21162 results about "Welding process" patented technology

A system for training welders that includes a data generating component, a data capturing component and a data processing and visualization component. The data generating component operates in real time and derives data from an actual manually-executed weld and further includes a weld process-specific jig, a calibration block positioned on the jig, wherein the geometric configuration of the calibration block is specific to a particular type of weld joint, a weld coupon positioned on the welding process-specific jig adjacent to the calibration block, a welding gun for use by a trainee, wherein the welding gun is operative to form the weld; and at least one target mounted on the welding gun that is recognized by the data processing and visualization component for providing multidimensional position and orientation feedback to the trainee.

A monitor for an electric arc welder as the welder performs a selected arc welding process by creating actual welding parameters, such as arc current and arc voltage, between an advancing welding wire and a workpiece, where the process involves an arc and is defined by a series of rapidly repeating wave shapes constituting a weld cycle with a cycle time, the wave shapes are each segmented into time states having command signals corresponding to the actual parameters and a time duration. The monitor selects a specific wave shape state, reads one of the actual parameters, compares the actual read parameter with a function of the command signal corresponding to the actual parameter, and uses-the comparison to generate a characteristic of the welding process during the selected state.

A method and system for monitoring and characterizing the creation of a manual weld is disclosed. The system generally includes a welding gun having a target, an imaging system, a processor, and a display. During the creation of a manual weld, the imaging system captures a plurality of images of the target. The processor analyzes the plurality of images of the target to calculate a plurality of position and orientation characteristics associated with the manipulation of the welding gun during the welding process. The display illustrates at least one of the plurality of position and orientation characteristics to provide feedback regarding the creation of the weld. In one embodiment, the disclosed method and system may be utilized as a tool for training welders.

There is provided a system and method for quick identification and selection of torch processes based on a profile scheme. In an illustrated embodiment, a profile selectable via a one-click process may define operational parameters for one or more torch processes. Multiple profiles may be identified by corresponding labels that are visible on the face of the system. Furthermore, in an illustrated embodiment, the profiles and associated torch processes may be automatically stored in the system upon user configuration of the operational parameters. For example, in one embodiment, the user may select a profile and configure a welding process. Upon changing an operational parameter, it may be automatically saved to the selected profile and process. Reselection of that profile may recall the last used process and its associated parameters. The operational parameters of other configured processes may then be retrieved by selecting the desired process within the selected profile.

A shell component for an aircraft fuselage includes a fuselage skin panel, a plurality of stringers extending in an aircraft lengthwise direction, and a plurality of frames extending crosswise relative to the stringers. The stringers and the frames are respectively welded onto the skin panel with the addition of a weld filler material. Each frame includes a frame root portion and a frame profile portion connected to each other. The frame root portion has cut-out notches receiving the stringers passing therethrough. The frame root portion is welded to the skin panel at the areas between the cut-out notches, and may be welded to the respective stringer in each cut-out notch. The stringers and frames are fabricated from webs and flanges, whereby a premanufactured grid of flanges may be used. The result is a very strong, yet simple shell component structure, that may be manufactured with a simple welding process, at a low cost and with low effort.

A method for determining the quality of an examined weld joint comprising the steps of providing acoustical data from the examined weld joint, and performing a neural network operation on the acoustical data determine the quality of the examined weld joint produced by a friction weld process. The neural network may be trained by the steps of providing acoustical data and observable data from at least one test weld joint, and training the neural network based on the acoustical data and observable data to form a trained neural network so that the trained neural network is capable of determining the quality of a examined weld joint based on acoustical data from the examined weld joint. In addition, an apparatus having a housing, acoustical sensors mounted therein, and means for mounting the housing on a friction weld device so that the acoustical sensors do not contact the weld joint. The apparatus may sample the acoustical data necessary for the neural network to determine the quality of a weld joint.

A method monitors a weld signature of a welding apparatus by processing the signature through a neural network to recognize a pattern, and by classifying the weld signature in response to the pattern. The method determines if the weld signature is sufficiently different from training weld signatures stored in a database, and records the weld signature in the database when sufficiently different. The method tests a weld joint to determine values of different weld joint properties, and then correlates the signature with the weld data to validate the database. An apparatus monitors a weld signature during a welding process to predict welding joint quality, and includes a welding gun, a power supply, and a sensor for detecting welding voltage, current, and wire feed speed (WFS). A neural network receives the welding process values and classifies the signature into different weld classifications each corresponding to a predicted welding joint quality.

