part to be welded, and / or a fifth identification means 32e capable of detecting a parameter value relating to the duration of pulses of the current flowing through the welding wheel 16.

[0055] Identification means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e are sensors configured to detect a value of one of the following parameters: the contact pressure applied by the pressurizing device 15 to the welding wheel 16, and / or the rotational speed of the drive wheel 12, and / or the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel 16, and / or the position of the welding machine 1 relative to the part to be welded, and / or the duration of the pulses of the current flowing through the welding wheel 16. Identification means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e may also be devices capable of determining a value of one of the parameters from other parameters measured elsewhere. For example, one of the identification means 32d may be a device capable of determining the position of the movable assembly 10 relative to the part to be welded 2 and relative to the starting position of the movable assembly 10 as a function of the velocity value of the movable assembly 10 detected by one of the sensors.

[0056] The welding machine 1 may also include a sixth identifying means 32f that enables detection of a value relating to the flow velocity of the coolant circulating in the welding machine 1, and / or a seventh identifying means 32g located in the tank 20 that enables identification of the temperature of the coolant. More specifically, the sixth identifying means 32f enables identification of the rotational speed of the pump.

[0057] The specific means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, 32f, and 32g then send at least one measurement value for at least one of the parameters to the control unit 30 so that the control unit processes the measurement value as described above. The method for controlling welding by the control unit will be described later in the remainder of the detailed description.

[0058] According to the present invention, the welding machine 1 is equipped with at least one control interface 34 capable of displaying at least the values ​​of various parameters of the welding machine 1 received by the control unit 30. More specifically, according to an example of the present invention, the control interface 34 is supported by a support 22 and allows an operator to track changes in the parameters of the welding machine 1 during the welding process. The control interface 34 also allows the operator to input reference thresholds for various parameters of the welding machine 1, i.e., predetermined values ​​and / or value intervals for each of the parameters of the welding machine 1. The term "reference threshold" means the values ​​and / or value intervals that the operator expects for various parameters of the welding machine 1 during the welding process. According to another example of the present invention (not shown), the control interface may be supported by a portable device separate from the support.

[0059] From the above, it can be understood that, because the control interface 34 and the control unit 30 can communicate with each other, the control interface 34 can display the values ​​received by the control unit 30, and the control unit 30 can process the received values ​​relative to the reference threshold input to the control interface 34.

[0060] Next, a method for controlling the welding of at least two parts using the welding machine 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0061] The control method comprises at least one input step 100. The input step 100 corresponds to a step in which the operator inputs a reference threshold for at least one of the parameters of the welding machine 1 into the control interface 34. According to an example of the present invention, the operator inputs a set of reference thresholds for all parameters of the welding machine 1. Thus, after inputting the reference thresholds, they are transmitted to the control unit 30 by the control interface 34. It is understood that the control unit 30 uses the reference thresholds input to the control interface 34 as expected values ​​or expected intervals for each of the parameters of the welding machine 1. Similarly, it is understood that the control unit 30 and the control interface 34 are configured to communicate with each other.

[0062] The control method also includes a step 200 following the input step 100. In step 200, the control unit 30 receives the parameter values ​​detected by the identification means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, 32f, and 32g from the welding machine 1.

[0063] Next, the control unit 30 can perform step 300, which involves comparing at least one value received by one of the parameters from one of the identification means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, 32f, and 32g with a reference threshold value. In other words, the control unit 30 continuously receives values ​​detected by the various identification means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, 32f, and 32g from the welding machine 1 and compares these received values ​​with a reference threshold value input for each of the parameters.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the values ​​received by the control unit 30 are also sent to the control interface 34 so that the operator can monitor them. According to one example of the present invention, the control interface 34 can record the values ​​received by the control unit 30. This constitutes a database of the parameters of the welding machine 1.

[0065] After performing the comparison step 300, the control unit 30 optionally performs a step 400 to check at least one of the parameters of the welding machine 1 if the value received by at least one of the identifying means 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, 32f, 32g does not converge with the reference threshold of the parameter. In other words, if the comparison step 300 concludes that there is a discrepancy between the parameter value received by the control unit 30 and a previously input reference threshold, the control unit 30 performs a step 401 to adjust the control step 400, more specifically, a step 401 to adjust the control step 400. In step 401, the parameter and / or at least one other distinct parameter are modified so that the value of the next parameter to be received converges toward the input threshold of the parameter. It is understood that such a control step 400 applies to all parameters of the welding machine 1.

[0066] Furthermore, from this adjustment step 401, it should be understood that modifying one parameter may involve adjusting another different parameter. For example, if the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel is to be corrected to approach its input threshold, the control unit directly adjusts the intensity of the current at the output of the power supply unit.

[0067] In other words, the input threshold values ​​entered for each parameter are fixed. The adjustment step is performed so that the entered input threshold values ​​converge with the measured values ​​performed for that parameter. The adjustment step may involve one or more parameters of the welding machine.

