Abstract: The present invention provides a weld control monitoring system which determines the quality of the welds in real time, and provides responsive useful outputs indicating the quality of the weld. The system permits the user to input weld data as well as quality specifications which the part must meet in order to continue the production run. A monitoring system can be used with or without programmable logic controllers and includes special program for estimating the tip wear of the welding electrodes. The present invention also includes a weld gun control in which additional support for the weld gun electrode is provided by adjacent rail structures which permit displacable movement of the electrode mounted to linear displacement welding cylinder. A sensor coupled to the piston rod of the weld cylinder provides linearly variable displacement transducer signals for use in monitoring portion of the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a weld control monitoring system which determines the quality of the welds in real time, and provides responsive useful outputs indicating the quality of the weld. The system permits the user to input weld data as well as quality specifications which the part must meet in order to continue the production run. A monitoring system can be used with or without programmable logic controllers and includes special program for estimating the tip wear of the welding electrodes. The present invention also includes a weld gun control in which additional support for the weld gun electrode is provided by adjacent rail structures which permit displacable movement of the electrode mounted to linear displacement welding cylinder. A sensor coupled to the piston rod of the weld cylinder provides linearly variable displacement transducer signals for use in monitoring portion of the apparatus.