Method and apparatus for braking and advancing a welding wire

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing welding-type power include a wire feeder that provides wire to an arc and a power supply that provides power to the arc. A reversible wire feed motor moves the wire to and away from the arc. A controller controls the reversible wire feeder motor to reverse at least once per process cycle, and/or controls the power source to provide a desired mean arc current, and/or controls the reversible motor in response to short detection and short clearing, and/or controls the reversal frequency in response to pool oscillation frequency. A wire feed motor output is slaved to an average of the reversible motor output. The controller may include various control modules, such as a mean arc current control module, and/or a short detection feedback circuit. The reversible motor is a stepper motor, that incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given angle in another embodiment. The controller includes a step size output and the given angle is varied in response to the step size output.

1 . A welding-type power source, comprising: 
 a wire feeder disposed to provide wire to an arc;    a power supply disposed to provide power to the arc;    a braking wire feed motor, disposed to move the wire to and away from the arc, and to superimpose movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor; and    a controller, connected to the power supply and the wire feeder, and including a braking wire feeder control module connected to the braking wire feeder and, wherein the braking wire feeder control module includes a braking motor output having a value determined at a frequency of at least once per process cycle and further including a wire feed motor output slaved to an average of the reversible motor output.    
   
   
       2 . The welding-type power source of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a mean arc current control module.  
   
   
       3 . The welding-type power source of  claim 1 , further comprising a short detection feedback circuit, providing an input to the controller.  
   
   
       4 . (Cancelled.)  
   
   
       5 . The welding-type power source of  claim 1 , including a buffer disposed between the wire feed motor and the braking motor, wherein the controller includes a buffer feedback module and the wire feed motor output is responsive to the buffer feedback module.  
   
   
       6 . The welding-type power source of  claim 1   further comprising a buffer disposed between the wire feed motor and the braking motor; and    wherein the controller includes a buffer feedback module and a wire feed motor output responsive to the buffer feedback module.    
   
   
       7 . The welding-type power source of  claim 1 , wherein the braking motor is a stepper motor, whereby the motor incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given angle.  
   
   
       8 . The welding-type power source of  claim 7  wherein the controller includes a step size output and the given angle is varied in response to the step size output.  
   
   
       9 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . A welding-type power source, comprising: 
 a wire feeder disposed to provide wire to an arc including a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    a power supply disposed to provide power to the arc;    a braking wire feed motor, disposed to move the wire to and away from the arc and to superimpose movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor;    a buffer disposed between the wire feed motor and the braking motor; and    a controller, connected to the wire feeder, and including a braking wire feeder control module connected to the braking wire feeder and, wherein the braking wire feeder control module includes a braking motor output, and including a mean arc current control module having an arc current control output responsive to mean arc current and connected to the power supply, and including a buffer feedback module and a wire feed motor output responsive to the buffer feedback module.    
   
   
       12 . The welding-type power source of  claim 11 , further comprising a short detection feedback circuit, providing an input to the controller.  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A welding-type power source, comprising: 
 a wire feeder disposed to provide wire to an arc, including a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    a power supply disposed to provide power to the arc;    a braking wire feed motor, disposed to move the wire to and away from the arc and to superimpose movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor;    a controller, connected to the power supply and the wire feeder, and including a braking wire feeder control module connected to the braking wire feeder and, wherein the braking wire feeder control module includes a braking motor output, and the controller includes a wire feed motor output slaved to an average of the braking motor output; and    a short detection feedback circuit, providing an input to the controller.    
   
   
       15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . The welding-type power source of  claim 14 , including a buffer disposed between the wire feed motor and the braking motor, wherein the controller includes a buffer feedback module and the wire feed motor output is responsive to the buffer feedback module.  
   
   
       17 . The welding-type power source of  claim 16 , wherein the braking motor is a step motor, whereby the motor incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given angle.  
   
