Method and apparatus for controlling induction welding

Abstract

To provide methods and systems for calibrating electrical current for an induction welding operation, which achieve reduced production time, reduced production costs, and improved operation of a computer.SOLUTION: A method is provided for controlling an induction welding operation. The method includes sweeping electrical current through an induction welding coil (116) at an initial position of the induction welding coil (116) along a weld path (108) of a material (118, 120); monitoring a response of the material to the swept electrical current using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor (122); calibrating an electrical current value for the induction welding operation using the monitored response; and performing the induction welding operation along the weld path (108) using the calibrated electrical current value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling induction welding.

Background Art

[0002] Induction welding is a technique for heating an object using electromagnetic induction without touching the surface of the object. For example, two objects can be welded at a joint by induction welding, and the induction welding coil itself does not contact either of the objects. In some induction welding systems, a current value for achieving a predetermined welding temperature at which an appropriate joint state can be obtained is selected using the relationship between the current and the temperature of a given object configuration. However, differences between lots in the same configuration (e.g., differences in materials, manufacturing processes, etc.) can affect this current-temperature relationship and, consequently, the current value required to reach the predetermined welding temperature. Depending on the welding operation, some overcome the problem of differences between lots in the same configuration by performing verification welding for each joint on a witness panel and adjusting the current value based on the witness panel. However, creating a witness panel is time-consuming and costly.

[0003] Therefore, there is a desire for a method and an apparatus that take into account at least some of the matters described above, as well as other matters.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, a method for controlling an induction welding operation is provided. The method includes sweeping a current through an induction welding coil at an initial position of the induction welding coil on a welding path of a material, monitoring a response of the material to the swept current using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor, calibrating a current value of the induction welding operation using the monitored response, and performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0005] In another aspect, a computer program product is provided which includes a computer storage medium incorporating computer-readable program code. The computer-readable program code is configured, when executed, to perform a method for controlling induction welding, the method including: sweeping a current into an induction welding coil at an initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of a material; monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor; calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitored response; and performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0006] In another aspect, an apparatus for induction welding is provided. The apparatus includes an end effector which includes an induction welding coil that generates a magnetic field. The magnetic field generates heat in the welding path of the material that causes induction welding. The apparatus further includes an electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor which measures the magnetic field strength at the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material. The apparatus further includes a controller which is configured to sweep a current through the induction welding coil at the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path, monitor the material's response to the sweep current using the EMF sensor, and calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitored response.

[0007] In yet another aspect, a method for controlling an induction welding operation is provided. In this method, a current is swept through the induction welding coil at its initial position on the welding path of a first lot of material, the current being swept through the induction welding coil to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a calibration welding temperature, the response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor, the current value of the induction welding operation is calibrated using the monitored response before a weld is formed on any of the materials in the first lot, and the induction welding operation is performed along the welding path using the calibrated current value. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an induction welding system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the induction welding structure of the induction welding system shown in Figure 1, according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows multiple EMF sensors embedded in a mandrel that can be used in the induction welding system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram of the processing flow of induction welding according to one embodiment. [Figure 4A] This figure shows an example of a weld interface according to one embodiment. [Figure 4B] This figure shows an example of the magnetic field strength response to electric current according to one embodiment. [Figure 4C] This figure shows an example of a magnetic field strength loss chart according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of the processing flow of induction welding according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of the database construction process flow according to one embodiment. [Figure 6A] This is an example of a chart showing the temperature response to current at various locations within an induction welding system according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows a method for controlling induction welding operations according to one embodiment. [Figure 8-8a] This flowchart shows a method for controlling induction welding operations according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows a method for controlling induction welding operations according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram of a computing device suitable for carrying out various embodiments of the present disclosure, according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram of an aircraft manufacturing and maintenance method according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a schematic perspective view of an aircraft according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings for identical or similar parts. References made throughout this disclosure with respect to specific embodiments and designs are presented for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit all embodiments unless otherwise suggested.

[0010] The following summary and subsequent detailed descriptions of several embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this specification, elements or processes described in the singular form should be understood not to necessarily exclude plural elements or processes. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment,” “embodiment,” “one example,” “example,” etc., are not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments and / or examples that similarly contain the described features. Also, unless otherwise specified, embodiments that “contain” or “have” an element or a number of elements having a particular characteristic may include additional elements that do not possess that characteristic.

[0011] Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for controlling induction welding operations. These embodiments describe sweeping current through an induction welding coil at an initial position on the welding path of a material, monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor, calibrating a current value for the induction welding operation using the monitored response, and performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0012] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method and system for calibrating the current in induction welding operations in a manner different from the conventional. Embodiments of this disclosure have the technical advantages of reducing manufacturing time, lowering manufacturing costs, and improving computer performance, for example by more efficiently and directionally considering variations in current setting values ​​caused by lot-to-lot differences in the same configuration, thereby improving the efficiency of the computing hardware (compared to, for example, conventional induction welding systems). Embodiments described herein improve the autonomous system operation and reliability of the entire induction welding system.

[0013] Induction welding can be achieved by setting up a weld and conducting a heating investigation along the weld line using a thermocouple, based on the configuration of the object to be welded. The heating investigation reveals the current-temperature relationship of the object's configuration. Using this relationship, a current value is selected to achieve a predetermined welding temperature for a suitable joint. This current-temperature relationship is influenced by various variables (e.g., material, layup, manufacturing history, geometry, overlap area, tool, etc.), which in turn determine the current, pressure, and speed required to achieve a suitable joint. Welding speed and pressure are well understood and, once set for a given configuration, can be kept constant. Most variables affecting the current-temperature relationship are either immutable or have only a negligible effect. However, it is known that lot-to-lot differences in the same configuration (e.g., differences in material, differences in manufacturing process, etc.) can significantly affect the current-temperature relationship and, consequently, the current value required to reach the predetermined welding temperature.

[0014] One way to overcome current setting variations due to lot-to-lot differences in the same configuration is to establish a process window that accommodates these differences. Ensuring that the upper temperature limit of the process window is not exceeded and constraining the heat-affected zone are considered in the tool configuration. However, this solution increases the cost and complexity of the tool because it expands the area of ​​the part that needs to be pressurized. Furthermore, extensive testing is required to set the desired process capability index for all conceivable material and process differences. Another way to overcome current setting variations due to lot-to-lot differences in the same configuration is to perform verification welding at each joint on a verification panel and adjust the current value based on the verification panel. However, both of these methods are time-consuming and costly.

[0015] In embodiments of this disclosure, welding parameters can be calibrated before the induction welding process to account for lot-to-lot variability. For example, embodiments disclosed herein utilize the sensitivity of an EMF sensor to lot-to-lot variability to determine the current-temperature response. Since the EMF sensor response is independent of the welding speed and the sensor response is negligible when the current is zero, a current sweep is performed from room temperature to a temperature lower than the calibration weld temperature to account for lot-to-lot variability in current-temperature calibration. In other words, by sweeping the current from zero to a value induced by the coil at a temperature lower than the calibration weld temperature, the EMF sensor produces a material response at a temperature lower than the calibration weld temperature. The current sweep is performed with the induction welding coil at an initial position on the weld path (i.e., the starting position, weld length = 0, etc.). Thus, according to embodiments disclosed herein, the current required to reach a predetermined weld temperature can be calibrated (e.g., predicted) before the induction welding coil moves over the desired weld position. In some embodiments, the response of previous welds performed on other lots of the same object configuration is stored in a database and further used to optimize the current calibration to achieve a predetermined welding temperature. Furthermore, some embodiments of the present disclosure can measure the welding temperature as the welding progresses and adjust the current during welding based on feedback of the measured welding temperature to accommodate variations in the object along the welding path (e.g., in thickness, shape, welding speed, etc.).

