JPH02251372A - Automatic welding equipment and controller and welding method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform welding performance in accordance with circumstances of each occasion by giving information to regulate the position of a welding torch and control the welding time and gas flow rate to be supplied to the welding torch to a control part of a controller of automatic welding equipment. CONSTITUTION:Plural welding steps are compiled to constitute welding jobs which the controller of the automatic welding equipment takes in at the time of performing welding work. At this time, the control part of the position of the welding torch, the welding time and the gas flow rate to be supplied to the welding torch is provided as the necessary control information to be prepared in each welding step. By this method, the optimum welding jobs in accordance with circumstances of each occasion are complied.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention is a new proposal regarding a control method for automatic welding equipment, and specifically, it is a new proposal regarding a control method for automatic welding equipment. The present invention proposes a control method that can achieve complete automation of welding equipment, and also provides a control device equipped with the control method.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, ROM and R
, AM A welding apparatus has been proposed in which a welding condition storage section is provided using fixed storage means (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-647).
Publication No. 70).

The feature of this device is that welding condition data such as the material of the workpiece, welding current value, gas composition, etc. are selected from the welding condition storage section described above, and a set of welding conditions is stored in a separate output data storage section. is memorized and determines the welding conditions of the welding machine. By doing so, it becomes possible to sequentially and reliably set the welding conditions necessary for the welding operation without any drop.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, it is known that the optimal welding conditions for welding work change depending on the material, plate thickness, temperature, presence or absence of a groove, posture, etc. of the workpiece to be welded.

Therefore, in order to create optimal welding conditions as described above, methods have been devised in which the conditions necessary for welding work are created by artificially selecting and setting pre-stored welding conditions.

Conventional welding equipment of this type is seen as one solution in which welding is performed by selecting the welding conditions necessary for each welding operation, but the ability to respond to the following points is lacking.
There is a drawback that it cannot be done.

In other words, the posture of the welding point of the object to be welded changes, making it impossible to perform optimal welding when automatic welding work is performed along the welding point. Specifically, considering the case where the entire circumference of the butt of pipes is automatically joined using machi-hole welding, the welding torch that performs the welding work moves along the surface of the pipe, so the torch Posture changes from time to time. In the case of this kind of welding work, it is known that the flow characteristics of the molten metal in the welded part change as the posture of the welding torch changes, and it is not possible to perform control that takes this flow characteristic of the molten metal into consideration. This results in the inconvenience of leaving behind the cause of blowholes and having to change the posture of the welded part each time during welding work. Such inconveniences have been a bottleneck in providing fully automatic welding equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks and provide a control device for automatic welding equipment that can always carry out optimal welding work even if the posture of the welding part of the workpiece changes. This led to the invention.

Furthermore, if automatic welding equipment can edit the optimal welding job to perform welding work taking into account the environment at the time, it will be able to respond to changes in the workpiece and improve its versatility. This paper proposes a welding job organization based on welding steps.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention configures a welding job taken in when performing welding work by a control device of an automatic welding device by editing a plurality of welding steps, and furthermore, prepares the welding job within each welding step. The various control information necessary for the welding performed must include information that regulates the position of the welding torch, information that controls the welding time according to the welding step,
Control information for a flow rate controller that controls the gas flow rate supplied to the welding torch is provided.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a welding job organization system to achieve the above-mentioned objective of increasing versatility.

[Effect]

The automatic welding device according to the present invention, which takes the above measures, selects a welding job suitable for a certain welding operation, and controls the posture of the welding torch, which moves over an hour, and the optimal welding conditions according to the position, according to the welding step. become able to. This kind of control can automate know-how welding work that was traditionally performed by skilled workers, such as moving the welding torch closer to or farther away from the welding area depending on the situation of the workpiece. It will be like that.

Furthermore, since the welding step is based on position 2 time and information to control the gas flow rate,
Since it becomes possible to reorganize welding jobs based on the unit of welding steps, the control unit is equipped with the organization system necessary for the variable combination organization method, greatly increasing the versatility of the automatic welding equipment. It becomes possible to widen the range.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The automatic welding apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example an apparatus for welding a pipe while moving around the outer periphery of the pipe.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic welding device according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a control section incorporating a microcomputer, which is the main part of the automatic welding apparatus according to the present invention.