A method controls a welding apparatus by using a neural network to recognize an acceptable weld signature. The neural network recognizes a pattern presented by the instantaneous weld signature, and modifies the instantaneous weld signature when the pattern is not acceptable. The method measures a welding voltage, current, and wire feed speed (WFS), and trains the neural network using the instantaneous weld signature when the instantaneous weld signature is different from each of the different training weld signatures. A welding apparatus for controlling a welding process includes a welding gun, a power supply for supplying a welding voltage and current, and a sensor for detecting values of a plurality of different welding process variables. A controller of the apparatus has a neural network for receiving the welding process variables and for recognizing a pattern in the weld signature. The controller modifies the weld signature when the pattern is not recognized.

Spinal stabilization devices, systems and methods are provided that include a spring junction wherein a structural member is mountable to a spine attachment fastener and a resilient element is affixed to the structural member along an attachment region of the resilient element. The attachment region is disposed physically separately with respect to an active region of the resilient element. The attachment region can include a weld region produced via an E-beam welding process involving temperatures of 1000° F. or greater, wherein a heat-affected zone adjacent the weld region is disposed physically separately with respect to the active region. The resilient element may be a coil spring including bend regions adjacent its outermost (i.e., last) coils wherein the material of the coil spring initially bends away from the last coil, then bends back toward the last coil before terminating near the last coil.

Laser hybrid welding systems adapted to identify and / or fix a weld defect occurring during a laser hybrid welding process are provided. Embodiments of the laser hybrid welding system may include one or more devices that provide feedback to a controller regarding one or more weld parameters. One embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes sensors that are adapted to measure the weld voltage and / or amperage during the welding process and transmit the acquired data to the controller for processing. Another embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes a lead camera and a lag camera that film an area directly in front of the weld location and directly behind the weld location.

A system and method for determining a wear condition of a welding consumable includes a welding torch having a consumable component and a wire delivery system configured to deliver wire to the welding torch during a welding process. The welding system also includes a power source configured to deliver power to the welding torch to perform the welding process. A controller is included that is configured to monitor at least one operational characteristic of the delivery of wire to the welding torch over a selected period, determine a wear condition of the consumable component from the at least one operational characteristic, and generate a signal indicating detection of the wear condition.

A control system for an electric arc welder performing a welding process between an electrode and a workpiece, which system comprises: a high speed switching type power supply with a controller operated at a switching frequency of at least about 10 kHz with an input current control signal to adjust the output current of the power supply; a first sensor sensing the actual arc voltage; a second sensor sensing the actual arc current; a first circuit for creating a power signal representing the desired real time power level at progressive times during the welding process; a second circuit for creating a function of the sensed actual voltage and the sensed actual current; and a third circuit for adjusting the current control signal in accordance with the difference between the power signal and the function of the actual voltage and current, preferably arc power.

Spinal stabilization devices, systems and methods are provided that include a spring junction wherein a structural member is mountable to a spine attachment fastener and a resilient element is affixed to the structural member along an attachment region of the resilient element. The attachment region is disposed physically separately with respect to an active region of the resilient element. The attachment region can include a weld region produced via an E-beam welding process involving temperatures of 1000° F. or greater, wherein a heat-affected zone adjacent the weld region is disposed physically separately with respect to the active region. The resilient element may be a coil spring including bend regions adjacent its outermost (i.e., last) coils wherein the material of the coil spring initially bends away from the last coil, then bends back toward the last coil before terminating near the last coil.

An improved composite structural member comprising a complex profile structural member, made of a composite comprising a polypropylene polymer and a wood fiber. The material is useful in conventional construction applications. The complex profile, in the form of an extruded thermoplastic composite member can be used in residential and commercial structures as described. Preferably, the structural member is used in the manufacture of the fenestration components such as windows and doors. Such linear members are designed with specifically configured cross-sectional shapes to form structural elements in the fenestration units. Structural elements must possess sufficient strength, thermal stability and weatherability to permit the manufacture of a structurally sound window unit that can be easily installed into a rough opening but can maintain its attractive appearance and structural integrity over the life of the window unit often twenty years or more. The structural member comprises a hollow complex cross-section with at least one structural web or one fastener web formed within the component. The exterior of the extruded component has a visible capstock layer and is shaped and adapted for installation in rough openings. The exterior also contains shape and components capable of supporting the elements of the fenestration unit such as a window, sash or movable door unit. The improved polypropylene structural members have unique advantages and can be assembled in thermoplastic weld processes.

An electric arc welder for performing a pulse welding process by a current between an advancing electrode and workpiece where the welder comprises a short detecting circuit for creating a short signal upon occurrence of a short circuit between the advancing electrode and the workpiece and a boost circuit to create a plasma boost pulse after the short circuit is cleared during the time period when the welder is not outputting the peak pulse current.