[0016] In various embodiments disclosed herein, using a welding object and an EMF sensor, a material's current-temperature response is obtained more quickly, without forming a weld, before forming a weld, without unnecessarily changing the welding object, and / or without damaging the welding object, compared to at least some known methods that consider variations between lots in the same configuration. For example, a current is swept through an induction welding coil at an initial position on a welding path, and the response of the material thereto is used to calibrate the current required to reach a predetermined welding temperature. According to the embodiments disclosed herein, (1) the need to establish a costly and time-consuming process window is eliminated, (2) the use of a costly and time-consuming verification panel and other calibration welds performed at temperatures lower than the predetermined welding temperature are eliminated, and (3) the time required to calibrate the current required to reach the predetermined welding temperature is reduced. Thus, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, production time is shortened and production costs are reduced. Further, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, variations in current settings due to differences between lots in the same configuration are considered more efficiently and directionally, and the operation of a computer is improved by improving the efficiency of computer hardware (compared to, for example, a conventional induction welding system). The embodiments disclosed herein can be performed manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. According to the semi-autonomous and fully autonomous embodiments of the present disclosure, the autonomous system operation and reliability of the entire induction welding system are improved.

[0017] Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an induction welding system 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The induction welding system 100 can perform induction welding as described in, for example, the operation process flows 400, 500, and 600 shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, and the methods 700, 800, and 900 shown in Figures 7, 8-8a, and 9. The induction welding system 100 can be implemented, for example, in whole or in part, using the induction welding configuration 200 shown in Figure 2. The induction welding system 100 shown in Figure 1 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the induction welding system 100 can be adopted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. That is, the present disclosure envisions induction welding systems 100 having various shapes, sizes, arrangements, structures, functions, etc. The induction welding system 100 may be referred to as “apparatus for induction welding” in this specification.

[0018] In the example of FIG. 1, the induction welding system 100 includes a robot 102, which includes a controller 104 and a memory 106 for managing the operation of a kinematic chain 109 that includes one or more actuators 110 and one or more rigid bodies 112. By controlling the movement of the dynamic chain 109, the position, velocity, and / or orientation of an end effector 114 that supports an induction welding coil 116 can be adjusted. The controller 104 controls the amount of current (i.e., the current value) applied to the induction welding coil 116 to increase or decrease the magnetic field 117 generated by the induction welding coil 116. The amount of current applied to the induction welding coil 116, and thus the temperature of the welding interface 108 between components 118 and 120 (also shown in FIG. 2) that are induction welded to each other, is controlled. The controller 104 can be implemented, for example, as a custom circuit, as a hardware processor that executes programmed instructions, or as a combination thereof. The controller 104 can direct the operation of various components of the robot 102 according to instructions stored in a numerical control (NC) program stored in the memory 106, for example. Examples of operations directed by the controller 104 include, but are not limited to, controlling the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field 117 generated by the induction welding coil 116, controlling the amount of current applied to the induction welding coil 116, controlling the moving speed of the induction welding coil 116 relative to components 118 and 120, feedback processing (such as temperature sensor feedback, the processing flow 500 shown in FIG. 5, etc.), controlling the sampling rate of one or more of the EMF sensors 122 described below, and the like. An example of an embodiment of the controller 104 is the computing device 1000 shown in FIG. 10. The induction welding coil 116 can be any type of coil operable to generate a magnetic flux.

[0019] The induction welding coil 116 generates a magnetic field 117 on one side of components 118 and 120 in response to the applied current. The strength of the magnetic field 117 generated by the induction welding coil 116 is determined based on the amount of applied current. Therefore, the induction welding coil 116 is controllably adjusted to generate a magnetic field 117 of a desired strength.

[0020] During operation, the magnetic field 117 generated by the induction welding coil 116 causes components 118 and 120 to reach a transition temperature (e.g., glass transition temperature) during welding. For example, at this transition temperature, components 118 and 120 melt together at the welding interface 108 and are welded to each other to form a single mass, which then cools to become a single, integrated structure at the welding interface 108. Components 118 and 120 include, for example, laminates, thermoplastic resins (e.g., polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), etc.), composite materials (e.g., a thermoplastic resin base material reinforced with fibers, etc.), and / or any other material suitable for induction welding. The welding interface 108 extends along the length of components 118 and 120. An example of the length of the welding interface 108 is shown as welding interface 408 in Figure 4A. The length of the welding interface 108 may be referred to as the “weld path” in this specification.

[0021] The induction welding system 100 includes one or more EMF sensors 122 that measure a voltage indicating the strength of a magnetic field. Each EMF sensor 122 is configured to measure the strength of the magnetic field 117 generated by the induction welding coil 116 at the location of the EMF sensor 122 along the length of the welding interface 108. As described later, each EMF sensor 122 monitors (e.g., measures) the material response of components 118 and 120 to the current swept through the induction welding coil 116 at the location of the EMF sensor 122 along the length of the welding interface 108. Each EMF sensor 122 includes any type of EMF sensor configured to measure the strength and / or intensity of a magnetic field. Examples of EMF sensors 122 include, but are not limited to, an EMF sensor having a calibrated loop (not shown) containing at least 200 loops, and an EMF sensor designed to operate to acquire measurements at a sampling rate of 1 to 5 megahertz. The induction welding system 100 as a whole may include any number of EMF sensors 122, for example, including EMF sensors 122 at any number of positions along the length of the welding interface 108, and each position along the length of the welding interface 108 may include any number of EMF sensors 122. As will be described later, various embodiments of the present disclosure include one or more EMF sensors 122 positioned at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 along the length of the welding interface 108 (i.e., the start position, welding length = 0; for example, the start zone 410 shown in Figure 4A). Furthermore, for example, some embodiments of the induction welding system 100 include one or more EMF sensors 122 configured to measure the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field 117 at various other locations along the length of the welding interface 108 (e.g., EMF sensors 122b, 122c, and 122d located within a steady zone 446 of the length of the welding interface 408 shown in Figure 4A; one or more EMF sensors 122 (not shown) located within a stop zone 412 of the welding interface 408).

[0022] In some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes one or more temperature sensors 124, each configured to measure temperature at its location. For example, during welding, the temperature sensors 124 can be used at various locations along the length of the welding interface 108 to measure the welding temperature at which components 118 and 120 are welded. Each temperature sensor 124 includes any type of sensor configured to measure temperature, including, but not limited to, thermocouples and infrared (IR) sensors. The induction welding system 100 as a whole can include any number of temperature sensors 124, for example, temperature sensors 124 at any number of locations along the length of the welding interface 108, and any number of temperature sensors 124 at each location along the length of the welding interface 108. For example, as shown in Figure 4A, in some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes one or more temperature sensors 124a configured to measure the temperature in a start zone 410 of the length of the welding interface 408, one or more temperature sensors 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e configured to measure the temperature at each position in a steady zone 446 of the length of the welding interface 408, and one or more temperature sensors 124f configured to measure the temperature in a stop zone 412 of the welding interface 408.

[0023] In some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes one or more velocity sensors 123, each configured to measure the degree (e.g., speed) of movement of the induction welding coil 116 relative to components 118 and 120 as the induction welding coil 116 moves along the length of the welding interface 108. Each velocity sensor 123 includes any type of sensor configured to measure the degree of movement of the induction welding coil 116 relative to components 118 and 120. The induction welding system 100 may include any number of velocity sensors 123. In some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes one or more current sensors 125, each configured to measure the current flowing to the controller 104. Each current sensor 125 includes any type of sensor configured to measure the amount of current flowing to the controller 104. The induction welding system 100 may include any number of current sensors 125.

[0024] Figure 2 shows an induction welding configuration 200 of an induction welding system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This example of configuration 200 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the induction welding system 100 can also be adopted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. That is, the present disclosure envisions induction welding configurations having various shapes, sizes, structures, arrangements, functions, etc.

[0025] The configuration 200 of the induction welding system 100 includes an induction welding coil 116, a heat sink 126, a mandrel 128, and components 118 and 120. During operation, the induction welding coil 116 is positioned on or near the heat sink 126 to perform induction welding. That is, the heat sink 126 is positioned between the induction welding coil 116 and the assembly of components 118 and 120. The heat sink 126 absorbs and dissipates heat from the surface of component 118 (e.g., surface 127) when components 118 and 120 are induction welded together. In other words, components 118 and 120 are heated by the induction welding coil 116 during the induction welding process, but the heat on the surface 127 of component 118 is dissipated by the heat sink 126. This prevents the surface 127 from exceeding its transition temperature due to the heat generated within components 118 and 120 at the welding interface 108 (in which case undesirable structural changes may occur in one or both of the components 118 and 120 being induction welded). In the example in Figure 2, components 118 and 120 are heated from one side at the welding interface 108, as shown in Figure 2. In other words, the induction welding coil 116 is used on only one side of the assembly of components 118 and 120. In other embodiments, the induction welding coil 116 is used on both sides of the assembly of components 118 and 120.

