Abstract: An industrial machine assembly includes an industrial machine and a handle. The industrial machine includes an upper wall and a side wall. The side wall and upper wall cooperate to define a corner. The handle includes a grasping portion, a first flange, and a second flange. The handle is configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a first position and a second position. When the handle is in the first position, the first and second flanges straddle the corner such that the first flange is adjacent to the upper wall and the second flange is adjacent to the side wall. When the handle is in the second position, the first and second flanges straddle the corner such that the first flange is adjacent to the side wall and the second flange is adjacent to the upper wall.

Abstract: A system for welding work pieces together comprises a support assembly configured to permit movement of an end effector assembly throughout a range of operating positions, and an end effector assembly comprising a platform arm pivotally coupled to the support assembly. Radial and longitudinal slide assemblies are coupled between the platform arm and a platform. A rotary actuator is mounted on the platform. A torch arm is coupled to the rotary actuator and extends along an axis of rotation of the rotary actuator. The torch arm has a torch holder at an end thereof configured to hold a welding torch. The rotary actuator can selectively twist the torch arm such that the welding torch undergoes a weaving motion. The system may be operated fully automatically under control of a controller, or in a hybrid mode wherein real time user intervention is permitted to adjust motion and/or operation of the torch.

Abstract: A robot system includes a work object, a robot that carries out work on the work object, and a positioner that positions the work object, and the robot is mounted on a mount of the positioner.

Abstract: A low wire level alarm comprises a signal element and a wire level detection element. The wire level detection element is adapted for detecting the level of welding wire contained in a welding wire bulk pack, and the signal element is adapted for giving an operator a visual and/or acoustic signal on the level of welding wire contained in the bulk pack. In a welding wire bulk pack having a base, side walls and a coil of welding wire placed inside the side walls, a retainer is arranged on top of the welding wire coil so as to descend in the bulk pack when the level of welding wire inside the pack decreases. A low wire level alarm system is used for signaling to an operator that the level of welding wire remaining in the bulk pack has fallen below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A welding carriage has a frame that is adjustable in width and height and is guided by the sides of a workpiece. First and second wheel assemblies support the frame upon the workpiece, the first and second wheel assemblies forcibly engaging the sides of the workpiece for guiding the frame along a path substantially parallel thereto. The frame comprises two opposing lateral sides interconnected by a linkage therebetween. The linkage can be actuated to adjust a coarse width of the frame, dimensional variations being handles by biased guide wheels of the second wheel assembly. Each of the opposing lateral sides further has vertically adjustable leg posts for adjusting a vertical height of the frame.

Abstract: A laser sensor to scan the weld joint either before welding begins as a pre-weld scanning operation or in real time during welding to provide adaptive control of the arc welding parameters. A “line” type laser sensor device projects a laser line within a fixed operating window. The line laser produces a reflective position of anything that the laser line “sees” within the operating window. By triangulation, the exact distance an object is from the laser can be measured at any point along the “line” of the laser. Certain parts of the weld bevel are targeted for measurement. The measurements are stored in an electronic storage medium and a data processor. The stored measurements and data processor are used in conjunction with automated welding equipment to adjust the welding parameters as required. Because the exact joint/weld geometry is then known for every portion of the weld, the welding equipment can then respond or “adapt” to variations in the weld joint between the work pieces.

Abstract: A welding gun is provided in which moisture does not penetrate inside of a motor housing due to preventing the inside of the motor housing from becoming negative pressure. The welding gun includes a feed screw mechanism (40) that is coupled to a servo motor (10) and has a hollow rod (43) that reciprocally moves in a predetermined direction by way of torque applied by the servo motor (10), and a moveable electrode tip (62) that is connected to a leading end portion of the hollow rod (43) and opens and closes relative to a fixed electrode tip (61) according to the reciprocal movement of the hollow rod (43). The servo motor 10 has a motor housing (20) in which a motor housing hollow part (25) accommodating a portion of the hollow rod (43) to be reciprocally moveable is formed. A vent (21b) that ventilates the motor housing hollow part (25) with ambient air is formed in the motor housing (20).

