Monitoring and control of electrode indentation
Unregulated electrode indentation, the dent caused by electrodes pushing into the material surface during resistance welding, is undesirable. However, indentation correlates to high weld strength. Working with Atek, Eaton engineers added a point sensor to a resistance welder equipped with a modified Atek Truamp III controller. During a weld the sensor acquires displacement information. Processed displacement data provides feedback for monitoring the weld and for controlling the current and/or time required to reach the desired indentation. Welds characterized by dynamically measured indentations were tested for shear strength. This new approach to resistance weld monitoring and control uses an off-axis sensor to measure indentation and to provide feedback for adjusting current or time dynamically. A point sensor directed at an area nearby the welding electrode continually measures distance and supplies this data to the controller. The controller adjusts welding current or number of cycles to keep the real time identification tracking to the target amount of indentation. This approach represents a technical departure from previous work that relies on expansion data for feedback. An off-axis point sensor providing feedback for dynamically varying current or time offers a viable method to obtain specific amounts of electrode indentation. Electrode indentation, not expansion, correlates directly to weld strength. Controlling electrode indentation is a robust method to assure the quality and strength of production resistance welds.
- OSTI ID:
- 115426
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9404233-; TRN: 95:002927-0003
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 75. American Welding Society (AWS) annual meeting, Philadelphia, PA (United States), 10-15 Apr 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of 75th Diamond anniversary American Welding Society annual meeting; PB: 273 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
An intelligent control system for resistance spot welding using a neural network and fuzzy logic
Fluctuation Enhanced Sensing for Monitoring CO2 Storage