[0026] Each EMF sensor 122 can be positioned at any location within the system 100 so that the EMF sensor 122 can measure the strength and / or intensity of the magnetic field at any location along the length of the welding interface 108. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, one or more EMF sensors 122 are embedded in the mandrel 128 at one or more locations along the length of the welding interface 108. Figure 3 shows an example of multiple EMF sensors 322 embedded in a mandrel 328 that may be used in the induction welding system 100. In addition to or instead of embedding in the mandrel 128, in some embodiments, one or more EMF sensors 122 are embedded in the heat sink 126 at one or more locations along the length of the welding interface 108 (e.g., at the location of the temperature sensor 124b, described later). Other examples include one or more EMF sensors 122 being positioned on the surface 127 of component 118 at one or more locations along the length of the weld interface 108 (e.g., the location of the temperature sensor 124c described later), or one or more EMF sensors 122 being positioned within the weld interface 108 between component 118 and 120 at one or more locations along the length of the weld interface 108 (e.g., the location of the temperature sensor 124a described later). Other locations of the EMF sensors 122 are also intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. In some embodiments, one or more of the EMF sensors 122 are elongated (i.e., longitudinally elongated) with a length parallel to the length of the weld interface 108, and the EMF sensors 122 are configured to measure the strength of the magnetic field at multiple locations along the length of the weld interface 108. In some embodiments, one or more of the EMF sensors 122 are spot sensors configured to measure the strength of the magnetic field at one location along the length of the weld interface 108, for example, the spot sensor arrangement shown in Figure 3, where the EMF sensors 322 are spaced apart from each other along the length of the mandrel 328.

[0027] Each temperature sensor 124 can be positioned at any location within the system 100 so that the temperature sensor 124 can measure temperature at any location along the length of the weld interface 108. For example, the system 100 may include one or more temperature sensors 124 embedded in a mandrel 128, and / or one or more temperature sensors 124 embedded in a heat sink 126. In the embodiment of Figure 2, the system 100 includes one or more temperature sensors 124a positioned within the weld interface 108 between components 118 and 120 at one or more locations along the length of the weld interface 108, one or more temperature sensors 124b embedded in the heat sink 126 at one or more locations along the length of the weld interface 108, and one or more temperature sensors 124c positioned on the surface 127 of component 118 at one or more locations along the length of the weld interface 108. Other locations of the temperature sensors 124 are also intended to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0028] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the induction welding process flow 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The induction welding process flow 400 can be performed by any induction welding system, for example, the induction welding system 100 shown in Figure 1, for example, but is not limited thereto. The induction welding process flow 400 can be performed manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, at least part of the steps shown in Figure 4 is performed by a computing device, for example, the controller 104 shown in Figure 1, the computing device 1000 shown in Figure 10. Various embodiments of the induction welding process flow 400 can be performed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0029] The processing flow 400 includes manufacturing components 118 and 120 using raw materials 402 404. The manufactured components 118 and 120 are assembled in the induction welding system 100 so that the components 118 and 120 can be subjected to induction welding operations to induce weld components 118 and 120 along the welding interface 108. Components 118, 120, and their assemblies are at least part of one lot of a given component configuration, where “component configuration” refers to the configuration of the component assembly in the induction welding system 100, including materials, layup, manufacturing history, geometry, overlapping areas, tools, etc. It has been found that differences between lots of the same component configuration (e.g., differences in materials, differences in manufacturing processes, etc.) can have a significant impact on the current-temperature relationship and, consequently, the current value required to achieve a given welding temperature.

[0030] To account for lot-to-lot variations in current-to-temperature calibration, the induction welding process flow 400 includes sweeping current through the induction welding coil 116 at its initial position along the length of the welding interface 108 between components 118 and 120 406. In this specification, “sweeping” current through the induction welding coil 116 (and the current being “sweeped”) means applying current to the induction welding coil 116 while increasing the current value. The current is swept through the induction welding coil 116 from zero to a value lower than the current value that induces the calibration weld temperature. In other words, the current is swept through the induction welding coil 116 from a current value that induces room temperature to a current value that induces a temperature lower than the calibration weld temperature. Thus, the current is swept through the induction welding coil 116 to a value lower than the current value that induces the weld temperature (i.e., the temperature that causes welding between components 118 and 120). In this specification, “calibration welding temperature” means a temperature that is sufficiently high to exceed the glass transition temperature of components 118 and 120 at the welding interface 108, but lower than a predetermined welding temperature used to fuse components 118 and 120 together. The calibration welding temperature is used for calibration welding and other test welding, which are conventionally used to calibrate the current value used in induction welding operations.

[0031] As briefly described above, the current sweep is performed with the induction welding coil 116 in an initial position along the length of the welding interface 108 (i.e., the starting position, welding length = 0, etc.; for example, the starting zone 410 shown in Figure 4A). Figure 4A shows an example of a welding interface 408 extending over a length L from the starting zone 410 to the stopping zone 412. The starting zone 410 defines the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 during the induction welding operation. The stopping zone 412 defines the final position of the induction welding coil 116 during the induction welding operation. As shown in Figure 4A, one or more EMF sensors 122 are positioned to monitor the material response of components 118 and 120 to the sweep current, as will be described later.

[0032] In some embodiments, the current sweep 406 is a static sweep in which the induction welding coil 116 is fixed relative to components 118 and 120 during the current sweep. For example, in the case of a static induction welding coil 116, the current sweep 406 may involve inputting current values ​​(x, x+10, +20, +30, +40, etc.) to the induction welding coil 116 at a point on the overlapping region of components 118 and 120 (e.g., a point such as an initial position along the length of the welding interface 108, a point along the width of the welding interface 108, etc.). In some other embodiments, the current sweep 406 is a dynamic sweep in which the induction welding coil 116 is moved relative to components 118 and 120 during the current sweep (e.g., the induction welding coil 116 is fed through components 118 and 120 or vice versa). For example, in the case of a dynamic induction welding coil 116, the current sweep 406 involves using a current of value (x) for the induction welding coil 116, passing it over components 118 and 120, and then repeating with values ​​(x+20, 30, 40, etc.) to grasp the temperature-current relationship of the material at various points on the overlapping region of components 118 and 120 (e.g., various points along the length of the welding interface 108, various points along the width of the welding interface, etc.).

[0033] The induction welding process flow 400 includes monitoring the material response of components 118 and 120 to the sweep current using an EMF sensor 122a 414. For example, the EMF sensor 122a measures the magnetic field strength of the sweep current at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 along the length of the welding interface 408 (e.g., in the start zone 410). In some embodiments, the measured magnetic field strength of the sweep current at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 along the length of the welding interface 408 is used to determine the magnetic field strength response of the material of components 118 and 120 to the sweep current at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 (414a). For example, Figure 4B shows an example of the magnetic field strength response 416 to the current. In Figure 4B, the calibration response line 418 represents the baseline response at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 with no components assembled in the induction welding system 100; the pre-join response line 420 represents the material response of components 118 and 120 at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 before components 118 and 120 are welded along the welding interface 408; and the post-join response line 422 represents the material response of components 118 and 120 at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 after components 118 and 120 have been welded along the welding interface 408.

[0034] The induction welding process flow 400 includes calibrating the induction welding current values ​​424 using the monitored material responses of components 118 and 120 to the sweep current. Calibrating the current values ​​using monitored responses may include, for example, selecting values ​​that are expected to induce a predetermined (e.g., target) welding temperature when the current values ​​for components 118 and 120 of a configuration and / or lot are unknown or not set. In addition to or instead of this, calibrating the current values ​​using monitored responses may include adjusting the set values ​​for components 118 and 120 of a configuration and / or lot so that the adjusted values ​​induce a predetermined (e.g., target) welding temperature.

