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870
Table 27-1 Methods of Process Application and Key Factors for Arc Welding
Key Factors
for Arc Controls Controls Controls Makes
Welding Electrode Heat for Tracks the Electrode and Corrections
Methods of Starting Feeding into Controls Arc Correct Controls Travel Weld Pool Gun Torch to Overcome
Application the Arc the Arc Length Fusion Speed Along the Joint Angle Deviations
Manual Welder Welder Welder Welder Welder Welder Welder Welder
Semiautomatic PS, WF WF PS Welder Welder Welder Welder Welder
Mechanized PS, WF, CP WF PS MCD MCD Operator Operator Operator
Automatic PS, WF, CP WF PS PS, WF, MCD MCD-SR or MCD MCD
CP, MCD, along set
SR path
Robotic PS, WF, CP WF PS PS, WF, Robotic Robotic Robotic control PS, WF, CP,
CP, MCD, control arm control arm MCD, SR
SR arm—SR
or along set
path
Adaptive control PS, WF, CP WF PS PS, WF, MCD (robot) MCD MCD PS, WF, CP, MCD
CP, MCD, (robot)—SR (robot)—SR (robot)—SR
SR
Note: PS = power source, WF = wire feeder, CP = control panel, MCD = motion control device, SR = sensor required.
871
Robotic, adj. Pertaining to process controlled by robotic computer controller (which will direct the power source),
equipment. wire feeder, or motion control device to take appropriate
Semiautomatic, adj. Pertaining to the manual control of a action. However, if the parts can be accurately cut, bent,
process with equipment that automatically controls one or formed, and fixtured, adaptive controls in the form of
more of the process conditions. sensors, computers, and electromechanical servo systems
may not be required. These devices are expensive and add
The term adaptive control is unusual and requires greatly to the complexity of the welding system. What is
further explanation. Adaptive controls can be applied to being attempted with these high level automatic and ro-
virtually all the process application methods. In its pur- botic applications with adaptive control is to replicate the
est form adaptive controls have been around for many eyes, hands, skill, and knowledge of a welder or machine
decades. One very common use was in small light-duty operator. This is being done in order to make instanta-
gas metal arc welding systems. These all-in-one power neous corrections to eliminate weld defects. Some typical
source and wire feeder systems were designed for sheet joint fitup tolerances that will generally be acceptable for
metal and autobody repair facilities. The voltage control automation and robotic welding are the material thickness
was directly coupled to the wire-feed speed motor, so any or 0.060 inch, whichever is less, for gas metal arc welding
variation in voltage would impact wire-feed speed in an and 10 percent of the thinnest material thickness for laser
attempt to keep the process in control. These types of all- beam welding. Another way of judging fitup tolerance is
in-one GMAW systems are still in use today. Adaptive to use ±1⁄2 the electrode diameter or in the case of lasers,
control can be applied to manual welding applications by the focused laser beam diameter. If a 0.035-inch diam-
the welder’s ability to shape and control the output volt- eter GMAW electrode is being used, ±0.018 inch is a very
amp curve on certain constant current power sources. As tight tolerance.
Table 27-1, page 871 shows, the welder is capable of con- Primary issues that need to be dealt with when
trolling all the key factors required for depositing quality doing mechanized, automatic, or robotic welding a ppli-
weld metal. cations are:
Adaptive controls can be applied to semiautomatic
•• Overall dimensions of parts These must be very
and mechanized application methods. An example of this
accurate. (See the previous paragraph for fitup
would be when using the GMAW-P mode of metal trans-
tolerances.)
fer. Most equipment can be selected for adaptive versus
•• Parts that are formed or pressed These must
nonadaptive. The adaptive mode generally has sensors,
be consistent in shape. [Spring-back from heat
which monitor arc length. If anything occurs that affects
number to heat number on parts must be controlled,
the arc length, feedback circuits will attempt to correct
mechanical properties must be understood and
the situation to get the arc length back within proper
controlled, material test reports (MTRs) must be
parameters. As can be seen in Table 27-1, welders or
checked.]
operators still have some key factors under their control.
•• Weldment design This must be appropriate for
In some cases, especially in semiautomatic application
intended welding operations and weld locations.
situations, the welder may want to control the heat, fusion,
•• Fixturing and weld tooling These must be appropri-
and penetration by variations in electrode extension. In
ate for the application.
this case the adaptive control will react in the opposite
•• Welding process and mode of metal transfer These
manner than that desired by the welder. In order to pre-
must be appropriate in the case of GMAW.
vent these types of situations the adaptive control can be
set for nonadaptive allowing welders to use their skill and Cost considerations must be reviewed since the higher
understanding of the weld pool to correct deviations as the degree of accuracy and the more sophisticated the
they occur. fixtures, the more expensive the parts and the welding
In the automatic and robotic methods of applications, fixture system becomes.
welders or operators are not required to control the key
factors influencing the weld. This will require the high-
est level of adaptive control. Multiple sensors may be re- Arc Control Devices
quired to monitor various facets of the weld pool, weld
profile, penetration, and fusion patterns. Sampling can Magnetic Arc Control
occur much faster than welders or operators can possi- In certain situations it is more advantageous to move the
bly see and react to. Data can be collected and reacted to arc and thus the weld pool than it is to require the motion
thousands of times per second. These data are sent to a control device to change the torch or gun work or travel
Fig. 27-1 Probe orientation for weld pool control. Source: ITW Jetline - Cyclomatic
Horizontal Cross
Slide Adjustment
Arc Monitoring
When doing manual, semiautomatic, and mech-
Coolant Recirculator
anized welding applications, welders or opera-
300 amp Inverter tors do the monitoring. They must be highly
Power Source
skilled and trained to monitor and control all
the key factors influencing the weld in order
Fig. 27-6 Side beam carriage setup for GMAW with seam tracker and to maintain weld quality. Refer to Table 27-1,
microprocessor weld control. It is using a tactile probe seam tracking page 871 for a review of these key factors. On
system. © Miller Electric Mfg. Co. routine high production work there is a desire to