Abstract: A welding machine that includes a welding torch assembly, a first rotary head, a second rotary head, a fixture, a processor and a memory subsystem. The first rotary head is configured to receive and selectively retain a first end of a bar and a first link approximate the first end of the bar. The second rotary head is configured to receive and selectively retain a second end of the bar and a second link approximate the second end. The fixture is configured to receive and selectively retain a third link and the fixture is positioned between the first and second rotary heads. The processor is coupled to the welding torch assembly, the first and second rotary heads and the fixture, as well as the memory subsystem.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of monitoring the welding operation in a stud welding process, wherein a part (19) to be welded is immersed into the melt by moving the part (5) towards a workpiece (17), with a physical quantity depending on the force required for moving the part (5) being measured at least during the phase of immersion of the part (19) to be welded into the melt and the measured gradient of the physical quantity plotted against time being compared with a predetermined set gradient. Furthermore, the invention relates to a stud welding device for carrying out such a method.

Abstract: A device (10) for isolating a surface for welding in an underwater location or in high fire risk areas. The device comprises a housing (27) which is arranged to be mounted on the surface and a sealing means (30) to provide a seal between the housing and the surface. The housing (27) is provided with a sealed inlet (50) for receiving a welding apparatus, a fluid inlet (32) for the passage of gas into the housing, and a fluid outlet (34) for the passage of gas and/or liquid out of the housing. A heating means FIG. 3 is not figure) for providing heated gas to the fluid inlet is also provided. In use, an ingress of heated gas through the fluid inlet (32) facilitates an egress of gas and/or liquid, contained in a space defined by the housing and the surface, through the fluid outlet (34) in the housing. In this way an in situ dry gaseous environment is provided for welding the surface.

Abstract: A short-cycle arc-welding system (10) and a method for welding elements (32), such as metal bolts (32) to components (34) such as sheet metal (34) includes a robot (12), having at least one arm (16) displaceable on at least two co-ordinate axes (x, y, z), a welding head base (20) fixed to robot arm (16), a welding head (22) displaceably mounted on welding head base (20), a retaining device (30) retaining an element, a lifting device (36) for setting and re-positioning retaining device (30) in relation to welding head (22), and a measuring system (44,46) determining the relative position between component (34) and element (32). Measuring system (44,46) has a control device (46), controlling lifting device (36) such that element (32) displaces towards component (34) until contacting component (34) to determine the relative position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of electronically selecting an output mode of a welding power source. The invention includes operational circuitry that electronically energizes an output terminal based on a user selected parameter. Specifically, a series of power switches is selectively biased based on a particular output mode selection by the user. As such, independent output terminals of the power source may be activated without requiring mechanical and manual operation by the user.

Abstract: Two slidable carriages of identical construction are slidably mounted in a welding device side by side and move alternately 180 degrees out of phase with each other in a linear reciprocating movement. Pivotal gripping plates are mounted on the slidable carriages which alternately clamp on selected gaps between flux coating sections of the welding electrode to advance it continuously towards the work piece. Crank shafts are incorporated in the welding device to produce the linear reciprocating movement of the two slidable carriages, and cam wheels and pivotal bars are provided to locate alternately one group of gripping plates in the closed position to carry the welding electrode forward while the other group of gripping plates are in the opened position to facilitate the welding electrode to advance.

Abstract: A resistance welding apparatus having a pair of programmable ball electrodes carried on universally movable positioners. The positioners are programmed to move the ball electrodes simultaneously along a seam line so that the ball electrodes clamp and support opposite sides of a pair of stacked workpieces and are electrically charged to form resistance seam welds along the seam lines to connect the workpieces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding with an engine driven inverter power supply includes generating an ac output with an engine and generator. The output is rectified and inverted to provide an ac inverter output. The engine is controlled using feedback indicative of a welding output operating parameter. The feedback may also be taken from the inverter or generator, and the generator may be controlled instead of or in addition to the engine. Engine parameters that may be controlled include engine speed, selecting between an idle speed and a run speed, a throttle position, a fuel pump, an injection timer, a fuel to air ratio, fuel consumption and ignition timing. Another aspect of the invention is having the feedback be responsive to one or more of the welding current, welding voltage, welding power, or functions thereof. The feedback may be responsive to the current, voltage, power, ripple and functions thereof.

Abstract: An electric arc welder operated to perform a short circuit welding process between an electrode and a workpiece, where the process comprises a succession of alternate short circuit conditions and arc conditions, with a first current waveform during the short circuit condition and a second voltage waveform during the arc condition. A first waveform generator constructs the first waveform from a series of current pulses controlled by a pulse wave modulator operated at a rate greater than 18 kHz and a second waveform generator constructs the second waveform from a series of current pulses controlled by a pulse wave modulator operated at a rate greater than 18 kHz. The second waveform generator has a circuit to generate the second waveform with a generally constant arc parameter, generally voltage.