The control unit 1 includes a removable condition storage unit 2 in which welding jobs composed of combinations of welding steps to be described later are recorded, and a welding job recorded in the condition storage unit 2. An operating section 3 equipped with a start button for inputting information and starting welding work, and a display section that displays information necessary for operating the operating section, information input from the operating section, and information from the control section. 4 is provided. 5 is a welding head. This welding head 5 includes a welding torch 6 that has a function of moving by itself according to commands from the control unit 1,
An encoder 7 for counting the movement of the welding torch 6 is provided.

Further, the control unit 1 includes a power supply device 8 that outputs a current to be supplied to the welding torch, and a flow rate control unit 9 that controls the gas flow rate.
(hereinafter referred to as mass flow controller) is under its control. Although two mass flow controllers 9 are shown, for example, when plasma keyhole welding is performed, one is for argon gas and one is for argon gas + hydrogen gas. Reference numeral 10 denotes a wire feeding device that is provided when a wire for overlaying the material to be welded 100 is supplied to the welding torch 6, and has a function to be installed when necessary.

Moreover, it is naturally placed under the control of the control section 1.

The operation of the automatic welding apparatus of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration will be explained below with reference to FIG. 2.

The condition storage section 2 is a storage means commonly called a memory card in which a large number of welding jobs consisting of a set of welding steps as shown in FIG. 2 are recorded in a sequential arrangement. Furthermore, each of the welding steps independently
Information about your location.

Contains information regarding time and information regarding gas flow rate. It should be noted that, as a matter of course, in addition to the above information, information such as current amount, speed of two rotation directions, interconnection information between welding steps, etc. is provided, but a description thereof will be omitted.

The information regarding the position of the welding step is used as information for regulating the position of the welding torch 6 when welding is started, and the amount of movement of the welding torch due to the self-propelled function is controlled by the encoder 7 in the control unit 1. Since the position information can be imported into the welding step, it is also used to determine whether the imported position information matches the position information of the welding step.

That is, one of the main effects of the automatic welding apparatus of the present invention is that the workpiece 100 is
Information about this location is important as a means of controlling the flow properties of the molten metal.

Furthermore, this information is indispensable for the functionality of the welding job organizing system, which will be described later.

Next, the information regarding the time of the welding step is used by the control unit 1 to control the execution of various welding conditions recorded in the welding step in the welding job, which is imported from the condition storage unit 2.

Information regarding this time is obtained using a pulse counting function provided in the microcomputer of the control section 1. By using this function, the control unit 1 can provide the welding torch 6 with optimal welding conditions depending on the attitude of the welding torch 6. The optimal welding conditions can be determined by preparing various conditions such as current value, gas flow rate, and speed as information based on empirically obtained welding conditions.

Finally, information regarding the gas flow rate in the welding step is passed through the control section 1 to control the mass flow controller 9.

This gas flow rate information is used to throttle or increase the gas flow rate that the mass flow controller 9 is supplying to the welding torch 6.

Welding jobs in which welding steps with this type of information are edited are recorded in the condition storage unit 2. From the above explanation, this kind of condition storage unit 2 needs to be made of a memory element that has the function of recording data, and its size is about the size of a commonly used IC card. .

A welding job is completed by combining a large number of welding steps that have at least the three pieces of information listed above, but as you can understand from what has already been explained, information about position, time, and gas flow rate is , is always provided for each welding step assembled in a welding job, but whether or not this information changes can be determined by considering it when creating the optimal welding conditions obtained empirically. .

That is, when the control unit 1 extracts a welding job from the condition storage unit 2 based on an instruction from the operation unit 3 and starts welding work by a welding step in the welding job, the welding step is performed when the welding torch 6 Sometimes welding is performed by supplying a gas flow for a certain period of time while the machine is stopped.
Conversely, welding may be performed while the welding torch is moving while the gas flow is increased or decreased.

The same applies to the amount of current, speed, etc. The entire welding process can be controlled in terms of time by analyzing the know-how skills traditionally performed by experts, expressing the content as a combination of welding steps, and completing it as a welding job. achieved.

The automatic welding operation is performed as follows.

Welding head 5 is attached to workpiece 100 to be welded. At this time, there is no need to consider the position of the welding torch 6. Next, depending on the type of welding head 5, for example, the size,
The condition storage unit 2 that is to be selected is connected to the control unit 1. One way to select the condition storage section 2 is to determine it based on the size of the welding head 5, but there are also other methods.
A method of deciding based on the type, shape, etc. of the material to be welded 100,
It is also possible to have it determined by a manual.

Next, after confirming that the power supply device 8 is on and the main valve of the gas cylinder is open, the welding operation is started using the operating section 3. Specifically, a necessary welding job number is input to the display unit 4 based on a welding job number input command output from the control unit 1.