[0035] In some embodiments, calibrating current values ​​using the material monitoring responses of components 118 and 120 to sweep current includes extrapolating the trend line of the material monitoring response. For example, the magnetic field strength response to current measured by the EMF sensor 122a can be combined with the temperature response to current of the induction welding system 100 (e.g., the heat sink 126, within the welding interface 408, the materials of components 118 and 120, etc.) to create a magnetic field strength loss chart (e.g., magnetic field strength loss chart 426 shown in Figure 4C, etc.) that shows the magnetic field strength loss with respect to current and welding temperature. The temperature response to current of the induction welding system 100 can be obtained, for example, from one or more established temperature responses to current of its configuration and / or lot of components 118 and 120 using a temperature sensor 124 (e.g., at any position on the induction welding coil 116 along the length of the welding interface 408). By extrapolating the trend line of the relationship between current and magnetic field strength loss, the current value expected to induce a given welding temperature can be predicted (and thereby calibrated).

[0036] For example, Figure 4C shows an example of a magnetic field strength loss chart 426. In Figure 4C, the relationship between the current and field strength loss response of the materials of components 118 and 120 at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 is represented by a solid trend line 428. As shown by the dashed line 428a, the trend line 428 can be extrapolated (and thereby calibrated) to predict the current value expected to induce a given welding temperature. In some embodiments, the trend line 428 is extrapolated using the slope of the trend line 428 (i.e., the slope of the solid line 428) as shown by the dashed line 428a. In addition to or instead of this, the trend line 428 is extrapolated using a trend line 430 (e.g., its slope) of the relationship between temperature and field strength loss response in the materials of components 118 and 120, as shown by the dashed line 428a.

[0037] In some embodiments, calibrating current values ​​using the material monitoring responses of components 118 and 120 to sweep current involves comparing the material monitoring responses with at least one established response for component 118 and 120 material from different lots of the same configuration. Established responses for component 118 and 120 material from different lots include, for example, material responses from previous welding operations performed on other lots of component 118 and 120 of the same configuration. (These are, for example, at various locations along the length of the welding interface 408, and the established responses define a trend line representing the magnetic field strength loss response to current and / or temperature as the induction welding coil 116 moves along the length of the welding interface 408 during welding.) In some embodiments, for example, the material monitoring responses of components 118 and 120 are compared with a database containing multiple established responses for component 118 and 120 from different lots of the same configuration. An example of such a database will be described later in relation to the database construction process flow 600 shown in Figure 6. Furthermore, increasing the number of confirmed responses in the database improves the accuracy of current value calibration performed by the induction welding process flow 400. (For example, a feedback control system can increase the number of confirmed responses and / or the accuracy of calibration.) Therefore, by adding welding operations performed on various lots of components 118 and 120 with the same configuration to the database, the accuracy of current value calibration can be further improved each time a newly performed welding operation is added to the database.

[0038] In one example of comparing the monitoring response of the materials of components 118 and 120 with established responses, the monitoring response of the materials is compared with at least one trend line representing the established magnetic field strength loss response to current and / or temperature to determine the offset of the monitoring response of the materials from the trend line. The obtained offset can then be used to calibrate the current value expected to induce a given welding temperature. For example, referring again to Figure 4C, the magnetic field strength loss chart 426 includes the established current vs. magnetic field strength loss response trend line 432 and the established temperature vs. magnetic field strength loss response trend line 434 for the materials of lot 436 of components 118 and 120. The magnetic field strength loss chart 426 further includes the established current vs. magnetic field strength loss response trend line 438 and the established temperature vs. magnetic field strength loss response trend line 440 for the materials of another lot 442. By comparing the shapes (e.g., slope, curve, etc.) of trend lines 428 and 430 with the shapes of trend lines 432 and 434, and / or trend lines 438 and 440, respectively, trend line 428 can be extrapolated to the shape shown by the dashed line 428a. An offset can be determined using the difference between the dashed line 428a and trend lines 432 and / or 438, and this offset can be used to calibrate the current value required to achieve a predetermined welding temperature.

[0039] Embodiments disclosed herein utilize the material's response to a current by sweeping the induction welding coil 116 at its initial position on the welding interface 408 to calibrate the current required to reach a predetermined welding temperature. Thus, according to embodiments disclosed, the current value that induces a predetermined welding temperature can be calibrated (e.g., predicted) using components 118, 120 and the EMF sensor 122 before the induction welding coil moves over the desired welding position. Therefore, embodiments disclosed herein allow for a more rapid current-temperature response of the material to be obtained without forming a weld, before the weld is formed, without unnecessarily altering the workpiece, and / or damaging the workpiece. In some embodiments, the current value is calibrated before a weld is formed in the material of either component 118 or 120 of that lot.

[0040] The induction welding process flow 400 includes performing induction welding along the length of the welding interface 408 of components 118 and 120 using a calibrated current value 444.

[0041] In some embodiments, performing induction welding along the length of the welding interface 408 using a calibrated current value includes adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil 116 moves along the length of the welding interface 408 to account for variations in the material (e.g., thickness, shape, welding speed, etc.) along the length of the welding interface 408. For example, performing induction welding along the length of the welding interface 408 using a calibrated current value may include measuring the material temperature of components 118 and 120 at various locations along the length of the welding interface 408 (e.g., using one or more temperature sensors 124, etc.) during the induction welding operation, and adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperatures. In other words, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the welding temperature is measured as the welding progresses, and the current value is adjusted during the induction welding operation based on feedback of the measured welding temperature. In this way, the welding temperature can be verified as the induction welding coil 116 moves along the length of the welding interface. Therefore, if the measured welding temperature deviates from a predetermined welding temperature, the current value can be adjusted to bring the actual welding temperature back to the predetermined welding temperature.

[0042] Furthermore, for example, performing an induction welding operation along the length of the welding interface 408 using a calibrated current value may include measuring the material response of components 118 and 120 at various locations along the length of the welding interface 408 (for example, using one or more of the EMF sensors 122) during the induction welding operation, and adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured response. In other words, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the material response is measured as the welding progresses, and the current value is adjusted in real time during the induction welding operation based on feedback of the measured material response. For example, as described above and shown in Figure 4A, in some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes EMF sensors 122b, 122c, and 122d positioned within a steady-state zone 446 of the length of the welding interface 408 so that the current value of the induction welding coil 116 can be adjusted in real time during the welding operation.

[0043] In some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes temperature sensors 124 configured to measure temperature at various locations along the length of the welding interface 408, so that the current value of the induction welding coil 116 can be adjusted in real time during welding. For example, in the example shown in Figure 4A, the induction welding system 100 includes one or more temperature sensors 124a configured to measure temperature in a start zone 410 of the length of the welding interface 408, one or more temperature sensors 124b, 124c, 124d, and 124e configured to measure temperature at each location in a steady zone 446 of the length of the welding interface 408, and one or more temperature sensors 124f configured to measure temperature in a stop zone 412 of the welding interface 408. Although six locations are shown in Figure 4A, the induction welding system 100 may include one or more temperature sensors 124 configured to measure temperature at any number of different locations along the length of the welding interface 408. In some embodiments, the induction welding system 100 includes one or more EMF sensors 122 configured to measure the strength and / or intensity of a magnetic field at various locations along the length of the welding interface 408 during a welding operation, for example, to acquire and store in a database the magnetic field strength response to the current during the welding operation.

[0044] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the induction welding process flow 500, showing an example of a feedback loop for real-time adjustment of the current value of the induction welding coil 116 during welding. The induction welding process flow 500 includes sweeping current through the induction welding coil 116 at its initial position along the length of the welding interface 408 502. In 504, the material response of components 118 and 120 to the sweep current is monitored using the EMF sensor 122a. The process flow 500 includes calibrating the current value of the induction welding process using the material monitoring response of components 118 and 120 to the sweep current if the monitoring response indicates that the current welding current value of the induction welding coil 116 does not induce a predetermined welding temperature, or if no current value has been selected 506.

