Ultrasonic Welding Drive Control With Bandpass Filtering and Drift Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ultrasonic welding machinery for thermoplastic materials faces inefficiencies in transforming mechanical energy into thermal energy, and existing power generators struggle to maintain consistent acoustic characteristics due to thermal drifts, which can compromise welding quality, and lack versatility in operating with different frequency bands.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device for driving and controlling a vibrating unit in ultrasonic welding machines, featuring a bandpass filter, Fuzzy-PID control, and H-Bridge type power inverter, which generates a sinusoidal driving signal within a controlled frequency range, and includes feedback mechanisms to stabilize the welding process and accommodate various frequency bands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If ultrasonic welding is performed with high intensity vibration to improve energy transformation efficiency, then the welding efficiency improves, but thermal drifts increase which compromise welding quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding efficiencyVSAvoidwelding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control system using a frequency detector to continuously monitor the actual operating frequency of the piezoelectric transducer and compare it with the reference frequency. The error signal is processed through a PID controller that adjusts the driving signal to maintain the operating frequency within the specified range (20-40kHz), thereby compensating for thermal drifts and maintaining welding quality during high-intensity operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the driving frequency parameter in response to thermal conditions. By detecting changes in the resonant frequency caused by thermal expansion and adjusting the operating frequency accordingly, the system maintains optimal energy transformation efficiency while compensating for thermal effects that would otherwise degrade welding quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed frequency power generator is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different frequency bands is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency band adaptabilityVSAvoidpower generator complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs a universal power generator capable of operating across multiple frequency bands (20kHz-40kHz) by implementing a programmable frequency control system. The frequency detector and PID controller work together to allow the same hardware to adapt to different resonant frequencies of various piezoelectric transducers, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated power generators for different frequency requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If thermal drift compensation is implemented, then welding quality is maintained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding quality consistencyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a feedback control mechanism where a frequency detector continuously monitors the operating frequency and feeds this information back to a PID controller. This closed-loop system automatically compensates for thermal drifts by adjusting the driving frequency, maintaining consistent welding quality without requiring complex manual intervention or overly sophisticated control algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-adjustment through the frequency detection and PID control mechanism. The controller automatically detects frequency deviations caused by thermal effects and corrects them without external intervention, enabling the system to maintain welding quality consistency while keeping the control architecture relatively simple and self-regulating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution enhances the efficiency of energy transformation, stabilizes the welding process by compensating for thermal drifts, and allows the device to operate with different frequency bands without modifications, improving the quality and versatility of ultrasonic welding.

Implementation Method 1

the piezoelectric transducer of the vibrating unit is adapted to convert the electrical driving signal into a mechanical vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

an electronic filtering block (3) configured to generate, at an output of the electronic device (100), a periodic driving signal (S3) with a controlled frequency within a predetermined range

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectronic filtering: Filter (electronic)

Implementation Method 3

The electronic control unit (10) comprises a Fuzzy-PID block (13) configured to generate a voltage control signal (S1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFeedback control: Feedback

Implementation Method 4

an inverter power block (2) configured to generate, at an output of the inverter power block (2), a first voltage driving signal (S2) based on a voltage control signal (S1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic switching: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3845317B1Electronic device for driving and controlling a vibrating unit of an ultrasonic welding machine
Publication Date: 2022.09.14 SONIC ITAL SRL
  • EP3845317B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3845317B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3845317B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Device for driving and controlling a vibrating unit for ultrasonic welding, comprising: - an electronic control unit controlling the generation of a periodic driving signal, sent to the vibrating unit, with a controlled frequency within a predetermined frequency range; - an inverter power block generating a first driving signal from a power supply potential and a control signal generated by the electronic control unit; - a bandpass electronic filtering block filtering the first driving signal to generate such driving signal and providing a feedback signal to the electronic control unit , wherein the corresponding bandpass filter has: - a transfer function in a first operating condition, which amplitude takes a first and a second peak value for frequencies smaller and greater than a predetermined minimum and maximum operating frequency respectively, - a transfer function in a second operating condition, having a constant amplitude for frequencies between the minimum and maximum operating frequencies.