The welding job number can be input by selecting it from a separately prepared manual, or by selectively inputting it based on a welding procedure that is determined before the start of the welding operation. Next, the attitude in which the welding torch 6 previously attached to the workpiece 100 is positioned is input.

Regarding this position, it is convenient for pipe welding to input the position using a name similar to a clock face. Next, when the start switch provided on the operation section 3 is turned on, the control section 1 stores the instructed welding job in the condition storage section 2.
automatically starts welding work based on the welding steps of that welding job. At this time, since the position of the welding torch 6 is recognized by the control unit 1 from the input from the operation unit 3, an operation is performed to correct the error with the position information of the welding step with the aid of the encoder 7. . In the welding work, the welding steps are completed one after another while processing the two-hour position information of the welding steps, and one work edited and configured as a welding job is completed.

The end of the work can correspond to any changes in the editing of the welding steps. For example, assuming we are welding the entire circumference of piping, the welding work may be tack welding → keyhole welding → build-up welding, but each of these welding steps must be performed before welding begins. By appropriately selecting the welding job input from the operation unit 3, welding according to each of the above-mentioned processes from the start to the end of welding can be processed and completed in an orderly manner by progressing the welding steps that make up the welding job. is possible.

Next, we will explain the welding job organization system in Figures 3 and 4.
This will be explained using the drawings of the figures.

Components that are the same as those already described are given the same reference numerals, and therefore their description will be omitted.

As already explained, each welding step is provided with position 2 time and gas flow rate information. Furthermore, when considering the work of welding, it is known that welding conditions vary slightly depending on the material, plate thickness, shape, presence or absence of a groove, and posture of the workpiece to be welded. Welding operations where variable factors are known in this way can be handled by automatic welding equipment, such as using the welding steps already described and reorganizing an entirely new welding job with the aid of a welding job organization system. control method.

The welding job organization system 50 is placed under the control of the operating section 3 via the control section 1, and is configured so that welding step groups can be directly accessed. In this sense, the welding job organization system 50 stores welding steps as long as the storage capacity allows.
It is preferable to have them live together.

In the above configuration, when performing welding work, the operation section 3
Then, using the display unit 4, the user sequentially inputs the unique elements of the welded object, such as the shape of the welded object→material→plate thickness→presence or absence of a groove→necessity of overlay. Based on the input elements of the workpiece, the welding job organization system 50 arranges welding steps having the optimal welding conditions for the elements according to predetermined rules, as shown in FIG. You can edit a welding job by selecting from a group of welding steps and assembling the welding steps in sequence.

To be more specific, the "shape" is the outer diameter of the pipe, and various welding conditions that change depending on the size of the outer diameter,
Specifically, the conditions of time, speed, and two positions (postures) are selected.

“Material” refers to factors such as whether it is mild steel or stainless steel, and “plate thickness” refers to the thickness of the object to be welded, which changes the amount of heat input such as current, gas flow rate, and welding speed. These are the elements that change.Of course, these elements are selected based on the conditions of one hour, one speed, and one position (attitude).

``Presence of a groove'' and ``Necessity of overlay'' are also factors that affect the finish of the workpiece.

By sequentially inputting the above elements, the welding job organization system selects welding conditions that allow the welding work to be performed while satisfying those elements, and information about the position of the welding step. A single welding job can be configured by arranging them in a similar manner. The information regarding time may be selected at the point where the plate thickness is input from among the element data of the welded object that are input sequentially. It goes without saying that similar judgment procedures are included for information such as the amount of gas and amount of current.

In this sense, the input order of data regarding the elements of the workpiece described above is an important requirement in creating a welding job organization system.

This is because, depending on the input order of the element data, it is possible to complete the welding job without inputting it to the end.

Once the above operations are completed, the welding work is automatically started by pressing the start button on the operation unit 3 as described above, and the welding is completed.

This type of welding job organizing system further allows one welding step in an already organized welding job to be performed even during welding work based on the outputs of various sensors 51 provided via the control unit 1. It is also possible to replace them. This is a function that is only possible because the welding work is performed in combination with a welding step, which has a position for one hour and a gas flow rate.

For example, a case will be described in which a sensor that detects a gap existing at a welding location of the object to be welded 100 is provided as one of the sensors.

This gap sensor detects the gap that occurs between the welding torch and the workpiece being joined by welding, but it is already known that the welding conditions change slightly depending on the size of this gap. It is.