Abstract: A welding torch maintenance center that uses a microcontroller to control the operation, to configure the maintenance center, to repeat the reaming process for excessive spatter deposit inside the nozzle, to spray the nozzle with anti-spatter fluid, to cut the welding wire, to provide a tool center point check signal, and to provide diagnostic information.

Abstract: To provide a steel-aluminum welded material and a spot welding method therefor having high weld strength. The steel-aluminum welded material 3 includes a steel material 1 and an aluminum material 2 having predetermined widths. The area of a nugget 5 of a spot-welded part is determined as a function of the thickness of the aluminum material 2, and the area of a part of the nugget 5 corresponding to a part having a thickness in a range between 0.5 and 10 ?m of an interface reaction layer 6 is defined as a function of the thickness of the aluminum material 2.

Abstract: A welding power supply includes a controller that automatically monitors the presence or absence of one or more modules connected to or installed into the welding power supply. The controller automatically turns on or off the power supply functions related to which optional modules are present. The controller populates various end-user interface menus based on which optional modules are installed. The controller uses software and/or hardware to make the determination. The optional module(s) themselves include circuitry which allows the controller to recognize when the optional module has been installed and what functions the installed optional module is capable of performing. The circuitry of the optional module(s) allows the optional module(s) to communicate with the controller. In this way, the end-user will not have the options of selecting a process on the user interface menus that is not available because the required equipment has not been installed.

Abstract: A cooling device for liquid cooling of at least one member of a welding device and a welding device with such a cooling device is described. The cooling device comprises a coolant tank, an outlet pipe for coolant from the coolant tank to the member, which outlet pipe comprises an outlet for connection to the welding device, a return pipe for returning heated liquid from the member back to the coolant tank, which return pipe comprises an inlet for connection to the welding device, and a pump which is connected to the outlet pipe for pumping coolant from coolant tank to the member. The cooling device comprises means for preventing flow through at least one of the outlet pipe and the return pipe when the pump is shut off.

Abstract: Embodiments of a welding system including a controller adapted to implement a lockout mechanism are provided. The controller may be adapted to selectively activate a learn mode and a use mode of a component of the welding system. When the learn mode is activated, the controller receives an allowable data set and stores the allowable data set to memory. When the use mode is activated, the controller receives an operational data set, references the allowable data set to check if the operational data set is allowable, logs the operational data set and enables the component of the welding system to operate when the operational data set is allowable, and disables the component of the welding system when the operational data set is not allowable.

Abstract: Embodiments of a welding system include a compact wire feeder adapted to feed welding wire having a diameter up to approximately 5/64 inches disposed on a wire spool having an outer diameter of approximately 8 inches. The compact wire feeder may include a housing, a spool mounting hub disposed in the housing and adapted to receive the wire spool, and a wire drive assembly having a motor adapted to apply an output torque to a shaft of a gearbox to drive the welding wire from the welding spool to a welding torch.

Abstract: In many cases, the coating material of coated sheet metal has a significantly lower boiling point than the sheet metal material. Thus, an explosive vaporization of coating material can occur when sheet metal of this type is joined by welding, negatively affecting the quality of the connection. To improve the connection quality, narrow gaps are created by means of spacers, allowing the vaporized coating material to escape through said gaps. The spacers are created e.g. by the laser radiation of the sheet metal. The aim of the invention is to reduce the variations in distance between the sheet metal sheets by the appropriate shaping of the spacers. This is achieved by a method, in which the laser beam executes a movement comprising transverse and longitudinal components through and/or around the center of its processing surface. This creates a topographical modification with a spherical form, i.e. with an apex radius that is greater than the height of said topographical modification.

Abstract: A wire feeder includes a wire feeder housing that may enclose one or more drive rollers rotatably connected with respect to the wire feeder housing for engaging welding wire. The one or more drive rollers may be adjustable and adapted to drive the welding wire to a welding gun connected to the wire feeder. A drive motor is incorporated for delivering power for rotating the one or more drive rollers. Friction reducing devices, such as bearings, may be utilized and positioned between one or more driver rollers and the housing, where the bearings are electrically non-conducting for preventing the discharge of electrical energy across the bearing surfaces.

