Torque Motor Wire Drive for Welding Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding systems face challenges in accurately controlling wire feed speed, particularly with aluminum wire, which can lead to wire bunching or bending due to inadequate drive motor mechanisms, resulting in operational inefficiencies and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A welding system with a wire feeder coupled to a power supply, featuring control circuitry and a torque motor that applies a drive force to the welding wire, utilizing calibration data to command the operation of a pull motor in an open-loop manner for precise speed control, ensuring accurate wire feed without excessive tensile or compressive loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a drive motor in the wire feeder pushes the wire through the welding cable and torch, then the wire can be fed to the welding application, but the wire may bunch or bend within the cable due to compressive loads
Solution Approach 1:
The wire feeding system is divided into two independent motor units: a push motor in the wire feeder and a pull motor in the welding torch. Each motor independently controls one end of the wire, eliminating the compressive load problems that occur when a single motor pushes the entire wire length through the cable.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of only pushing the wire from the feeder end, the system applies a pulling force from the torch end. This reverses the traditional single-direction approach and allows the wire to be drawn through the cable under tension rather than compression, preventing bunching and bending.
2Measurement precision
If both push and pull motors are used to feed the wire, then accurate wire feed speed control can be achieved, but complex coordination between motors is required to avoid excessive tensile or compressive loads
Solution Approach 1:
The pull motor in the welding torch autonomously controls the wire feed speed based on local conditions at the welding point. It independently regulates its own operation to maintain the desired wire feed rate without requiring complex coordination signals from the push motor, simplifying the overall control system.
3Speed
If excessive pull or tensile forces are applied to the wire, then the wire can be drawn through the torch, but metal shavings accumulate and cause problems with later operation
Solution Approach 1:
The pull motor applies just enough tensile force to draw the wire through the torch at the required speed, avoiding excessive pulling that would generate metal shavings. The force is carefully controlled to be sufficient for wire feed but not so great as to cause material degradation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables accurate speed control of the wire feed, preventing wire bunching or bending, and simplifies the welding process by eliminating the need for complex closed-loop speed coordination between push and pull motors, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
a torque motor responsive to the wire feeder control circuitry to apply a drive force to welding wire during a welding operation
Implementation Method 2
a pull motor configured to draw the welding wire through the torch
Data Source
AI summary
A welding system for welding with wire is disclosed that includes a torque motor in a wire feeder and a pull motor in a welding torch. A wire feed speed may be set by an operator at a power supply or on a wire feeder. Based upon calibration of the pull motor in the torch, upon startup of the welding operation, signals are provided to a pull motor and the torch in an open loop manner with respect to the speed of the pull motor, while the torque motor is driven to maintain a feed force on the welding wire to ensure that the pull motor has welding wire available for feeding. No other coordination is required between the torque motor and the pull motor.