[0045] The process flow 500 includes measuring the temperature 508 as the induction welding coil 116 passes over the measurement position of the temperature sensor 124b after calibration, or if the monitoring response indicates that the current welding current value of the induction welding coil 116 will induce a predetermined welding temperature. If the measured temperature does not match the predetermined welding temperature (or is not within a given range from the predetermined welding temperature), the process flow 500 returns to the calibration step 506. The process flow 500 includes measuring the temperature 510 as the induction welding coil 116 passes over the measurement position of the temperature sensor 124c after calibration, or if the measured temperature at the position of the temperature sensor 124b matches the predetermined welding temperature (or is within a given range from the predetermined welding temperature), and returning to the calibration step 506 if the measured temperature does not match the predetermined welding temperature (or is not within a given range from the predetermined welding temperature). As the induction welding operation progresses, the process flow 500 repeats temperature measurements and any necessary calibrations as the induction welding coil 116 passes over the respective measurement positions of the temperature sensors 124d, 124e, and 124f until the induction welding operation is completed. In some embodiments, the process flow 500 includes using other sensor data (e.g., material response measured by EMF sensor 122, welding speed measured by velocity sensor 123) in addition to or instead of the measured temperature for feedback control during the induction welding operation. For example, as described above, during the induction welding operation, the material response of components 118 and 120 can be measured at various positions along the length of the welding interface 408 (e.g., using EMF sensors 122b, 122c, and / or 122d; using one or more EMF sensors 122 positioned at other positions along the length of the welding interface 408) to obtain feedback that enables real-time calibration as the induction welding coil 116 moves along the length of the welding interface 408.

[0046] The induction welding process flow 500 can be performed manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the process shown in Figure 5 is performed by a computing device such as the controller 104 shown in Figure 1 or the computing device 1000 shown in Figure 10. Various embodiments of the induction welding process flow 500 can be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0047] Figure 6 is a block diagram of a database construction process flow 600 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The database construction process flow 600 includes determining the temperature response to current in the induction welding system 100 (e.g., the heat sink 126, within the welding interface 108, the materials of components 118 and 120, etc.).602 In some embodiments, determining the temperature response to current of the induction welding system 100 is repeated for multiple current values ​​until a predetermined welding temperature is reached.The temperature response to current of the induction welding system 100 can be obtained, for example, using a temperature sensor 124 (e.g., at any position on the induction welding coil 116 along the length of the welding interface 108) during a welding operation performed on components of the same configuration.Figure 6A is an example of a chart 604 of the temperature response to current at various locations within the induction welding system 100.

[0048] The database construction process flow 600 includes determining the baseline and the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current 606. The baseline and the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current can be obtained using an EMF sensor 122, for example, at any position on the induction welding coil 116 along the length of the welding interface 108. Figure 4B shows an example of the baseline and the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current. For example, the calibration response line 418 in Figure 4B represents the baseline response at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 with no components assembled in the induction welding system 100, the pre-join response line 420 represents the material response of components 118 and 120 at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 before components 118 and 120 are welded along the welding interface 108, and the post-join response line 422 represents the material response of components 118 and 120 at the initial position of the induction welding coil 116 after components 118 and 120 have been welded along the welding interface 108. It is also intended within the scope of this disclosure to establish baselines for other sensed parameters (e.g., magnetic field strength and / or intensity, temperature, coil speed, etc.) for use in a database.

[0049] In some embodiments, the database construction process flow 600 includes saving sensor profiles of the EMF sensor 122 and / or temperature sensor 124 608. For example, the locations of the EMF sensor 122 and / or temperature sensor 124 along the length of the welding interface 108 can be saved in the database.

[0050] The database construction process flow 600 can be performed manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the steps shown in Figure 6 is performed by a computing device such as the controller 104 shown in Figure 1 or the computing device 1000 shown in Figure 10. Various embodiments of the database construction process flow 600 can be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0051] Figure 7 is a flowchart of a method 700 for controlling an induction welding operation according to one embodiment. Method 700 can be carried out by any induction welding system, for example, the induction welding system 100 shown in Figure 1, for example, but not limited to this. Although described herein as a series of steps, it is possible to add steps, omit some steps, or carry out the steps in a different order without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Method 700 can be carried out manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, at least part of the steps shown in Figure 7 is carried out by a computing device, for example, the controller 104 shown in Figure 1, the computing device 1000 shown in Figure 10. Various embodiments of Method 700 can be carried out without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0052] Method 700 includes, in 702, sweeping a current through an induction welding coil at its initial position on the welding path of the material. Method 700 includes, in 704, monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor. Method 700 includes, in 706, calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitored response. Method 700 includes, in 708, performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0053] Figures 8-8a are flowcharts illustrating a method 800 for controlling induction welding operations according to one embodiment. Method 800 can be implemented using any induction welding system, for example, the induction welding system 100 shown in Figure 1, for example, but not limited to this. Although described herein as a series of steps, additional steps can be performed, some steps can be omitted, and the steps can be performed in a different order without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Method 800 can be performed manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, at least some of the steps shown in Figures 8-8a are performed by a computing device, for example, the controller 104 shown in Figure 1, the computing device 1000 shown in Figure 10. Various embodiments of Method 800 can be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0054] Method 800 includes sweeping a current through the induction welding coil at its initial position on the welding path of the material in 802. In some embodiments, sweeping a current through the induction welding coil in 802 includes sweeping the current from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a calibration welding temperature in 802a. Furthermore, in some embodiments of Method 800, sweeping a current through the induction welding coil in 802 includes sweeping the current to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a welding temperature in 802b.

[0055] Method 800 includes monitoring the material's response to a sweep current using at least one EMF sensor in 804. In some embodiments, monitoring the material's response to a sweep current using at least one EMF sensor in 804 includes measuring the magnetic field strength of the sweep current in 804a. In some embodiments of Method 800, monitoring the material's response to a sweep current using at least one EMF sensor in 804 includes determining the material's magnetic field strength response to the current in 804b.

[0056] Method 800 includes, in 806, calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using a monitoring response. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using a monitoring response in 806 includes, in 806a, selecting a value that is expected to induce a target welding temperature, or, in 806b, adjusting the setpoint so that the adjusted setpoint induces the target welding temperature. In some embodiments, calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using a monitoring response in 806 includes, in 806c, extrapolating a trend line of the monitoring response for the material.

[0057] In some embodiments, calibrating the current value of an induction welding operation using a monitoring response in 806 includes, in 806d, comparing the monitoring response of the material with at least one established response from another lot of the material. Furthermore, in some embodiments, calibrating the current value of an induction welding operation using a monitoring response in 806 includes, in 806e, comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing multiple established responses from various lots of the material. In some embodiments of method 800, calibrating the current value of an induction welding operation using a monitoring response in 806 includes, in 806f, comparing the monitoring response of the material with at least one trend line representing an established magnetic field strength response to current, and in 806g, determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from the at least one trend line.

[0058] Method 800 includes, in 808, performing an induction welding operation along a welding path using a calibrated current value. In some embodiments, performing an induction welding operation along a welding path using a calibrated current value in 808 includes, in 808a, adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path. Furthermore, in some embodiments of Method 800, performing an induction welding operation along a welding path using a calibrated current value in 808 includes, in 808b, measuring the temperature of the material at various locations along the welding path during the induction welding operation, and, in 808c, adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

[0059] In some embodiments, method 800 further includes, in 810, building a database of confirmed responses for materials of different lots with the same configuration.

[0060] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a method 900 for controlling an induction welding operation according to one embodiment. Method 900 can be carried out by any induction welding system, for example, the induction welding system 100 shown in Figure 1, for example, but not limited to this. Although described herein as a series of steps, it is possible to add steps, omit some steps, or perform the steps in a different order without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Method 900 can be performed manually by a person, semi-autonomously by both a computing device and a person, or fully autonomously using a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, at least part of the steps shown in Figure 9 is performed by a computing device, for example, the controller 104 shown in Figure 1, the computing device 1000 shown in Figure 10. Various embodiments of Method 900 can be carried out without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0061] Method 900 includes, in 902, sweeping a current into the induction welding coil at its initial position on the welding path of the first lot of material, the current being swept into the induction welding coil to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a calibration welding temperature. Method 900 includes, in 904, monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor. Method 900 includes, in 906, calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitored response before a weld is formed on any of the materials in the first lot. Method 900 includes, in 908, performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0062] Referring to Figure 10, the figure shows a block diagram of a computing device 1000 suitable for carrying out various embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the computing device 1000 includes one or more processors 1004, one or more presentation components 1006, and memory 1002. Embodiments of the disclosure relating to computing device 1000 are carried out by a variety of computing devices, including personal computers, laptops, smartphones, mobile tablets, portable devices, consumer electronics, and specialized computing devices. Categories such as “workstation,” “server,” “laptop,” and “portable device” are not distinguished from each other, as they are all considered to fall within the scope of the “computing device” references in Figure 10 and this specification. Embodiments of the disclosure are also carried out in a distributed computing environment, in which tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked via a communication network. Although computing device 1000 is depicted as a single device, in one example, multiple computing devices cooperate to share the illustrated device resources. For example, in one embodiment, the memory 1002 is distributed across multiple devices, and the provided processor 1004 is housed in different devices.