Abstract: A welder includes a housing enclosing one or more welding circuits communicated with power output studs for establishing a welding arc. A generally rigid bracket may be included that is affixed to an exterior of the housing, which may include first and second spaced apart support arms extending from a bracket, where the first support arm includes a first supporting surface facing a first direction, and where the second support arm includes a second supporting surface facing a second opposite direction for supporting the associated welding gun in a cantilevered configuration. A cable cradle is also included that extends from a second, distal end of the bracket.

Abstract: A control method for an arc welding apparatus having a function of prohibiting detection of neck based on a change amount of welding voltage and an arc welding apparatus using the method. Thus, since neck determination can be carried out accurately by preventing wrong detection of neck, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of spatter.

Abstract: A narrow groove GMAW torch for thick section welding that addresses the problems of conventional welding torches. A main body portion has a power block with electrical, feed welding wire, water cooling, and shielding gas connections and a contact tip. A dielectric is attached to the main body portion and has a primary shield gas outlet. A gas shield attached to the dielectric defines an annulus between them that functions as a secondary gas shield. A diffusing gas outlet in the dielectric delivers shielding gas to the weld area. The contact tip attached to the power block is designed to receive and control the curvature of the feed welding wire.

Abstract: A ferris wheel workpiece positioner may include a base and a workpiece holder operatively connected to the base and configured to be rotated about a central axis. The ferris wheel workpiece positioner may also include a first-side set of rails operatively connected to a first side of the workpiece holder and a second-side set of rails operatively connected to a second side of the workpiece holder. The ferris wheel workpiece positioner may further include a first-side set of workpiece supports including at least one first-side support operatively connected to the first-side set of rails, and a second-side set of workpiece supports including at least one second-side support operatively connected to the second-side set of rails.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flux cored wire for gas shielded arc welding of high-strength steel having proof stress of 690 MPa or more, which is capable of all-position welding with a higher efficiency and exhibits an excellent cracking resistance. The flux cored wire comprising a steel sheath, and a flux filled therein, wherein the flux cored wire comprises, by mass % with respect to the total mass of the flux cored wire: C: 0.03 to 0.10%, Si: 0.25 to 0.7%, Mn: 1.0 to 3.0%, Ni: 1.0 to 3.5%, B: 0.001 to 0.015%, Cr: limited to 0.05% or less, and Al: limited to 0.05% or less, and in the flux, TiO2: 2.5 to 7.5%, SiO2: 0.1 to 0.5%, ZrO2: 0.2 to 0.9%, and Al2O3: 0.1 to 0.4%; and the remainder comprising: Fe, arc stabilizer, and unavoidable impurities; and wherein the total mount of hydrogen in the flux cored wire is in 15 ppm or less.

Abstract: A portable wire feeder for providing welding wire and welding current to a welding operation includes an input electrically connected to a power source. An output is selectively electrically connected to the input to receive welding current delivered to the input from the power source and to provide the welding current and welding wire to the welding operation through a guide hose. A contactor includes a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal and a conductive bridge member for selectively electrically connecting the input to the output. The first electrical terminal is electrically connected to the input. The second electrical terminal is electrically connected to the output.

Abstract: The invention relates to a weld filler and to a use of a weld filler which significantly improves the weldability of some nickel-based superalloys and includes the following constituents (in wt %): 17.5%-20.0% chromium (Cr) 10.0%-12.0% cobalt (Co) 9.0%-10.5% molybdenum (Mo) 0.1%-3.3% titanium, in particular 3.0%-3.3% titanium (Ti), 1.4%-1.8% aluminum (Al), 0.04%-0.12% carbon, 0.003%-0.01% boron (B), remainder nickel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hand welding torch (10) provided with a switching device (15), wherein the switching device is formed from a switching element and actuators, wherein the switching element is mounted in such a manner that it can move relatively to the actuators, wherein the actuators can be actuated by means of the switching element, and wherein the switching element can be moved in at least two degrees of freedom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact tube (29) for a welding torch (10), having a longitudinal axis (31) along which a through-opening (30) for guiding a welding wire (13) from an inlet region (37) to an outlet region (35) and from an outlet opening (39) towards a workpiece (16) is provided, wherein at least one slot (34) is provided in the outlet region (35) for making contact with the welding wire (13). A contact tube (29) with improved contacting of the welding wire (13) is obtained by providing at least one further slot (36) in the inlet region (37) of the contact tube (29), wherein the slot (36) in the inlet region (37) is arranged in line with the slot (34) in the outlet region (35), and a web (38), which serves as a pivot point, is formed between the slot (34) in the outlet region (35) and the at least one slot (36) in the inlet region (37).