Abstract: An electric arc welder comprising a power source driven by a main input transformer with a secondary winding creating an output pulsating current across the electrode and workpiece of a welding operation is provided with a background current circuit including a full-wave rectifier with AC input and a rectified DC output connected in parallel with the power source across the welding operation wherein the full-wave rectifier is connected in parallel with the secondary winding.

Abstract: A novel orbital welder includes a body defining a tube passage, a weld tip, a rotor, a light source disposed to emit light toward the tube passage such that the emitted light will impinge upon one or more tubes placed in the tube passage, and a detector to detect the light emitted by the light source from the tube passage. The intensity of the detected light depends on the position of the tube. The detector can either be disposed to detect light reflected by the tube(s) or light transmitted past the tube(s). A method is also disclosed for aligning tubes in an orbital welder including the steps of emitting light from the light source into the tube passage, monitoring the light from the tube passage with the detector, and providing a signal indicative of the position of the tube(s) based on the intensity of the detected light.

Abstract: An electric arc welder for depositing weld metal along a groove between two edges of a metal workpiece where the welder comprises a first electrode driven by a first wire feeder toward a point in said groove, a second electrode driven by a second wire feeder toward the point and a main power source with a first output terminal connected to the first electrode and a second output terminal connected both to the second electrode and directly or indirectly to the metal workpiece to create a second electrode path and a workpiece path. The power source includes a high speed switching output stage for creating current with a selected AC waveform between the first and second output terminals where the waveform of the main power source is generated by a waveform generator controlling a pulse width modulator circuit to determine the current operation of the output stage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing welding power with a start control is disclosed. The welding power supply includes a source of welding power, a wire feeder and a controller. The source of welding power has at least one power control input, and provides welding power to an arc. The wire feeder has a feeder control input, and provides wire to the arc. The controller has a wire feed control output connected to the feeder control input, and a power source control output connected to the power control input. The controller also has a wire feed delay module, having as an input a user trigger signal, and having as an output the wire feed control output and the power source control output.

Abstract: A MIG welder and method of controlling a MIG welder which includes a wire speed selector that is used to generate a control signal which controls both the wire feed speed of a consumable electrode and the output current level of the power supply.

Abstract: A method of specifying components in order to design and evaluate a weld gun configuration. A visual representation of the type of welding gun to be designed is provided along with a plurality of menus with user selectable options, such as dimensional specifications. Available options are offered in each of the menus that are available for the welding gun to be designed and non-available options are so indicated. A user selects an option from one of the menus, triggering calculation of new design values. User selection also initiates determination and display of newly available or newly non-available options resulting from the user selection. In addition, a weld gun parameter specification system is described that includes a parameter database, a computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of weld gun parameter specification and an output component.

Abstract: A welder using a circuit or method of changing polarity of an AC welding current comprising: the generation of a polarity changing signal, commanding a change in the polarity of the current a given time after generation of the polarity changing signal and reducing the given time upon detection of a short in the welding current.

Abstract: A method and system for diagnosing, solving, and/or controlling, in particular remotely, a given technical problem likely to arise before, during or after a heat treatment operation on metals, in particular in the welding or cutting field, and to provide the most suitable solution thereto, and to do so by minimizing the time needed to solve this problem and therefore by reducing the loss of productivity likely to occur because of this technical problem.

Abstract: The invention relates a method for gas-shielded metal-arc welding during the re-strike during the welding process. It is object of the invention to provide a gas-shielded metal-arc welding method to permit as low an energy intake as possible in the short-circuit phase for the arc welding. According to the invention, this object is solved by a method, characterized in that at the beginning of a short-circuit, a control is activated and remains active for the duration of the short-circuit, which increases an energy intake (phase A) when a characteristic threshold value S1 is fallen short of, and terminates the energy intake when a threshold value S2 is reached, and than lowers the energy intake (phase B).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding wire in a welding system include one or more motors disposed adjacent the wire to drive it. A wire feed motor is also disposed along the wire path, and is closer to the source of wire than the torch, and closer to the source than the one or more motors. The motors may be a pair motors disposed on opposite sides of the wire and move the wire to and away from an arc end of a torch. They preferably reversing the direction of the wire within one process cycle. The or more motors may be a stepper motor, a servo motor, a zero backlash motor, a gearless motor, a planetary drive motor, or a linear actuator (such as a piston), in various embodiments.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device comprising a screw (10) with pitch (P1) driven by a motor (M), a nut (12) co-operating with the screw (10) and designed to be driven in translation in the direction of the screw axis, said nut being integral in translation with a member (14), guide means (22L, 24L) defining a linear guiding to lock the rotation of the nut in a first phase of displacement, second guide means (22H, 24H) defining a helical guiding having a reverse pitch (P2) relative to the pitch of the screw to enable the transverse pitch and hence the translational speed of the nut to be decreased in said second phase of displacement. The inventive device can be used to produce a relative displacement between the members (16 and 28) of a clamping tool.