Systems and methods for diagnosing secondary weld errors
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.
1. A welding system comprising:
a welding power supply;
a fixture configured to secure a workpiece in a welding location;
a ground cable coupled to the welding power supply and at least one of the fixture and the workpiece; and
at least one test contact disposed on at least one of the fixture and the workpiece for determining at least one of a weld cabling parameter, a weld torch parameter, a rotary ground parameter, a fixturing parameter, and a workpiece parameter.
2. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the test contact comprises one or more projections configured to receive a welding torch tip.
3. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the test contact comprises one or more apertures configured to receive one or more securement members.
4. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the welding power supply comprises a processor configured to execute one or more algorithms to control a welding process of the welding power supply, wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to:
determine a value of a weld secondary parameter across a weld secondary component based on a sensed parameter acquired via shorting of a welding torch tip to the weld secondary component via the test contact;
compare the determined value to a reference value range; and
alert a user to a presence and location of a weld secondary error when the determined value is outside the referenced value range.
5. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a negative weld lead length, and to determine the referenced value range based on the negative weld lead length.
6. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a negative weld lead size, and to determine the referenced value range based on the negative weld lead size.
7. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a positive weld lead length, and to determine the referenced value range based on the positive weld lead length.
8. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a positive weld lead size, and to determine the referenced value range based on the positive weld lead size.
9. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a welding torch manufacturer, and to determine the referenced value range based on the welding torch manufacturer.
10. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a welding torch model number, and to determine the referenced value range based on the welding torch model number.
11. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to receive an input from the user regarding a welding torch length, and to determine the referenced value range based on the welding torch length.
12. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the reference range value is determined based on a measured value of an initial drop in the weld secondary parameter across the weld secondary component based on the sensed parameter at a prior time.
13. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the weld secondary parameter is at least one of a voltage, a current, a power, a resistance, a conductance, and an inductance.
14. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the weld secondary component is weld cabling.
15. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the weld secondary component is a welding torch.
16. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the weld secondary component is a rotary ground.
17. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the weld secondary component is the fixture.
18. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the weld secondary component is the workpiece.
19. The welding system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more algorithms are configured to store the determined value in the weld secondary parameter to a memory.