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present technique relate to a welding storage structure. In one embodiment, a welding system includes a welding chassis and a storage structure that rotates outwardly from the welding chassis. In another embodiment, a welding system includes a welding storage unit having a storage base with a plurality of storage compartments, a cover removably disposed over the plurality of the storage compartments, and a rotatable chassis mount configured to couple the welding storage unit rotatably to a welding chassis.

Abstract: An adapter for a welding device for temporary fastening of a welding eye onto a surface is provided. The adapter comprises an electrically conducting inner part acting as a first electrode and an electrically conducting outer part acting as a second electrode in connection with the welding eye. Between the inner and the outer part a spacer made of an insulating material is arranged. The inner part protrudes above the outer part to form a contact element between the welding device and the surface. At least one holding means is arranged at the outer part, which is suitable to temporarily hold at least one welding eye such that a welding current can be applied between the inner part and the welding eye via the surface to weld the welding eye to the surface.

Abstract: A welding torch includes: a contact tip having, on a distal-end inner circumferential surface thereof, a power supply portion that contacts a fed welding wire to supply current; and a wire guide that is provided having a predetermined clearance within the contact tip and guides the fed welding wire, and wherein the arc-welding torch is configured such that axes of the contact tip and the wire guide are relatively changed so as to cause the welding wire fed while guided by the wire guide to contact the power supply portion of the contact tip. The power supply portion of the contact tip is formed to have an axial length with which a welding current can be maintained at at least a predetermined lower limit current despite a shift of a power supply point in accordance with wear of the power supply portion, more specifically, formed to have a length of 1 to 4 mm.

Abstract: A welding contact tip having a body portion and bore passing through the body portion. The welding contact tip is made from an alloy which comprises diamonds and/or diamond powder.

Abstract: A contact tip for a welding torch in accordance with the present invention includes an elongated, generally cylindrical body having a front contact end and an opposite rear retaining end. A central aperture is defined by an inner wall of the body. The aperture extends through the body from an opening at the rear retaining end to an opening at the front contact end. The aperture has a front portion and a wider diameter portion adjacent the front portion. The front portion generally has a length that is shorter than a length of the wider diameter portion. A consumable electrode wire fed through the aperture contacts the inner wall in the front portion but does not contact the inner wall in the wider diameter portion.

Abstract: A controller for a welding system adapted to determine a value of a weld secondary parameter across a weld secondary component based on a sensed parameter is provided. The controller may also be adapted to compare the determined value to a reference value range and to alert a user to a presence and location of a weld secondary error when the determined value is outside the referenced value range.

Abstract: A welding system including a welding power supply coupled to a wire feeder via a spool gun connection is provided. The welding system is adapted to utilize the power and control capabilities originating from the spool gun connection for wire feeder operations during an initial period. The wire feeder is adapted to utilize the welding arc power and an internal controller to power and control wire feeder operations after the initial period.

Abstract: A welding system including a fine tuning knob and a coarse adjustment knob for setting a weld wire feed speed are provided. The welding system may include a welder having the coarse adjustment knob and a spool gun having the fine tuning knob. A user may adjust the knob on the welder to set a coarse adjustment wire feed speed and may adjust the knob on the spool gun to fine tune the wire feed speed setting.

Abstract: A welding wire feed drive system is provided including belts mounted on wire drive rollers. One or both belts may be poly-V belts mounted on the rollers and positioned such that grooves of the belts are outward facing. Opposing grooves and projections of the belts may form an interfacing or interlocking arrangement suitable for the securement of a welding wire therein. The grooves and projections of the belts may be utilized to facilitate the movement of the welding wire towards a welding application.