[0063] In one embodiment, memory 1002 includes any of the computer-readable media described herein. For example, memory 1002 stores and is used to access instructions 1002a configured to perform various operations disclosed herein. In some embodiments, memory 1002 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, data disks in a virtual environment, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, processor 1004 includes any number of processing units that read data from various elements such as memory 1002 or input / output (I / O) components 1010. Specifically, processor 1004 is programmed to execute computer-executable instructions for carrying out aspects of the disclosure. In one embodiment, instructions are executed by the processor, by multiple processors within the computing device 1000, or by a processor outside the computing device 1000. In some embodiments, processor 1004 is programmed to execute instructions as shown in the flowcharts described later and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0064] The presentation component 1006 presents a data display to an operator or other device. In one embodiment, the presentation component 1006 includes a display device, a speaker, a printing element, a vibrating element, etc. As those skilled in the art will know, computer data can be presented in many ways, for example, visually through a graphical user interface (GUI), aurally through a speaker, wirelessly between computing devices 1000, via a wired connection, or by other means. In one embodiment, the presentation component 1006 is not used when the process or operation is sufficiently automated to require little or no human intervention. The I / O port 1008 allows the computing device 1000 to be logically coupled to other devices, including I / O components 1010, some of which are built-in. Embodiments of the I / O component 1010 include, but are not limited to, a microphone, keyboard, mouse, joystick, gamepad, satellite antenna, scanner, printer, wireless device, etc.

[0065] The computing device 1000 includes a bus 1016 that directly or indirectly connects the following devices: memory 1002, one or more processors 1004, one or more presentation components 1006, input / output (I / O) ports 1008, I / O component 1010, power supply 1012, and network component 1014. The computing device 1000 should not be construed as having any dependency or requirement with respect to any one or more exemplary components or combinations of components within the device. Bus 1016 represents one or more buses (such as an address bus, a data bus, or a combination thereof). The various blocks in Figure 10 are shown with lines for clarity, but depending on the embodiment, the function between the various components described may not be clear.

[0066] In some embodiments, the computing device 1000 is connected to a network 1018 using a network component 1014. In some embodiments, the network component 1014 includes a network interface card and / or computer executable instructions (e.g., drivers) for operating the network interface card. In one embodiment, communication between the computing device 1000 and other devices is performed via a wired or wireless connection 1020 using any protocol or mechanism. In some embodiments, the network component 1014 is capable of operating to communicate data wirelessly between devices, public, private, or hybrid (public and private), using a transport protocol and near-field communication technology (e.g., near-field communication (NFC), Bluetooth® communication, etc.) or a combination thereof.

[0067] While described in relation to computing device 1000, embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in a number of other general-purpose or specialized computing system environments, configurations, or devices. Well-known embodiments of computing systems, environments, and / or configurations suitable for use in aspects of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile tablets, mobile computing devices, personal computers, server computers, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, game consoles, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable home appliances, mobile phones, mobile computing and / or communication devices in the form of wearables or accessories (e.g., watches, glasses, headsets, or earphones), network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments including any of the above systems or devices, VR devices, holographic devices, etc. Such systems or devices accept user input in any way, including input devices such as keyboards and pointing devices, gesture input, proximity input (such as hovering), voice input, etc.

[0068] Embodiments of this disclosure are described in relation to computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, which are executed by one or more computers or other devices in software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, a computer-executable instruction is organized into one or more computer-executable components or modules. Generally, program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform a particular task or implement a particular abstract data type. In one embodiment, embodiments of this disclosure are implemented with any number and organization of such components or modules. For example, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the specific computer-executable instructions or specific components or modules illustrated and described herein. Other embodiments of this disclosure include a variety of computer-executable instructions or components that have more or fewer functions than those illustrated and described herein. In embodiments involving a general-purpose computer, embodiments of this disclosure transform the general-purpose computer into a special-purpose computing device when configured to execute the instructions described herein.

[0069] For example, computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable memory implemented in any way or technique for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and program code. Computer storage media are tangible and mutually exclusive with communication media. Computer storage media are implemented in hardware, and carrier and propagating signals are excluded. Computer storage media for the purposes of this disclosure are not signals themselves. In one embodiment, computer storage media include hard disks, flash drives, solid-state memory, phase-change random access memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, optical storage such as compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transmission media used to store information accessed by a computing device. In contrast, communication media typically include any information distribution media, which embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, program code, etc., in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other carrier mechanisms.

[0070] Some embodiments of this disclosure are used, for example, in manufacturing and maintenance methods as illustrated and described with respect to Figures 11 and 12. For example, the methods, processing flows, apparatus, computing devices, controllers, etc. disclosed herein can be used to perform the following steps 1106 and / or 1108 for the production and / or maintenance of the aircraft 1200 shown in Figure 12. Furthermore, for example, embodiments of this disclosure are described in relation to the manufacturing and maintenance method 1100 of the apparatus shown in Figure 11 and the aircraft 1200 shown in Figure 12. Figure 11 illustrates the manufacturing and maintenance method 1100 of the apparatus according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, before the start of production, the manufacturing and maintenance method 1100 of the apparatus includes specification and design 1102 and material procurement 1104 of the aircraft 1200 of Figure 12. During manufacturing, the manufacturing of parts and subassemblies 1106 and system integration 1108 of the aircraft 1200 of Figure 12 are performed. Subsequently, the aircraft 1200 in Figure 12 undergoes certification and delivery 1110 and enters service 1112. During the customer's service period, the aircraft 1200 in Figure 12 is incorporated into a schedule of periodic maintenance and upkeep 1114, which includes, in one example, improvements, reconfigurations, modifications, and other appropriate maintenance or upkeep subject to the configuration control described herein.

[0071] In one embodiment, each step of the device manufacturing and maintenance method 1100 is performed or carried out by a system integrator, a third party, and / or an operator. In these examples, the operator is the customer. The system integrator includes any number of device manufacturers and major system subcontractors. The third party includes any number of sellers, subcontractors, and suppliers. In one example, the operator is the owner of the device or group of devices, the manager responsible for the device or group of devices, the user operating the device, a leasing company, a military organization, a service organization, etc.

[0072] Referring to Figure 12, an exemplary aircraft 1200 in which an embodiment of the present disclosure is preferably employed is illustrated. In this embodiment, the aircraft 1200 is manufactured by the device manufacturing and maintenance method 1100 of Figure 11 and includes a fuselage 1202, a plurality of systems 1204, and an interior 1206. Examples of the plurality of systems 1204 include one or more of the propulsion system 1208, electrical system 1210, hydraulic system 1212, and environmental system 1214. However, other systems may also be included. Although the example has been given for use in the aerospace industry, various advantageous embodiments can be applied to other industries.

[0073] Embodiments disclosed herein are described in general terms of computer code and machine-usable instructions, including computer-executable instructions such as program components, being executed by computers or other machines, such as personal data assistants or other mobile devices. Generally, program components, including routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures, refer to code that performs a specific task or code that implements a specific abstract data type. Embodiments of disclosure are implemented in a variety of system configurations, including personal computers, laptops, smartphones, mobile tablets, portable devices, consumer electronics, and specialized computing devices. Embodiments of disclosure are also implemented in distributed computing environments, where tasks are executed by remote processing devices linked via a communication network. At least some of the functions of the various elements in the diagram can be performed by other elements in the diagram, or by elements not shown (e.g., processors, web services, servers, application programs, computing devices, etc.).