   
       18 . A welding-type power source, comprising: 
 a wire feeder, includes a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc, disposed to provide wire to an arc;    a power supply disposed to provide power to the arc;    a braking wire feed motor, disposed to move the wire to and away from the arc whereby movement of the wire is superimposed onto the movement of the wire from the wire feed motor;    a controller, connected to the power supply, and including a braking wire motor output connected to the braking wire feeder and, including a wire feed motor output slaved to an average of the braking motor output.    
   
   
       19 . The welding-type power source of  claim 18 , including a buffer disposed between the wire feed motor and the braking motor, wherein the controller includes a buffer feedback module and the wire feed motor output is further responsive to the buffer feedback module.  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A welding-type power source, comprising: 
 a wire feeder includes a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc, disposed to provide wire to an arc;    a power supply disposed to provide power to the arc;    a braking wire feed motor, disposed to move the wire to and away from the arc whereby movement of the wire is superimposed onto the movement from the wire feed motor;    a buffer disposed between the wire feed motor and the braking motor; and    a controller, connected to the power, supply, and including a braking wire feeder control module connected to the braking wire feeder, and having a buffer feedback input, and having and a wire feed motor output responsive to the buffer feedback input and connected to the wire feeder.    
   
   
       22 . The welding-type power source of  claim 21 , wherein the braking motor is a step motor, whereby the motor incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given angle.  
   
   
       23 . The welding-type power source of  claim 22  wherein the controller includes a step size output and the given angle is varied in response to the step size output.  
   
   
       24 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . A method of providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 feeding wire to the arc;    providing power to the arc;    reversing the direction of the wire while continuing to feed wire toward a welding torch, at least once per process cycle for a plurality of consecutive cycles;    providing a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    providing a braking motor to superimpose movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor;    buffering wire from the superimposition; and    controlling a speed of the wire feed motor output in response to the buffering.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising controlling the power in response to mean arc current.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising detecting when the arc has shorted and controlling the power and the direction of the wire in response thereto.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further including: 
 providing a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    providing a braking motor that superimposes movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor; and    slaving the speed of the wire feed motor to an average speed of the braking motor.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , including storing wire from the reversing and controlling the speed of a wire feed motor in response to the storing.  
   
   
       36 . (canceled)  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising reversing the direction of the wire incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given distance.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising varying the given distance in response to control parameters.  
   
   
       39 - 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . A method of providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 feeding wire to the arc;    providing power to the arc;    reversing the direction of the wire;    controlling the power in response to mean arc current;    providing a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    providing a braking motor that superimposes movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor; and    slaving the speed of the wire feed motor to an average speed of the braking motor.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising detecting when the arc has shorted and controlling the power and the direction of the wire in response thereto.  
   
   
       43 . (canceled)  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , including storing wire from the reversing and controlling the speed of a wire feed motor in response to the storing.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising reversing the direction of the wire incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given distance.  
   
   
       46 . A method of providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 feeding wire to the arc;    providing power to the arc;    reversing the direction of the wire while continuing to feed wire toward a welding torch;    detecting when the arc has shorted and controlling the power and the direction of the wire in response thereto;    providing a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    providing a braking motor to superimpose movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor;    buffering wire from the superimposition; and    controlling a speed of the wire feed motor output in response to the buffering.    
   
   
       47 . (canceled)  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising reversing the direction of the wire incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given distance.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising varying the given distance in response to control parameters.  
   
   
       50 - 51 . (canceled)  
   
   
       52 . A method of providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 feeding wire to the arc with a wire feed motor;    providing power to the arc;    reversing the direction of the wire with a braking motor that superimposes movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor; and    slaving the speed of the wire feed motor to an average speed of the braking motor.    
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising reversing the direction of the wire incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given distance.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising varying the given distance in response to control parameters.  
   
   
       55 - 56 . (canceled)  
   
   
       57 . A method of providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 feeding wire to the arc;    providing power to the arc;    reversing the direction of the wire;    buffering wire from the reversing; and    controlling a speed of the wire feed motor output in response to the buffering.    
   