Abstract: A wire drive system includes a wire feed motor for feeding welding wire in a continuous welding process. The wire drive system further includes a controller connected to the wire feed motor for driving the motor responsive to a command signal. The controller is capable of detecting the source of power from which the wire feed motor is driven wherein a first possible source of power is taken from the welding arc and wherein a second possible source of power is taken from the welding power supply.

Abstract: Plasma cutter and welder units are provided for fabricating a pipe. The plasma cutter and welder unit include a support structure having a carriage rotatably supported thereon. A plasma cutter nozzle and a weld nozzle are mounted to the carriage. A drive mechanism adjusts positioning of the plasma cutter and weld nozzles through varying control by a controller during operation. Additionally, a bearing support is provided for cradling the pipe during fabrication. The bearing support includes a plurality of bearing plates. A wedge structure is secured to each of the bearing plates and to a fixture base to form a nest for receiving the pipe. An isolation pad is disposed between the wedge structure and the fixture base.

Abstract: A power source for welding includes electrical components that generate heat during a welding operation, a fume extractor for removing welding fumes from a welding site during a welding operation, and a filtration device for filtering the welding fumes to produce filtered air such that the filtered air helps cool the electrical components.

Abstract: A welding machine that includes a machine frame having an opening permitting access to an interchangeable tooling module installed on the machine. The welding machine includes one or more light curtains covering the opening to disable operation of one or more welding stations on the tooling module if the light curtain is breached by an operator, robot, or other object. The welding machine includes a selector arm attached to the machine frame at a location between a first end and a second end of the opening. The selector arm can be moved into and out of position at the opening to selectively define either a single light curtain across the opening or a pair of adjacent light curtains that permit separate operation and access to separate welding stations behind each of the two light curtains.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce the size of an entire device by simplifying a device configuration, and also accurately measure the stroke position of a rod. A lower electrode 2 is mounted on an upper portion of an electrode holder tube 3. A rod 4 that is vertically movable within the electrode holder tube 3 is divided into a first rod 4a and a second rod 4b. The rod 4 is urged upward by a compressed spring 5 that is interposed between a spring receiving seat 14 fixed to the upper end surface of the second rod 4b and an insulating adapter 7. Pressurized air supplied from a pressurized air supply pipe 15 to assist the urging force is received by a pressure receiving portion on the lower surface of the spring receiving seat 14, thereby assisting the spring 5 to urge the rod 4 upward. A magnetic sensor 10 is disposed below the second rod 4b, and a lower end portion of the second rod 4b is directly connected to a detector 17 of the magnetic sensor 10.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a welding booth that has a small foot print and can be joined to other booths for maximization of floor space use.

Abstract: A modified phase shift scheme that provides the minimum on-time and regulation benefits of the conventional phase shift method with the reduced circulating current benefits of the traditional PWM control. A welding machine comprises an inverter operatively connected to a controller, wherein the controller controls a welding process of the welding machine using modified phase shifted switching of the inverter.

Abstract: A welding apparatus having a waveform compensation device, a power section coupled to the waveform compensation device which generates a welding waveform in accordance with a signal from the waveform compensation device, and a frequency detection device which detects at least one of a voltage, current and power of a welding arc and determines a shorting frequency of the arc. The waveform compensation device adjusts at least a portion of the welding waveform based on an output from the frequency detection device.

Abstract: It comprises cylindrical feeder collet (6) formed with a slit portion at a front end thereof for feeding power to a welding wire internally set through; collet case (7) for storing feeder collet (6) therein, having an abutment on which the end of feeder collet (6) is abutted; flexible inner tube (4) for leading the welding wire to feeder collet (6); torch body (3) with inner tube (4) inserted therein and collet case (7) detachably disposed at the front end thereof; and spring (5) for pressurizing feeder collet (6) toward the front end of the welding wire, wherein there is provided a taper surface on at least any one of the front end of feeder collet (6) and the abutment of collet case (7). Thus, it is structurally simple and applicable for a curved torch.