In the welding control device of the present invention, when the gap sensor provided at a predetermined distance in the direction of movement of the welding torch 6 detects the gap between the welding object and the welding torch, the welding control device detects that the welding process has already been performed based on the signal. A welding step in a welding job that is being performed can be replaced with another welding step with the aid of a welding job organization system.

Specifically, welding steps that have the function of increasing or decreasing the current value, gas flow rate value, or both, and the group of welding steps that are memorized, are extracted according to the editing theory, and the previously executed welding steps are extracted. This is a process that is performed by recombining the welding job.

The basis for performing such recombination is that a welding step has position 1 time information, and that multiple welding steps in which other conditions have changed are weighted and recorded. By.

It can be extracted by using the recording logic. Such recording logic is a common method in configuring computer data, and its explanation will be omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention described above enables moment-to-moment control according to the situation of the workpiece, which has been a very difficult problem when attempting to automate welding work, and the need for this invention is likely to increase in the future. It is indispensable for automatic control of welding equipment.

Furthermore, the present invention can be used to automate existing welding equipment using its functions, and exhibits excellent utility value as an automation control method for welding equipment.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic welding device to which the control method of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows the contents of welding steps and welding jobs, which are the main components of the control method of the automatic welding device of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the welding job organization system, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the welding job organization system of FIG. 3. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Control part, 2... Condition storage part, 3... Operation part, 4... Display part, 5... Welding head, 6... Welding torch, 7... Zn: +-da, 8...flt1M position, 9...mass flow controller.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. a welding condition storage unit that records a plurality of welding jobs; an operating unit that selects the welding job and issues a start command; a welding head that includes a welding torch with a self-propelling function; and a gas flow rate supplied to the welding torch. In the automatic welding apparatus, the welding job recorded in the welding condition storage section includes: a flow rate control section that controls the welding job; a control section that controls the respective sections according to control information of the welding job; and a power supply section; An automatic welding device, wherein the control information given to the control section includes information for regulating the position of the welding torch, information for controlling the welding time, and information for controlling the gas flow rate supplied to the welding torch. 2. A welding step that includes welding torch position information, welding time information, and information for controlling the gas flow rate supplied to the welding torch, a welding job configured by editing a plurality of welding steps, and giving a start command to the welding job. operation unit,
and a control unit connected to the operating unit, and configured to sequentially output welding steps edited in the welding job to the control unit when the welding job receives a start command. Device. 3. A welding job is configured by a combination of welding steps including information on the position of the welding torch, information on the welding time, and information on the gas flow rate supplied to the welding torch. A welding step that matches the welding conditions to be changed is extracted from another welding step group prepared in advance based on the sensor signal, and the welding step is incorporated into the welding job to execute the welding operation. An automatic welding method characterized by: 4. 4. A welding method using an automatic welding device, wherein the signal from the sensor according to claim 3 is a signal from an operating section provided in the device. 5. At least welding torch position information, welding time information,
and gas flow rate information to be supplied to the welding torch, a welding condition storage unit that records a plurality of welding steps, and an operation unit that sequentially selects at least one or more of the elements specific to the workpiece; A control device for an automatic welding device, comprising a welding job organization system having a function of selecting the welding step based on an element selected by an operation unit and editing a welding job in the welding step. 6. 6. A control device for an automatic welding apparatus, wherein the welding job organization system according to claim 5 is configured using a part of a storage device of a welding condition storage section in which a plurality of welding steps are recorded. 7. a welding condition storage unit that records a plurality of welding jobs; an operation unit that selects the welding job and issues a start command; a welding head that is attached to the pipe; a welding torch configured to be rotatable on the welding head; a gas supply unit that supplies plasma gas and shielding gas to the welding torch;
The welding job recorded in the welding condition storage unit is a combination of a plurality of welding steps, and each welding step individually controls the position of the welding torch. An automatic welding device for piping, comprising: information for regulating, information for controlling welding time, and information for controlling a flow rate control section that controls the flow rate of gas supplied from the gas supply section. 8. At least welding torch position information, welding time information,
and gas flow rate information supplied to the welding torch, a welding condition storage section that records a large number of welding steps, and an operation of sequentially inputting the values of at least one or more of the elements specific to the pipe to be welded. and a welding job organization system having a function of selecting the welding step based on the value inputted in the operation part and editing a welding job with optimal welding conditions for the pipe. Control device. 9. The welding job organization system according to claim 8 has a function of inserting a selected welding step after a welding step that has already been edited and is currently executing a welding operation by capturing a signal from a separately provided sensor. A control device for an automatic welding device for piping, characterized by comprising: