Wire Feed Speed Boost Control for Laser Soldering Short-Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
In laser soldering and welding processes, maintaining constant wire conveyance speed and preventing short-circuiting between the wire and workpiece is challenging, especially due to positional changes or incorrect parameter settings, leading to defects in the weld or solder seam.
Innovation Solution
The conveyance speed of the wire is temporarily increased to a predetermined boost speed when a defined voltage limit value is exceeded, and reduced when the voltage falls below, using real-time voltage and resistance measurements to prevent prolonged short-circuiting, applicable in both cold and hot wire applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wire conveyance speed is kept constant during laser soldering or welding, then the process stability is improved, but the system cannot adapt to positional changes or thermal irregularities, leading to short-circuiting defects
Solution Approach 1:
The wire conveyance speed is transformed from a static constant value to a dynamic variable that automatically adjusts based on real-time voltage measurements. The control device monitors voltage between the wire and workpiece and dynamically modifies conveyance speed to prevent short-circuits while maintaining process stability, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback control loop is implemented where the voltage between the wire and workpiece is continuously measured and fed back to the control device. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect approaching short-circuit conditions and automatically adjust the wire conveyance speed accordingly, providing both stability and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wire conveyance speed is increased to prevent short-circuiting, then the adaptability to positional changes is improved, but the process stability deteriorates due to speed fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control mechanism ensures that wire conveyance speed is only adjusted when voltage measurements indicate an approaching short-circuit condition. Normal operation maintains constant speed for stability, while adjustments are made reactively and minimally to maintain adaptability without causing unnecessary fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire conveyance speed parameter is modified only when necessary, based on voltage threshold conditions. The control device changes the speed parameter from its nominal constant value to a adjusted value only when short-circuit risk is detected, thereby maintaining process stability during normal operation while providing adaptability when needed.
3Reliability
If real-time voltage measurement and dynamic speed adjustment are implemented, then the prevention of short-circuiting is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs multiple functions: it manages wire conveyance, monitors voltage, detects short-circuit conditions, and adjusts speed parameters. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional control unit, the patent avoids the need for separate dedicated devices for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while achieving effective short-circuit prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing voltage measurement capability (already present for process monitoring) to also detect short-circuit conditions. The control device leverages existing sensors and processing capabilities to perform dual purposes, avoiding the need for additional specialized hardware and minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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
This method effectively minimizes short-circuit duration and prevents defects by dynamically adjusting the wire conveyance speed, ensuring consistent quality in laser soldering and welding processes, even with positional deviations or thermal irregularities.
Implementation Method 1
the wire is melted by a laser beam from a laser unit
Implementation Method 2
the material of the wire is melted and used to connect at least two workpieces
Implementation Method 3
a voltage between the wire and the workpiece is measured
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for regulating or controlling the conveyance speed of a wire composed of consumable material during a laser soldering or welding method, the wire is melted by a laser beam from a laser unit and is conveyed at a mean conveyance speed toward a workpiece to be processed, wherein a voltage between the wire and the workpiece is measured. A laser soldering or laser welding device carries out this method. In order to avoid at least relatively lengthy short-circuit breaking between the end of the wire and the workpiece, the conveyance speed of the wire, as a function of the measured voltage, is temporarily increased to a predetermined boost speed by increasing the conveyance speed to the predetermined boost speed when a defined voltage limit value is exceeded, and the conveyance speed is reduced again at the latest when the voltage limit value falls below.