Abstract: A constant voltage (CV) welding process power supply including a controller that implements a variable minimum current is provided. The controller is configured to periodically compute a running current value during a welding operation. The controller is also configured to periodically compute a minimum current value based on a difference between the running current value and a preset offset value, wherein the preset offset value remains constant throughout the welding operation.

Abstract: A cold metal transfer (CMT) contact tip has a substantially copper-free contact surface defining a wire passage. The CMT contact tip is used with a CMT welding apparatus having a weld wire and a wire feeder for feeding and oscillating the weld wire forward and backward through the wire passage where the weld wire shares a concentric axis with the wire passage.

Abstract: A system and a method for tracking and analyzing welding activity. Dynamic spatial properties of a welding tool are sensed during a welding process producing a weld. The sensed dynamic spatial properties are tracked over time and the tracked dynamic spatial properties are captured as tracked data during the welding process. The tracked data is analyzed to determine performance characteristics of a welder performing the welding process and quality characteristics of a weld produced by the welding process. The performance characteristics and the quality characteristics may be subsequently reviewed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a holding fixture is disclosed for locating and stabilizing substantially identical repeated units during joining of the repeated units. In another embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a structure comprising substantially identical repeated units. In still another embodiment, a welded structure is provided comprising a plurality of welded together substantially identical repeated units.

Abstract: A welding observation apparatus is provided to use partial darkening by a telecentric optical system and a photochromic filter (PCF) as an optical system for filtering light emission from arc discharge in order to verify the welding condition under the welding arc discharge, without forming an image on the PCF, so that light reducing performance can be secured even if a focus shifts from on the PCF, with satisfactory monitoring of welding condition. The welding observation apparatus comprises: an arc welding unit 8; an objective optical system (1, 2) for concentrating light from the arc welding unit 8; a telecentric optical system 3 for guiding the light concentrated by the objective optical system (1, 2); a PCF 4 for illuminating with the light guided by the telecentric optical system 3; and a solid state imaging device 9 for receiving the light passing through the PCF 4, wherein the light from the arc welding unit 8 is partial-darkened by the PCF 4.

Abstract: A pressure welding method is provided and a pressure welding machine (1) is provided with a frame (10), two welding heads (13, 14), mobile along a feed axis (41), and two adjusting units (17, 18). The adjusting units (17, 18) include feed drives (23) for the welding heads (13, 14). The two adjusting units (17, 18) are mounted so as to be axially movable (41) on the frame (10) and are interlinked with an adjusting drive (25) by means of a common adjusting element (26) and supported in a closed system of forces while receiving the pressure welding forces, thereby relieving the frame (10). The common adjusting element (26) is configured as a continuous spindle (27) having two self-locking threads (28, 29) that run in opposite directions.

Abstract: A welding control apparatus according to the present invention includes an integrator for starting calculation of a voltage error integral value Sv2, expressed by a formula (1) given below, from a time when a first pulse period ends and a second pulse period starts in a pulse cycle, based on various data of information regarding a gradient Ks of an external characteristic of a welding power supply and a welding current setting value Is2 and a welding voltage setting value Vs2 both in a second pulse period, which are preset as parameters in the formula (1), as well as on an instantaneous value Io2 of a welding current and an instantaneous value Vo2 of a welding voltage both detected in the second pulse period, a comparator for comparatively determining whether a value of the voltage error integral value Sv2 provided as the calculation result has become 0, and a waveform generator for, per pulse cycle, terminating the relevant pulse cycle and starting a next pulse cycle at a time when the value of the voltage e

Abstract: Welding equipment includes a torch for irradiating a laser beam, wire feeding means for feeding a filler wire, and tracking means for controlling the moving tracks of the torch and the wire feeding means so as to make the moving tracks follow a welding line. The tracking means has a contactor provided so as to be advanceable/retractable for making contact with a joint object resiliently. The torch and the wire feeding means are moved so as to follow the welding line by touching the contactor of the tracking means resiliently to the joint object while feeding the filler wire to a welding portion and irradiating that portion with the laser beam, thereby joining the joint objects.