A three stage power source for an electric arc welding process comprising an input stage having an AC input and a first DC output signal; a second stage in the form of an unregulated DC to DC converter having an input connected to the first DC output signal, a network of switches switched at a high frequency with a given duty cycle to convert the input into a first internal AC signal, an isolation transformer with a primary winding driven by the first internal high frequency AC signal and a secondary winding for creating a second internal high frequency AC signal and a rectifier to convert the second internal AC signal into a second DC output signal of the second stage, with a magnitude related to the duty cycle of the switches; and, a third stage to convert the second DC output signal to a welding output for welding wherein the input stage has a regulated DC to DC converter with a boost power switch having an active soft switching circuit.

A virtual reality welding process and system is described which includes a programmable processor based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor based subsystem, a mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker in which the mock welding tool includes two or more adapters. Each adapter emulates the real-world appearance of a particular weld type and interfaces with a base that is removably coupled to each of the two or more adapters. The base has one or more sensors to determine spatial location relative to the spatial tracker. The programmable processor based subsystem executes an appropriate instruction set associated with each adapter to render a display to the user on a face-mounted display device commensurate for each of the two or more adapters.

Nonlinear adaptive welders and power source controls are provided along with welding methods method for regulating a welding process, in which one or more welding waveform parameters are adapted in nonlinear fashion based on measured welding process feedback information.

A weld cap is configured and dimensioned to interact with a resilient element, e.g., a spring, and a structural member, e.g., an end cap, so as to securely position the spring relative to the end cap. The weld cap functions to distance the welding process and associated welding energy from the spring, thereby avoiding and / or minimizing any potentially undesirable annealing effect associated with securing / welding the spring relative to the end cap. A first weld cap interacts with the spring at a first end region thereof, and a second weld cap interacts with the spring at a second end region thereof, thereby effectively securing the spring with respect to opposed end caps at either end of an elongated spinal stabilization device. Alignment grooves or channels may be provided for orienting or aligning the spring with respect to the end caps and weld caps. The end regions of the spring may also include bend regions that facilitate the assembly process and / or further minimize the freedom of movement of the spring relative to the end cap / weld cap combination. The dynamic stabilization device and associated system provide advantageous clinical results in spinal applications.

A lead-free, composite polymer based bullet and cartridge case and methods of manufacturing the same, wherein the composite polymer material includes a tungsten metal powder, nylon 6 / 6, nylon 6, short glass fibers, as well as additives and stabilizers. The cartridge case includes a lip lock configured to matingly engage a cannelure formed along an outer circumferential surface of the bullet. The cartridge case also includes resilient walls wherein the case may snap fit onto the bullet. The bullet and cartridge case may be formed in a single step process by injection molding or a two step process including injection molding and a welding process.

The invention relates to an orbital welding device for mobile use in order to join a first pipe (1) and a second pipe end (2) along a circumferential joint (3) by at least one weld seam (4), particularly for producing a pipeline (5) to be placed on land. The inventive device includes a guide ring (6), which can be oriented toward the first pipe end (1) and the circumferential joint (3), and an orbital carriage (7) that can be motor-displaced along the guide ring (6) via an advancing device (8). On the orbital carriage (7), a laser welding head (12) for directing a laser beam (10) into a laser welding zone (13) is mounted in a manner that enables it to be oriented toward the circumferential joint (3) whereby enabling the production of the weld seam (4) along the circumferential joint (3) by displacing the orbital carriage (7). The laser beam (10) is produced by a high-power fiber laser beam source (9) located, in particular, on a mobile transport vehicle (35) while being situated at a distance from the orbital carriage (7), is guided by light guide (11) passing through a tube bundle (50) to the orbital carriage (7) and then supplied to the welding head (12). A significant advantage of the invention resides in the fact that the joining of two pipe ends by only one single welding process during a short period of time is made possible in the field with autonomous operation.

A laser nozzle for use in a laser powder fusion (LPF) welding process provides longer service life and ease of maintenance. Eliminating the use of laser nozzle inserts, the laser nozzle uses an inner tip that is less subject to damage from the welding process. The laser beam travels down an open central passage to exit out the inner tip in focused alignment with a conical powder flow stream ending in a point generally coincident with the laser beam. The powder supply travels through a passage that is generally coaxial to the central laser passage. A circumscribing passage for inert shielding gas or the like is coincidentally coaxial with both the laser powder flow channel and the central laser channel. Coolant is circulated through a main body portion of the nozzle in order to keep the entire assembly cool. Both the laser and the flow of powder may be adjusted according to operating preferences. A porous shielding cover prevents ejecta and other materials from entering into the shielding gas flow channel. The entire assembly is easily constructed from readily available materials and is easily disassembled for cleaning. Reassembly is also easily achieved in order to enable rapid refurbishment and reconstitution of an optimal LPF welding nozzle.