[0074] The following notes describe further aspects of the disclosure. In some embodiments, the following notes can be combined into any further subcombinations without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0075] Appendix A1. A method for controlling induction welding operations, At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material, current is swept through the induction welding coil, The response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor, The current value of the induction welding operation is calibrated using the monitoring response, A method comprising performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0076] Appendix A2. The method according to Appendix A1, wherein sweeping the current through the induction welding coil includes sweeping the current from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces the calibration welding temperature.

[0077] Appendix A3. The method according to Appendix A1 or A2, wherein sweeping the current through the induction welding coil includes sweeping the current to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces the welding temperature.

[0078] Appendix A4. The method according to any one of Appendix A1 to A3, wherein monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor includes measuring the magnetic field strength of the sweep current.

[0079] Appendix A5. The method according to any one of the appendices A1 to A4, wherein monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor includes determining the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current with respect to the sweep current.

[0080] Note A6. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response is: Select a value that is expected to induce the target welding temperature, or The method according to any of the appendices A1 to A5, comprising at least one of the following: adjusting the set value so that the adjusted set value induces the target welding temperature.

[0081] Appendix A7. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response is the method according to any one of the appendices A1 to A6, which includes extrapolating the trend line of the monitoring response of the material.

[0082] Appendix A8. The method according to any one of Appendix A1 to A7, wherein calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response comprises comparing the monitoring response of the material with at least one established response in another lot of the material.

[0083] Appendix A9. The method according to any one of Appendix A1 to A8, wherein calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response comprises comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing multiple established responses for various lots of the material.

[0084] Note A10. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response is: The monitoring response of the material is compared with at least one trend line representing a determined magnetic field strength loss response with respect to current and / or temperature. The method according to any one of the appendices A1 to A9, comprising determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from at least one trend line.

[0085] Appendix A11. The method according to any one of the appendices A1 to A10, wherein performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value includes adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path.

[0086] Note A12. Performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value is: During the induction welding operation, the temperature of the material is measured at various locations along the welding path, The method according to any one of the appendices A1 to A11, comprising adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

[0087] Appendix A13. The method according to any of the appendices A1 to A12, further comprising building a database of confirmed responses for materials of the same configuration but different lots.

[0088] Appendix A14. The method according to any one of the appendices A1 to A13, wherein the material comprises a composite material including a matrix of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin.

[0089] Note A15. Part of an aircraft assembled by any of the methods described in Notes A1 to A14.

[0090] Note B1. A computer program product including a computer storage medium incorporating computer-readable program code, wherein the computer-readable program code is configured to be executed to carry out a method for controlling induction welding, and the method is At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material, current is swept through the induction welding coil, The response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor, The current value of the induction welding operation is calibrated using the monitoring response, A computer program product comprising performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0091] Note B2. The computer program product described in Note B1, wherein sweeping the current through the induction welding coil includes sweeping the current from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces the calibration welding temperature.

[0092] Note B3. The computer program product according to Note B1 or B2, wherein monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor includes determining the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current with respect to the sweep current.

[0093] Note B4. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response is: Select a value that is expected to induce the target welding temperature, or A computer program product according to any one of the appendices B1 to B3, comprising at least one of the following: adjusting the set value so that the adjusted set value induces the target welding temperature.

[0094] Note B5. A computer program product as described in any of Notes B1 to B4, wherein the calibration of the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response includes extrapolating the trend line of the monitoring response of the material.

[0095] Note B6. A computer program product as described in any of Notes B1 to B5, wherein the calibration of the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response includes comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing multiple established responses for various lots of the material.

[0096] Note B7. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response is: The monitoring response of the material is compared with at least one trend line representing a determined magnetic field strength loss response with respect to current and / or temperature. A computer program product according to any one of the appendices B1 to B6, comprising determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from at least one trend line.

[0097] Note B8. Performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value includes adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path, as described in any of Notes B1 to B7.

[0098] Note B9. Performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value is: During the induction welding operation, the temperature of the material is measured at various locations along the welding path, A computer program product as described in any of Appendix B1 to B8, which includes adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

[0099] Appendix B10. A computer program product as described in any of Appendix B1 to B9, further comprising building a database of confirmed responses for materials of the same configuration but different lots.

[0100] Note B11. Part of an aircraft assembled by any of the computer program products described in Notes B1 to B10.

[0101] Note C1. Apparatus for induction welding, An end effector including an induction welding coil that generates a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field generates heat in the welding path of the material to cause induction welding, An electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor that measures the magnetic field strength at the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material, At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path, current is swept through the induction welding coil. The response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using the EMF sensor. Apparatus including a controller configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response.

[0102] Appendix C2. The apparatus according to Appendix C1, wherein the controller is configured to sweep current through the induction welding coil from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces the calibration welding temperature.

[0103] Appendix C3. The apparatus according to Appendix C1 or C2, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the response of the material to the sweep current by determining the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current.

[0104] Note C4. The aforementioned controller is Select a value that is expected to induce the target welding temperature, or The apparatus according to any one of the appendices C1 to C3, configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response by at least one of the following: adjusting the set value so that the adjusted set value induces the target welding temperature.

[0105] Appendix C5. The apparatus according to any one of Appendix C1 to C4, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the response of the material to the sweep current by extrapolating the trend line of the monitoring response of the material.

[0106] Appendix C6. The apparatus according to any one of Appendices C1 to C5, wherein the controller is configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response by comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing multiple established responses for various lots of the material.

[0107] Note C7. The controller compares the monitoring response of the material with at least one trend line representing a determined magnetic field strength loss response with respect to current and / or temperature. The apparatus according to any one of appendices C1 to C6, configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response by determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from the at least one trend line.

[0108] Appendix C8. The apparatus according to any one of the appendices C1 to C7, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path during induction welding.

[0109] Note C9. The controller measures the temperature of the material at various locations along the welding path during the induction welding operation, The apparatus according to any one of the appendices C1 to C8, further configured to adjust the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

[0110] Appendix C10. A method comprising manufacturing a part of an aircraft using any of the devices described in Appendix C1 to C9.

[0111] Note D1. A method for controlling induction welding operations, At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the first lot of material, a current is swept through the induction welding coil, and the current is swept through the induction welding coil to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces the calibration welding temperature. At least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor is used to monitor the material's response to the sweep current, Before a weld is formed on any of the materials in the first lot, the current value of the induction welding operation is calibrated using the monitoring response. A method for performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

[0112] Note D2. Part of an aircraft assembled by the method described in Note D1.

[0113] In this specification, a structure, limitation, or element that is "configured to" perform a certain process or operation is one that is specifically structurally formed, configured, or adapted in a manner corresponding to that process or operation. For the sake of clarity and to avoid any doubt, anything that can merely be modified to perform the process or operation is not considered "configured" to perform the process or operation as used herein.

[0114] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, any range or value described herein may be extended or modified without loss of the desired effect.

[0115] While the elements of a claim have been described using terminology specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, the elements of a claim as defined in the attached claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as examples of forms in which the claims may be implemented.

[0116] The benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or to several embodiments. Embodiments are not limited to those that solve some or all of the described problems, or that have some or all of the described benefits and advantages. Furthermore, references to "a certain" item refer to one or more such items.

[0117] The order in which the operations in the embodiments of this disclosure illustrated and described herein is not mandatory unless otherwise specified. That is, these operations can be performed in any order unless otherwise specified, and embodiments of this disclosure may include more or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. For example, performing or implementing a particular operation before, simultaneously with, or after another operation (e.g., a different process) is considered to be within the scope of the forms and embodiments of this disclosure.

[0118] In this specification, the term “includes” is used to mean encompassing the following features or actions without precluding the existence of one or more additional features or actions. Terms such as “includes” and “possesses” are inclusive and mean that additional elements other than those listed may exist. In other words, “includes,” “possesses,” “contains,” “accompanys,” and other similar terms are intended to encompass the items listed later and any additional items. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” should not be construed as precluding the existence of additional embodiments that similarly contain the described features. The term “exemplary” is intended to mean an example.

