Welding Power Supply Waveform Control for Stable AC and Pulse Output

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional welding-type power supplies face challenges in maintaining optimal welding performance due to resistance and inductance issues, leading to poor welding conditions when using AC and DC pulse waveforms, as they lack effective methods to automatically adjust parameters and provide operator feedback on acceptable ranges.

Innovation Solution

The system automatically selects and adjusts AC and DC pulse parameters based on predetermined relationships between frequency and amperage, providing operator feedback and limiting adjustments to prevent suboptimal operating ranges, using power conversion circuitry and control circuitry to determine and control frequency and amperage within acceptable limits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional welding power supplies use AC and DC pulse waveforms, then welding flexibility and control are improved, but resistance and inductance issues cause poor welding performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding flexibilityVSAvoidwelding performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides real-time feedback to the operator through a user interface, displaying whether selected frequency and amperage parameters are within acceptable ranges. This feedback mechanism allows operators to adjust parameters to achieve optimal welding conditions, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and performance by guiding users to make informed parameter selections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes predetermined relationships between frequency and amperage parameters, using lookup tables or mathematical functions to define acceptable parameter combinations. By systematically managing parameter changes within validated ranges, the system maintains welding performance reliability while preserving the flexibility to adjust parameters for different welding applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If operators can freely adjust frequency and amperage parameters, then welding adaptability is improved, but suboptimal operating ranges lead to poor welding conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter adjustabilityVSAvoidwelding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The user interface provides immediate visual feedback indicating whether selected parameters fall within acceptable ranges. This feedback guides operators to adjust parameters appropriately, maintaining welding quality while allowing necessary adaptability for different welding scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes acceptable parameter ranges through predetermined relationships between frequency and amperage. By preparing these parameter guidelines in advance and presenting them to operators before welding begins, the system prevents suboptimal parameter selections while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If the system provides real-time feedback and parameter constraints, then welding quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuitry performs multiple functions: it stores predetermined parameter relationships, evaluates user-selected parameters against these relationships, and provides feedback through the user interface. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional control system, the patent achieves improved welding quality without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3815829B1Welding systems for controling welding-type power supplies using ac waveforms and/or DC pulse waveforms
Publication Date: 2022.08.10 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • EP3815829B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3815829B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3815829B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

An example welding-type power supply (100) includes: power conversion circuitry (110) configured to convert input power to welding-type power having at least one of an alternating current (AC) waveform or a pulse waveform; and control circuitry (112) configured to determine an amperage parameter of the welding-type power, and, based on the amperage parameter, determine a frequency of the AC waveform or the pulse waveform, and control the power conversion circuitry (110) to output the welding-type power at the determined frequency and based on the amperage parameter.