A system and method for managing welding procedures is provided. The invention includes a welding system, a local server and / or a remote system. The invention further provides for searching of the welding system, local server and / or remote system for potentially suitable welding procedure(s). The invention further provides for dynamic creation of welding procedure(s) based upon user input, information stored on the welding system, a local area network and / or a remote system. The invention also includes filtering of the search results based at least in part upon commonality of consumables. The invention further includes calculation of weld costs for potentially suitable welding procedure(s). The invention further provides for communication with an inventory & distribution system and / or ordering system in order to facilitate further automation of the industrial environment.

A method of generating a real time control signal for use in an electric arc welding process having welding voltage and welding current, said method comprising: measuring the welding voltage and welding current at a first time, momentarily changing either the welding voltage or welding current by less than about 10%, then measuring the welding voltage and the welding current after the change at a second time, determining the welding voltage difference between the first time and the second time, determining the welding current difference between the first time and the second time, producing a derivative value representing the desired control signal by dividing the welding voltage difference between the first and second times by the welding current difference between the first and second times and generating the control signal by the derivative value.

The present invention relates to light weight composite materials which comprise a metallic layer and a polymeric layer, the polymeric layer containing a filled thermoplastic polymer which includes a thermoplastic polymer and a metallic fiber. The composite materials of the present invention may be formed using conventional stamping equipment at ambient temperatures. Composite materials of the present invention may also be capable of being welded to other metal materials using a resistance welding process such as resistance spot welding.

The invention provides a welding robot device for welding of a plunger pump power end shell. The welding robot device for welding of the plunger pump power end shell comprises a controlling system, a portal frame X-Y-Z coordinate system, a welding system, a space positioner and a tool clamp. The tool clamp is used for clamping the plunger pump power end shell, and a plunger pump shell can be one-time clamped; all welding joints of the plunger pump shell can be positionally changed to a flat welding position or a flat fillet welding position through the space positioner; a welding mechanical arm is connected with a coordinate Z-axis in the portal frame X-Y-Z coordinate system, and welding of welding joints in the different positions can be finished; and synchronized driving of the welding mechanical arm, a coordinate X-axis, a coordinate Y-axis, the coordinate Z-axis and the space positioner can be realized, so that continuity during the welding process is guaranteed, and welding quality and welding efficiency are ensured.

A nearly isothermal heat pipe heat sink is provided. The heat sink includes a flat heat pipe connected to one or more flat vapor chambers using a conduit and a heat pipe. The connected flat heat pipe and the flat vapor chambers form a common vapor domain. Fins are attached on the outer surfaces of the flat heat pipe and the flat vapor chambers. Various capillary structures are also provided for fabricating flat heat pipes. A panelized welding process is further provided for fabricating flat heat pipes or flat vapor chambers. The panelized welding process uses either friction stir welding (FSW) or plasma beam welding to transversely join the panels that form the flat heat pipes or the flat vapor chambers.

A method for controlling an arc welding equipment (21) used in a welding operation and adjustable by varying at least one welding parameter value, comprising the steps of determining said at least one welding parameter while using a theoretical model (24) of the welding process associated with the welding operation, and controlling the operation of the welding equipment and the welding process associated therewith by using said at least one welding parameter for adjusting the welding equipment and a device comprising an arc welding equipment (21) used in a welding operation and adjustable by varying at least one welding parameter and an arrangement (22) for controlling the operation of the arc welding equipment, said control arrangement including a means (23) adapted to determine the value of said at least one welding parameter while using a theoretical model (24) of the welding process, and a member (25) adapted to control the operation of the welding equipment and the welding process associated therewith by using said at least one welding parameter value for adjusting the welding equipment.

A system and method for evaluating the use of a welding process for welding a weld joint. The method comprises providing a user with requests for data to enable a processor-based system to establish various attributes of welding a specific weld joint using a specific welding process. The various attributes may include the cost of welding the weld joint using the welding process. The various attributes may include the cycle time for welding the weld joint using the welding process. The system comprises a program operable to direct the processor-based system to request data from a user and to process the requested data received from the user to enable a processor-based system to establish various attributes of welding a specific weld joint using a specific welding process.