[0119] In the descriptions of the elements in the aspects, aspects, or embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” indicate that there is one or more of those elements. In other words, the indefinite articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” used herein and in the claims should be understood to mean “at least one,” unless otherwise specified.

[0120] The phrase "one or more of the following A, B, and C" means "at least one of A and / or at least one of B and / or at least one of C." The phrase "and / or" used in the specification and claims should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements connected by this phrase, that is, elements that exist as a combination in some cases and as separate in others. Multiple elements listed with "and / or" should be interpreted similarly, that is, "one or more" of the elements connected by this phrase. In addition to the elements specifically identified by the "and / or" clause, other elements may optionally exist, whether related to these specifically identified elements or not. Therefore, as a non-restrictive example, when the phrase "A and / or B" is used in combination with an open-ended term such as "comprising," it means in one embodiment only A (optionally including elements other than B), in another embodiment only B (optionally including elements other than A), and in yet another embodiment A and B (optionally including other elements).

[0121] In the specification and claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as described above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” should be interpreted as inclusive, meaning that it includes at least one of the elements or elements listed in the list, but more than one, and optionally, additional items that are not listed. Only terms that clearly suggest the opposite of the above, such as “only one of” or “solely one of” or “consisting of” in the claims, should be interpreted as including only one of the elements or elements listed in the list. In general, the term “or” should be interpreted as indicating an exclusive choice (i.e., “one or the other, but not both”) only when preceded by terms of exclusivity such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “solely one of.” When “consisting essentially of” is used in the claims, it should have the usual meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0122] In the specification and claims, the phrase “at least one” when referring to a list of one or more elements should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list, and not necessarily including at least one of each of the elements specifically listed in the list, nor excluding any combination of elements in the list. According to this definition, elements other than those specifically specified in the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” is associated may exist, whether or not they are related to those specifically specified. Therefore, as a non-restrictive example, the expression "at least one of A and B" (or, in a similar sense, "at least one of A or B" or, in a similar sense, "at least one of A and / or B") may, in one embodiment, refer to at least one A comprising any two or more elements, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, refer to at least one B comprising any two or more elements, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); and in yet another embodiment, refer to at least one A comprising any two or more elements, and at least one B comprising any two or more elements (and optionally including other elements).

[0123] The use of ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," and "third" in the claims does not, in itself, imply that one element of the claim takes precedence over another, precedes another, or signifies their order or the chronological order in which the actions of the method are performed. Ordinal terms are used solely to distinguish elements of a claim, as labels to distinguish one element of a claim having a certain name from another element having the same name (but using ordinal numbers).

[0124] While the aspects of this disclosure have been described in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the aspects of this disclosure as defined in the attached claims. Because various changes can be made to the above-described structures, products, and methods without departing from the scope of the aspects of this disclosure, all matters included in the above description and shown in the attached drawings should be construed as illustrative and not limiting.

[0125] It should be understood that the above description is illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) can be adopted in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications are possible to adapt these teachings to specific situations or materials without departing from the scope of the various embodiments of this disclosure. The dimensions and types of materials described herein are for the purpose of defining the parameters of the various embodiments of this disclosure, and these embodiments are not restrictive in any way, but merely illustrative embodiments. Many other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the above description. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of this disclosure should be determined by referring to the appended claims together with the entire range of equivalents permitted therein. The terms “including” and “in which” in the appended claims are used as plain English equivalents of “comprising” and “wherein,” respectively. Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are used merely as designations and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on the objects they refer to.

[0126] This specification discloses various embodiments of the disclosure, including best modes, by example, and enables a person skilled in the art to implement various embodiments, including the construction and use of any device or system, and the execution of the incorporated methods. The patentable scope of various embodiments of the disclosure is defined by the claims and may include other examples that a person skilled in the art may imagine. Such other examples should be considered to be included in the claims if they have components identical to the language of the claims, or if they include equivalent components that differ only non-essentially from the language of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling induction welding operations, At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material, current is swept through the induction welding coil, The response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor, The current value of the induction welding operation is calibrated using the monitoring response, A method comprising performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein sweeping the current through the induction welding coil includes sweeping the current from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a calibration welding temperature.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein sweeping the current through the induction welding coil includes sweeping the current to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces the welding temperature.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor includes measuring the magnetic field strength of the sweep current.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor includes determining the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current with respect to the sweep current.

6. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the aforementioned monitoring response is: Select a value that is expected to induce the target welding temperature, or The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of the following: adjusting the set value so that the adjusted set value induces the target welding temperature.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response includes extrapolating the trend line of the monitoring response of the material.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response comprises comparing the monitoring response of the material with at least one established response from another lot of the material.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response comprises comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing multiple established responses for various lots of the material.

10. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the aforementioned monitoring response is: The monitoring response of the material is compared with at least one trend line representing a determined magnetic field strength loss response with respect to current and / or temperature. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from at least one trend line.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value includes adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path.

12. Performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value is: During the induction welding operation, the temperature of the material is measured at various locations along the welding path, The method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising building a database of confirmed responses for materials of the same configuration but different lots.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material comprises a composite material including a matrix of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer storage medium incorporating computer-readable program code, wherein the computer-readable program code is configured to, when executed, carry out a method for controlling induction welding, and the method is At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material, current is swept through the induction welding coil, The response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using at least one electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor, The current value of the induction welding operation is calibrated using the monitoring response, A computer program product comprising performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein sweeping the current in the induction welding coil includes sweeping the current from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a calibration welding temperature.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein monitoring the material's response to the sweep current using at least one EMF sensor includes determining the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current with respect to the sweep current.

18. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the aforementioned monitoring response is: Select a value that is expected to induce the target welding temperature, or The computer program product according to claim 15, comprising at least one of the following: adjusting the set value so that the adjusted set value induces the target welding temperature.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the calibration of the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response includes extrapolating the trend line of the monitoring response of the material.

20. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response comprises comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing multiple established responses for various lots of the material.

21. Calibrating the current value of the induction welding operation using the aforementioned monitoring response is: The monitoring response of the material is compared with at least one trend line representing a determined magnetic field strength loss response with respect to current and / or temperature. Determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from at least one trend line, The computer program product according to claim 15, including the following:

22. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value includes adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path.

23. Performing the induction welding operation along the welding path using the calibrated current value is: During the induction welding operation, the temperature of the material is measured at various locations along the welding path, The computer program product according to claim 15, comprising adjusting the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

24. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising building a database of confirmed responses for materials of the same configuration but different lots.

25. An apparatus for induction welding, An end effector including an induction welding coil that generates a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field generates heat in the welding path of the material to cause induction welding, An electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor that measures the magnetic field strength at the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path of the material, At the initial position of the induction welding coil on the welding path, current is swept through the induction welding coil. The response of the material to the sweep current is monitored using the EMF sensor. Apparatus including a controller configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to sweep current through the induction welding coil from zero to a value lower than the sweep current value that induces a calibration welding temperature.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the response of the material to the sweep current by determining the magnetic field strength response of the material to the current with respect to the sweep current.

28. The aforementioned controller, Select a value that is expected to induce the target welding temperature, or The apparatus according to claim 25, configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response by at least one of the following: adjusting the set value so that the adjusted set value induces the target welding temperature.

29. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the response of the material to the sweep current by extrapolating a trend line of the monitoring response of the material.

30. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response by comparing the monitoring response of the material with a database containing a plurality of established responses for various lots of the material.

31. The controller compares the monitoring response of the material with at least one trend line representing a determined magnetic field strength loss response with respect to current and / or temperature. The apparatus according to claim 25, configured to calibrate the current value of the induction welding operation using the monitoring response by determining the offset of the monitoring response of the material from the at least one trend line.

32. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the current value of the induction welding operation in real time as the induction welding coil moves along the welding path during induction welding.

33. The controller measures the temperature of the material at various positions along the welding path during the induction welding operation, The apparatus according to claim 25, further configured to adjust the current value of the induction welding operation based on the measured temperature.

34. A method comprising manufacturing a part of an aircraft using the apparatus of claim 25.

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