   
       58 - 59 . (canceled)  
   
   
       60 . A system for providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 means for feeding wire to the arc including a wire feed motor for moving the wire to the arc;    means for providing power to the arc; and    means for reversing the direction of the wire, including a braking motor that superimposes movement of the wire onto the movement from the wire feed motor, while continuing to feed wire toward a welding torch at least once per process cycle for a plurality of consecutive cycles, connected to the means for feeding; and    means for slaving the speed of the wire feed motor to an average speed of the braking motor, connected to the wire feed motor.    
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 60 , further comprising means for controlling the power in response to mean arc current, connected to the means for providing.  
   
   
       62 . The system of  claim 61 , further comprising means for detecting when the arc has shorted and for controlling the power and the direction of the wire in response thereto, connected to the means for feeding.  
   
   
       63 . (canceled)  
   
   
       64 . The system of  claim 60 , including means for storing wire from the reversing, connected to the means for feeding, and means for controlling the speed of a wire feed motor in response to the storing, connected to the means for providing.  
   
   
       65 . The system of  claim 60 , further comprising: 
 means for buffering wire from the reversing, connected to the means for feeding; and    means for controlling a speed of the wire feed motor output in response to the means for buffering.    
   
   
       66 . The system of  claim 60 , further comprising means for varying a distance of reversal in response to control parameters, connected to the means for feeding.  
   
   
       67 - 68 . (canceled)  
   
   
       69 . A system for providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 means for feeding wire to the arc including a wire feed motor and a braking motor;    means for providing power to the arc;    means for reversing the direction of the wire, disposed adjacent the wire;    means for controlling the power in response to mean arc current, connected to the means for providing; and    means for slaving the speed of the wire feed motor to an average speed of the braking motor, connected to the means for feeding.    
   
   
       70 . The system of  claim 69 , further comprising means for detecting when the arc has shorted, connected to the wire, and means for controlling at least one of the power and the direction of the wire in response thereto, connected to at least one of the means for feeding and the means for providing.  
   
   
       71 . (canceled)  
   
   
       72 . The system of  claim 70 , including means for storing wire from the reversing, connected to the means for feeding, and means for controlling the speed of a wire feed motor in response to the storing, connected to the means for feeding.  
   
   
       73 . A system for providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 means for feeding wire to the arc;    means for providing power to the arc;    means for reversing the direction of the wire while continuing to feed wire toward a welding torch, connected to the wire;    means for detecting when the arc has shorted and controlling at least one of the power and the direction of the wire in response thereto, connected to at least one of the means for feeding and the means for providing; and    means for buffering wire from the reversing, connected to the means for feeding, and means for controlling a speed of the wire feed motor output in response to the buffering, connected to the means for providing.    
   
   
       74 . (canceled)  
   
   
       75 . The system of  claim 73 , wherein the means for reversing includes means for reversing the direction of the wire incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given distance, connected to the wire.  
   
   
       76 . The system of  claim 75 , further means for comprising varying the given distance in response to control parameters, connected to the means for reversing.  
   
   
       77 - 78 . (canceled)  
   
   
       79 . A system for providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 means for feeding wire to the arc;    means for providing power to the arc;    means for reversing the direction of the wire with a braking motor that superimposes movement of the wire onto the movement from the means for feeding, adjacent the wire; and    means for slaving the speed of the wire feed motor to an average speed of the braking motor, connected to the means for feeding.    
   
   
       80 . The system of  claim 79 , further comprising means for reversing the direction of the wire incrementally turns in a series of steps having a given distance, connected to the means for reversing.  
   
   
       81 . The system of  claim 80 , further comprising means for varying the given distance in response to control parameters, connected to the means for reversing.  
   
   
       82 - 83 . (canceled)  
   
   
       84 . A system for providing welding-type power, comprising: 
 means for feeding wire to the arc;    means for providing power to the arc;    means for reversing the direction of the wire, disposed adjacent the wire;    means for buffering wire from the reversing, disposed between the means for feeding and the means for reversing; and    means for controlling a speed of the means for feeding in response to the buffering, connected to the means for feeding.    
   
   
       85 - 86 . (canceled)