[0068] According to one example of the use of the control method, if the received value of at least one of the parameters deviates from a reference threshold by more than 5% for, for example, the pulse duration of the current flowing through the welding wheel 16, and / or more than 20% for the contact pressure of the welding wheel 16, the control unit 30 performs step 402, which stops control step 400. In step 402, the control unit 30 stops welding the part to be welded by the welding machine 1. In other words, if the value of the received parameter deviates too far from the reference threshold to be adjusted in adjustment step 401, the control unit 30 stops welding the part to be welded. This allows the operator to manually adjust one or more parameters of the welding machine 1, or to perform control operations on the welding machine or maintenance machine. Maintenance work may include, for example, cleaning the welding wheel and / or drive wheel if they are clogged.

[0069] Furthermore, if the comparison step 300 concludes that the received parameter value matches the reference threshold value of the parameter, the control unit 30 will not change the parameter and will restart the control method in the receiving step 200.

[0070] Therefore, if there is no change in the reference threshold of the parameters of the welding machine 1 after the control step 400 or comparison step 300, the control unit 30 repeats the control method from the receiving step 200. If a change in the parameter threshold is required, the method is repeated from the input step 100.

[0071] According to one example of the present invention, in the adjustment step 401 and stop step 402 of the control step 400, the control interface 34 indicates to the operator the execution of these steps 401 and 402 by audible and / or visual signals.

[0072] Furthermore, it is understood that the control method is performed continuously between the starting position of the movable assembly 10 and the arrival position of the movable assembly 10. This continuity of the control method ensures optimal monitoring of the welding method of the part to be welded 2, and consequently, better welding quality.

[0073] However, the present invention described above is not limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated exclusively, but applies to all equivalent means and configurations, and any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A welding machine (1) for at least two parts to be welded (2), wherein the welding machine (1) comprises at least one movable assembly (10), The movable assembly (10) is The movable assembly (10) is provided with at least a pair of drive wheels (12) intended to move relative to the welded part (2), A welding head (14) comprising at least two welding wheels (16), wherein the welding head (14) is capable of generating a weld intended to fix the workpiece (2) to the workpiece (2) by the rolling of the welding wheels (16) against the workpiece (2), Includes, The welding machine (1) is equipped with a control unit (30) for the welding head (14), The control unit (30) can control parameters of the welding machine (1) selected from among the following: the contact pressure of the welding wheel (16) with respect to the part to be welded (2), and / or the speed at which the movable assembly (10) moves along the part to be welded (2), and / or the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel (14), and / or the duration of the pulses of the current flowing through the welding wheel (14), and / or the position of the movable assembly (10) with respect to the part to be welded (2). The control unit (30) can receive various parameter values ​​from the welding machine (1) and control them. Welding machine (1).

2. The welding machine (1) is provided with at least one control interface (34) capable of displaying at least the values ​​of various parameters of the welding machine (1), The welding machine (1) according to claim 1.

3. The control interface (34) is a functional unit for inputting reference threshold values ​​for various parameters of the welding machine (1). The welding machine (1) according to claim 2.

4. The welding machine (1) is equipped with at least one cooling device (18) for the welding head (14), The control unit (30) is capable of controlling the parameter values ​​of the cooling device (18). A welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The parameters of the cooling device (18) include at least one of the following parameters: the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the welding machine (1), and / or the temperature of the coolant. The welding machine (1) according to claim 4.

6. The welding machine (1) is A first identifying means (32a) capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the contact pressure of the welding wheel (16) with respect to the part to be welded (2), and / or A second identifying means (32b) capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the moving speed of the movable assembly (10) along the welded part (2), and / or A third specific means (32c) capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the intensity of the current flowing through the welding wheel (16), and / or A fourth specific means (32d) capable of detecting the value of a parameter relating to the position of the movable assembly (10) relative to the welded part (2), and / or The welding wheel (16) is provided with a fifth specific means (32e) capable of detecting the value of the parameter relating to the duration of the pulse of the current flowing through it, A welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The welding machine (1) comprises a support (22) spaced apart from the movable assembly, and the support (22) is connected to the movable assembly by a wire harness (24). The control unit (30) is supported by the movable assembly (10) or the support (22). A welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The movable assembly (10) includes at least one electrical converter (28), A welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The electrical converter (28) and the control unit (30) are supported on the same printed circuit board. The welding machine (1) according to claim 8.

10. The control of the parameter and / or the reception of the parameter value are performed continuously between the starting position of the movable assembly (10) and the arrival position of the movable assembly (10). A welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

11. A method for controlling the welding of at least two parts (2) by a welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the welding control method is: - An input step (100) of at least one first parameter of the welding machine (1) to a reference threshold control interface (34), - The control unit (30) receives at least one side value of the first parameter of the welding machine (1) (200), - The control unit (30) compares at least one side value of the first parameter with the reference threshold of the first parameter (300), - If the measured value of the first parameter does not converge to the reference threshold of the first parameter, the control unit (30) controls at least one of the parameters of the welding machine (1) (400) A control method comprising at least the following.

12. The checking step (400) includes, during welding of the welded part (2), adjusting at least one of the parameters of the welding machine (1) to converge the measured value of the first parameter to the reference threshold of the first parameter (401), The control method according to claim 11.

13. The checking step (400) includes a step (402) of stopping welding the workpiece (2) if at least one of the measured values ​​of the first parameter deviates by more than 5 to 20% from the reference threshold of the first parameter. The control method according to claim 11.

14. The method described above is performed continuously between the starting position of the movable assembly and the arrival position of the movable assembly (10). The control method according to claim 11.

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