IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,459,048
Granted Patent B2
US 12,459,048 · App. 17/792,044 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Output control method for gas-shielded arc welding, welding system, welding power source, and welding control device

Inventors: Baini Jo (Fujisawa, JP); Shogo Nakatsukasa (Fujisawa, JP); Takeshi Yano (Fujisawa, JP); Akira Ogawa (Fujisawa, JP); Eiji Sato (Fujisawa, JP)
Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
B23K9/095B23K9/16
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,459,048
App. No.
17/792,044
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Gas-shielded arc welding in which the tip-to-work distance changes is configured so that fluctuations in welding current are curbed while arc length control is maintained. This is achieved with a corrected current calculating unit that includes a first controlling expression where a first gain G 1 is multiplied by an instantaneous voltage error value that is the difference between an instantaneous output voltage setting value and an output voltage detection value, and/or a second controlling expression where a second gain G 2 is multiplied by an average voltage error value that is the difference between an output voltage setting value and an average output voltage detection value of a pre-set period of time, determines an arc property gain G 1 and/or G 2 based on a torch position detection value determined by a torch position determinator, and calculates a corrected current based on the first and/or the second controlling expression.

Claims (42)

1 . An output control method for performing gas-shielded arc welding in which a tip-to-work distance changes during the welding, the gas-shielded arc welding being performed by using a welding system having a welding control device and a welding power source,

wherein at least one of the welding control device and the welding power source has a torch position detector to determine a welding torch position during the welding,

wherein the welding power source has a correction-amount calculation circuit to calculate a correction current for feedback control,

wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit includes at least one of

a first controlling expression in which an instantaneous-voltage error value Dv 1 serving as a difference between an instantaneous-output-voltage setting value Va and an output-voltage detection value Vd is multiplied by a first gain G 1 , and

a second controlling expression in which an average-voltage error value Dv 2 serving as a difference between an output-voltage setting value Vs and an average-output-voltage detection value Vave in a preset period is multiplied by a second gain G 2 , and

wherein the output control method comprises:

setting at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 based on a torch-position detection value determined by the torch position detector; and

calculating the correction current based on at least one of the first controlling expression and the second controlling expression.

2 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 1 , further comprising performing control to increase at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 if the torch position detector detects the torch-position detection value based on which the tip-to-work distance is determined to be within a predetermined distance.

3 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gas-shielded arc welding in which the tip-to-work distance changes is weaving-welding,

wherein three or more preliminarily-segmented torch position sections are set within a range in which a welding torch performs weaving, and

wherein the torch position detector determines that a torch position has changed when the welding torch enters each of the torch position sections during the weaving, and outputs the torch-position detection value.

4 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 3 ,

wherein the torch position sections include at least two independently-set sections including a central section and a weaving end section, the central section including a position where the tip-to-work distance is the largest, the weaving end section including an end of the weaving.

5 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 when the welding torch is positioned in the weaving end section is controlled to be higher than at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 when the welding torch is positioned in the central section.

6 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 4 ,

wherein the weaving end section has a width of 20% to 80% of half a distance of a weaving width by which the welding torch performs the weaving.

7 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 3 ,

wherein if at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 is to be controlled for each of the torch position sections, the output control method further comprises:

starting to increase or decrease the at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 at a boundary or near the boundary of each torch position section; and

setting an increasing-decreasing rate of the at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 between 0.05/μs and 0.10/μs.

8 . An output control method for gas-shielded arc welding in which a welding current has a non-steady response section and a steady response section, the output control method comprising:

using the output control method according to claim 1 to calculate the correction current in the steady response section.

9 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 8 , wherein the non-steady response section is a waveform control section of the welding current.

10 . The output control method for gas-shielded arc welding according to claim 8 , wherein the non-steady response section is a transient response section of the welding current.

11 . A welding system comprising:

a welding control device and a welding power source and for performing gas-shielded arc welding in which a tip-to-work distance changes during the welding,

wherein at least one of the welding control device and the welding power source has a torch position detector to determine a welding torch position during the welding,

wherein the welding power source has a correction-amount calculation circuit to calculate a correction current for feedback control,

wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit includes at least one of

a first controlling expression in which an instantaneous-voltage error value Dv 1 serving as a difference between an instantaneous-output-voltage setting value Va and an output-voltage detection value Vd is multiplied by a first gain G 1 , and

a second controlling expression in which an average-voltage error value Dv 2 serving as a difference between an output-voltage setting value Vs and an average-output-voltage detection value Vave in a preset period is multiplied by a second gain G 2 , wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit sets at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 based on a torch-position detection value determined by the torch position detector, and

wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit calculates the correction current based on at least one of the first controlling expression and the second controlling expression.

12 . A welding power source for performing gas-shielded arc welding in which a tip-to-work distance changes during the welding, the welding power source comprising:

a torch position detector to determine a welding torch position during the welding; and

a correction-amount calculation circuit to calculate a correction current for feedback control,

wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit includes at least one of

a first controlling expression in which an instantaneous-voltage error value Dv 1 serving as a difference between an instantaneous-output-voltage setting value Va and an output-voltage detection value Vd is multiplied by a first gain G 1 , and

a second controlling expression in which an average-voltage error value Dv 2 serving as a difference between an output-voltage setting value Vs and an average-output-voltage detection value Vave in a preset period is multiplied by a second gain G 2 , wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit sets at least one of the first gain G 1 and the second gain G 2 based on a torch-position detection value determined by the torch position detector, and

wherein the correction-amount calculation circuit calculates the correction current based on at least one of the first controlling expression and the second controlling expression.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2022
From: JO, BAINI; NAKATSUKASA, SHOGO; YANO, TAKESHI; OGAWA, AKIRA; SATO, EIJI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
Reel/Frame 060474/0073 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-012535 · Jan 29, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230038418A1 · Feb 9, 2023
References Cited (7)
US 5233158A · Karakama · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 10828714B1 · Cox · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20110198331A1 · Shigeyoshi · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20130299475A1 · Aoki · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20150375331A1 · Hutchison · 2015 [cited by examiner]
JP 2014159034A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report mailed on Feb. 16, 2021 PCT/JP2020/045554 filed on Dec. 7, 2020, 2 pages. [cited by applicant]