JP2005230859A - Inverter controlled power source for arc welding - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inverter controlled power source for arc welding, a power source which can enhance welding performance by measuring an output voltage and output current in a short time without being affected by noise. <P>SOLUTION: A conductor 63 in which an output current flows is put through an iron core 22, while a conductor 64 which connects between external output terminals 58, 59 is put through an iron core 23. With a high frequency AC current supplied to conductors 15a, 15b, a change in the current flowing in the conductors 15a, 15b caused by a change flowing in the conductors 63, 64 is taken out as the change in the voltage. Thus, the output voltage and/or current supplied to a weld zone is detected to control a welding output. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an inverter-controlled arc welding power source.

  In order to perform welding with excellent quality, at least one of the output voltage value and the output current value (hereinafter referred to as “output voltage value and output current value”) supplied to the welded portion is set to a preset value. Need to control. Therefore, in the inverter-controlled arc welding power source, output voltage value and output current value detection means are provided, and the inverter is switched so that the output voltage value and output current value supplied to the welded part approach the preset values. I have control.

  In this case, the shorter the interval at which the output voltage value and the output current value are detected, the closer the output voltage value and the output current value supplied to the welded part can be made closer to preset values.

  In the case of an inverter-controlled arc welding power source, noise is generated when the inverter switches current (usually 100 amperes or more). For this reason, an insulation amplifier or a Hall element (a detector whose detection interval can be set to several tens of μsec) having a large impedance of the control circuit is affected by noise, and the detection value becomes uncertain. In this case, noise can be removed by providing a filter in the control circuit, but the detection time for one time becomes longer, and the number of detections per time decreases.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an inverter-controlled arc welding power source capable of measuring an output voltage value and an output current value in a short time without being affected by noise and improving welding performance.

  Incidentally, since the magnetic amplifier does not require an active element such as an IC as a circuit component, the impedance of the control circuit is small and it is hardly affected by noise.

  However, since the conventional magnetic amplifier has a slow response speed, there is no example employed for detecting the output voltage value and the output current value in the inverter-controlled arc welding power source.

  As a result of studying means for improving the response speed of the magnetic amplifier, the present inventor has found that the response speed of the conventional magnetic amplifier is low because the frequency of the AC power source that drives the magnetic amplifier is low (commercial 50 or 60 Hz). And found that it was due to the large loss in the iron core.

  It was confirmed that the response speed of the magnetic amplifier can be greatly improved by increasing the frequency of the AC power source for driving the magnetic amplifier and reducing the loss in the iron core by adopting amorphous steel as the iron core material.

  From the above results, in the present invention, the DC voltage is converted into a high frequency AC voltage by an inverter, and the high frequency AC voltage is stepped down to a voltage suitable for welding by a transformer and output to the welded portion and supplied to the welded portion. In an inverter-controlled arc welding power source that detects an output voltage value and / or an output current value and controls the inverter based on the detected value, the output voltage is synchronized with switching of a voltage direction output by the inverter. Detection means for detecting the value and / or the output current value is provided.

  Since the output voltage value and the output current value can be measured in a short time without being affected by noise, the welding performance can be improved.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an inverter-controlled arc welding power source according to the present invention.

  First, the main circuit unit will be described.

  The AC voltage supplied from the commercial power supply 51 is rectified to a DC voltage by the rectifier 52 and then smoothed by the smoothing circuit 53. The smoothed DC voltage is converted into a high-frequency AC voltage by the inverter circuit 54 and converted into a voltage suitable for welding by the transformer 55.

  The AC voltage output from the transformer 55 is rectified to DC again by the rectifier 56. The output current is smoothed by the reactor 57 and supplied to the external output terminals 58 and 59.

  One of the external output terminals 58 is connected to the welding wire 60 and the other is connected to the base material 61. The welding wire 60 is fed by a feed motor 62. The feed motor 62 is controlled by the control circuit 1.

  The reference frequency generator 11 generates a reference frequency of 1 MHz.

  The PWM controller 12 performs switching control of the inverter circuit 54 in synchronization with the frequency output from the reference frequency generator 11, and outputs an alternating current of about 20 kHz.

  In welding, electric power is supplied to an arc load formed between the welding wire 60 and the base material 61.

  Next, the detection device will be described.

  The inverter circuit 14 converts the DC voltage smoothed by the smoothing circuit 53 into a high-frequency AC voltage, and supplies it to the input side of the transformer 15 having two output windings. The transformer 15 steps down the AC voltage input from the inverter circuit 14.

  One of the output windings (conductors) 15a of the transformer 15 is connected to one of the AC side input terminals of the rectifier circuit 20, and the other is wound in series around the two ring-shaped iron cores 22 and then the rectifier circuit 20 It is connected to the other AC side input terminal.

  One of the DC terminals of the rectifier circuit 20 is connected to one terminal of the resistor Ri, and the other terminal of the resistor Ri is connected to the other DC terminal of the rectifier circuit 20.

  Here, the transformer 15, the output winding 15a, the rectifier circuit 20, the resistor Ri, and the iron core 22 constitute a magnetic amplifier Z1.

  The sample hold circuit 30 is connected in parallel with the resistor Ri via the switch 32.

  One of the output windings (conductors) 15 b of the transformer 15 is connected to one of the AC side input terminals of the rectifier circuit 21, and the other is wound in series around the two ring-shaped iron cores 23. It is connected to the other AC side input terminal.

  One of the DC terminals of the rectifier circuit 21 is connected to one terminal of the resistor Rv, and the other terminal of the resistor Rv is connected to the other DC terminal of the rectifier circuit 21.

