Systems, methods, and apparatus to preheat welding wire
A contact tip assembly with a preheating tip comprises a welding-type power source configured to provide welding-type current to a welding-type circuit, the welding-type circuit comprising a welding-type electrode and a first contact tip of a welding torch. The assembly also includes an electrode preheating circuit configured to provide preheating current through a portion of the welding-type electrode via a second contact tip of the welding torch, and a voltage sense circuit to monitor a voltage drop across the two contact tips, and the electrode preheating circuit adjusts at least one of the first current or the preheating current based on the voltage drop.
1. A consumable electrode-fed welding-type system, comprising:
a welding-type power source configured to provide welding-type power to a welding-type circuit, the welding-type circuit comprising a welding-type electrode and a first contact tip of a welding torch;
an electrode preheating circuit configured to provide preheating power through a first portion of the welding-type electrode via a second contact tip of the welding torch; and
an electrode preheating control circuit configured to control the preheating power based on a user input specifying the preheating power, wherein the user input specifies the preheating power as a ratio based on 1) at least one of preheating wattage, a voltage of the preheating power, a current of the preheating power, or an impedance of the first portion of the welding-type electrode, and 2) at least one of welding-type wattage, a voltage of the welding-type power, a current of the welding-type power, or an arc impedance.
2. The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive the user input.
3. The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the electrode preheating control circuit is configured to control the welding-type power based on the selection.
4. The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the user interface is configured to:
display a value representing at least one of the voltage of the preheating power, the current of the preheating power, the preheating wattage, a total energy of the preheating power and the welding-type power, or a heat input efficiency; and
update the value in response to the user input.
5. The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the user input selects a voltage balance, a wattage balance, a current balance, a heat balance, or an enthalpy balance, between the electrode preheating circuit and the welding-type circuit.
6. The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the user interface is configured to:
display values representing at least one of the preheating power or the welding-type power; and
update the values in response to the selection of the preheating power.
7. The system as defined in claim 6 , wherein the user interface is configured to display the values with reference to permitted selection ranges of the values.
8. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrode preheating circuit is configured to provide preheating power via the second contact tip and at least one of the first contact tip or a third contact tip.
9. The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a penetration sensor configured to detect a weld penetration, the electrode preheating control circuit configured to control the preheating power and the welding-type power to maintain the amount of weld penetration within a threshold range.
10. The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a user interface to receive a selection of a wire deposition rate, the electrode preheating control circuit configured to control the preheating power based on the selection.
11. The system as defined in claim 10 , wherein the electrode preheating control circuit is configured to:
in response to an increase in the selected wire deposition rate, increase the preheating power and increase a wire feed speed of the electrode; and
in response to an decrease in the selected wire deposition rate, decrease the preheating power and decrease a wire feed speed of the electrode.
12. The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a display device to:
display a balance between the preheating power and the welding-type power based on the user input;
display a total heat input of the preheating power and the welding-type power; and
update the displays of the balance and the total heat input in response to a change in the user input.
13. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrode preheating control circuit is configured to control the preheating power based on at least one of a target total heat input for a weld, a travel speed, a target bead width, or a target penetration depth.
14. A method, comprising:
determining, via a control circuit, a target preheating power level based on a user input specifying at least one of a target ratio between the preheating power and the welding-type power or a target weld penetration;
controlling, via the control circuit, delivery of preheating power through a first portion of a welding-type electrode via a first contact tip of a welding torch based on the user input;
controlling, via the control circuit, delivery of welding power to the welding-type electrode via a second contact tip based on the preheating power; and
controlling a user interface device to display at least one of a voltage of the preheating power, a current of the preheating power, a preheating wattage, a heat input of the preheating power, a heat input of the welding-type power, or a total heat input of the preheating power and the welding-type power.