  Here, the transformer 15, the output winding 15b, the rectifier circuit 21, the resistor Rv and the iron core 23 constitute a magnetic amplifier Z2.

  The sample hold circuit 31 is connected in parallel with the resistor Rv via the switch 33.

  The iron cores 22 and 23 are formed by laminating ferromagnetic amorphous electromagnetic steel sheets. A conductor 63 of the output circuit is disposed through the central portion of the iron core 22, and a conductor 64 is wound around the central portion of the iron core 23. One end of the conductor 64 is connected to the external output terminal 58 via the resistor Rc, and the other end is connected to the external output terminal 59.

  The driver 16 performs switching control of the inverter circuit 14 in synchronization with the control signal output from the reference frequency generator 11, and outputs an alternating current of about 50 kHz.

  The timing circuit 17 opens and closes the switches 32 and 33 in synchronization with the control signals output from the PWM controller 12 and the reference frequency generator 11.

  Next, the detection principle of the welding current value and the welding voltage value will be described. In this embodiment, the driver 16 is configured to start operation as soon as a control power supply (not shown) is turned on.

  First, the measurement of the welding voltage value will be described.

  Now, it is assumed that no welding voltage is generated between the external output terminals 58 and 59.

  The alternating current input generated by the inverter 14 causes a current Iv to flow through the output winding 15b, and a voltage RvIv is generated across the resistor Rv. In this state, when a welding voltage is generated between the external output terminals 58 and 59, a current Ic flows through the resistor Rc. Then, a current Iv that cancels the change in the magnetic flux formed by the current Ic flows through the output winding 15b, and the voltage across the resistor Rv changes. Therefore, the current welding voltage value can be obtained by closing the switch 33 and clamping the voltage value at that time.

  Next, measurement of the current value will be described.

  Assume that no welding current is flowing.

  The AC input generated by the inverter 14 causes a current Ii to flow through the output winding 15a, and a voltage RiIi is generated across the resistor Ri. In this state, when a welding current flows through the conductor 63, a current i that cancels the change in magnetic flux formed by the welding current flows through the output winding 15a, and the voltage Vi across the resistor Ri changes. Therefore, the current welding current value can be obtained by closing the switch 32 and clamping the voltage value at that time.

  Therefore, for example, the welding current value and the welding voltage value can be known by closing the switches 32 and 33 in accordance with the switching of the inverter 54 and examining the voltages at both ends of the resistors Rv and Ri.

  Then, control device 1 performs PWM control on inverter 54 based on the detected welding current value and welding voltage value. Further, the feeding motor 62 is controlled as necessary.

  By the way, in the case of an inverter welder, there is a period in which the inverter circuit 14 is turned off even when the rated current is supplied in order to guarantee the supply of the rated output (maximum current). Therefore, the timing for closing the switches 32 and 33 may be as follows.

  2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the timing of closing the switches 32 and 33. FIG. 2A shows the output voltage waveform of the inverter 14 at the rated time, and FIG. 2B shows the operation of the switches 32 and 33.

  The solid line shown in FIG. 9A indicates the output of the inverter circuit 14 at the rated output (maximum output). The voltage V0 is output from time t1 to t2, and the voltage -V0 is output from time t3 to t4. Nothing is output from time t2 to t3 and from time t4 to t5.

  Therefore, if the switches 32 and 33 are closed after Δt time (for example, 1 to 2 μs) after the signal for stopping the output of the voltage + V0 (or −V0) is output, the measurement is not affected by noise. The value detection accuracy can be further improved.

  In this embodiment, since the reference frequency generator 11 of the PWM controller 12 is used as the reference frequency generator of the driver 16, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated reference frequency generator, and the apparatus configuration is simplified.

  In addition, since it is not necessary to synchronize as compared with the case where two reference frequency generators are used, control becomes easy.

  For example, the opening and closing of the switches 32 and 33 from time t2 to t3 is not limited to one time but may be performed a plurality of times.

  Further, here, the switches 32 and 33 are closed at both the time t2 to t3 and the time t4 to t5. However, in order to avoid the magnetization of the welding transformer 55, it is closed only between the time t2 and t3. Good.

  Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to an inverter type arc welding power source for TIG welding.

  In this embodiment, since the reference frequency generator of the PWM control circuit 12 is used as the reference frequency generator of the driver 16, there is no need to provide a dedicated reference frequency generator, and the apparatus configuration is simplified. In addition, since it is not necessary to synchronize as compared with the case where two reference frequency generators are used, control becomes easy.

  Further, since the magnetic amplifier is used as means for detecting the output voltage value and the output current value supplied to the welded portion, it is hardly affected by noise.

1 is a configuration diagram of an inverter-controlled arc welding power source according to the present invention. FIG. It is a figure explaining the timing which closes switches 32 and 33. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

15a conductor 15b conductor 22 iron core 23 iron core 58 external output terminal 59 external output terminal 63 conductor 64 conductor

Claims (3)

The DC voltage is converted into a high-frequency AC voltage by an inverter, and the high-frequency AC voltage is stepped down to a voltage suitable for welding by a transformer and output to the welded portion, and the output voltage value and / or output current value supplied to the welded portion. In an inverter-controlled arc welding power source that controls the inverter based on the detected value,
Inverter-controlled arc welding power supply, characterized in that it includes detection means for detecting the output voltage value and / or output current value in synchronization with switching of the voltage direction output by the inverter.   2. The inverter-controlled arc according to claim 1, wherein the number of times the detection means detects the output voltage value and / or the output current value is equal to or greater than the number of times the inverter switches the direction of the output voltage. Welding power source.   3. The inverter-controlled arc welding power source according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is a magnetic amplifier, and an AC power source synchronized with switching of a voltage direction output from the inverter is used.

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