JP5733854B2 - Welding power source - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a welding power source capable of inputting / outputting signals to / from an external device via an I / O interface unit, and in particular, using information such as timing and welding results during a welding operation process by a user as the signal. The present invention relates to a welding power source that can arbitrarily generate an output signal.

  The welding power source can perform welding work alone by using a welding transformer and a welding head by an operation from an operation unit provided in the welding power source. On the other hand, assuming that the welding operation is performed by a signal input from another device such as an external device (external control device) incorporated in the system, an external timing signal or the like (hereinafter also simply referred to as an input / output signal). There is also known a welding apparatus capable of performing input / output of (for example, Patent Document 1).

  As such input / output signals, standard input / output signals are set in advance on the welding power source side. It was supposed to be generated from standard input / output signals.

JP-A-6-31275

Even if system-specific input / output signals such as those described above are generated on the welding power source side based on timing during the welding operation process and welding operation information (welding result information), they are incorporated into the welding system. Although convenient above, no welding power source is currently available that can generate such signals.
The present invention aims to provide a welding power source capable of generating a signal necessary when the user from the signal and welding information, etc. in such a welding operation process to build a welding system.

The invention according to claim 1 is a welding power source capable of inputting / outputting signals to / from an external device via an I / O interface unit,
A display section (13) for displaying a welding timing chart in which a plurality of sets of welding periods constituted by the energization welding time and the energization stop cooling time subsequent thereto are repeated continuously;
A setting operation unit (12) for setting an output start point and an output end point of an external output signal output to the external device (41) at the start or end point of welding or cooling in the welding period in the welding timing chart;
A control unit (11) for controlling welding current and voltage supplied in each welding period and controlling transmission / reception with the external device in response to setting by the setting operation unit (12);
An arbitrary output signal generator (16) for outputting an external output signal indicating the output start time and output end time to the external device;
A plurality of connection pins for connecting the I / O interface unit (17) and the external device;
A welding power source comprising:

In the invention according to claim 2, the setting operation unit (12) can set an output start condition and an output end condition together with the output start time and output end time, and the arbitrary output signal generation unit (16) The external output signal is output when the output start / end condition is satisfied at the output start / end time.

A welding power source according to claim 3 is:
The display unit (13) includes a timing display unit (301) for displaying the timing chart, and an information display unit (302) for setting an output start point, an output end point, an output start condition, and an output end condition. wherein the setting control section (12) has a plurality of output start time, the output end and a plurality of output start a preset for a plurality of sets of the welding phase in the weld timing chart in the information display unit (302) condition, the output is terminated condition sequentially scrolled respectively, the output start time, the output end time is obtained by the selectable output start condition and an output end condition.

A welding power source according to claim 4 is:
The number of connection pins for the information display unit (302) to further send the external output signal output from the arbitrary output signal generation unit (16) to the external device via the I / O interface unit (17). Can be set by the setting operation unit (12).

A welding power source according to claim 5 is:
The output start time and the output end is a welding power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises one of the point of the next.
a) Input point of energization start signal from external device (ACTIN)
b) start of the squeeze time is the waiting time until the first welding start (SQZ_S)
c) End of squeeze time (SQZ_E)
d) Energization start point (1WELD_S to 4WELD_S) in each welding period
e) End of energization in each welding period (1WELD_E to 4WELD_E)
f) Energization stop time at each welding time (1COOL_S to 4COOL_S)
g) End of energization stop in each welding period (1COOL_E to 4COOL_E)
h) Hold time start point (HLD_S) after completion of all welding periods
i) Hold time end point (HLD_E)
j) When welding preparation is completed (READY)

The output end signal of the welding power source according to claim 6 includes the following signal in addition to the signal of claim 5.
a) When 400 ms has elapsed after the end of a series of welding operations b) When 50 ms have elapsed after the end of a series of welding operations

The welding power source according to claim 7 is characterized in that the output start condition and the output end condition include the following conditions.
a) When the monitor determination is OK (MON_OK)
b) When the monitor judgment is NG (MON_NG)
c) When a weld error occurs (WELD_ERR)
d) When the monitoring judgment of each welding period is OK (1_MON_OK to 4_MON_OK)
e) When the monitoring judgment of each welding period is NG (1_MON_NG to 4_MON_NG)

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According to the first aspect of the present invention, since an arbitrary output signal is output from the welding power source in accordance with the welding system to be incorporated, it is possible to perform external control according to the welding operation of the welding system for each user. A good welding power source can be provided.

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It is a schematic block diagram of the welding apparatus containing the welding power supply which becomes this invention. It is a schematic diagram of an operation part. It is a schematic diagram of the display part displayed at the time of arbitrary output signal generation. It is a general | schematic flowchart figure at the time of arbitrary output signal editing. It is an outline flowchart figure at the time of arbitrary output signal generation. It is a timing chart figure which shows a response | compatibility with the produced | generated arbitrary output signals and welding timing signals.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a welding apparatus including a welding power source according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an operation unit of the welding power source, and FIG. 3 is an overview of a display unit of the welding power source displayed when an arbitrary output signal is generated. FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart diagram when editing an arbitrary output signal, FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart diagram when generating an arbitrary output signal, and FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing the correspondence between the generated arbitrary output signal and the welding timing signal. is there.

  The present embodiment described below does not unduly limit the contents of the present invention described in the claims, and all the configurations described in the present embodiment are indispensable as means for solving the present invention. Not always.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a welding power source, 31 is a welding transformer that receives electric power from the welding power source 1 and generates a welding current of low voltage and large current, 33 and 33 are welding currents from the welding transformer 31 and A welding electrode 41 for welding at the contact point by flowing through the welding objects 35 to 36 and the welding objects 36 to 35 from the contact point transmits and receives input / output signals via the welding power source 1 and the I / O interface unit 17. Thus, an external device that controls the welding power source 1 constitutes a welding apparatus.

  In such a welding apparatus, the welding current detected using the current detection element 32 and the welding voltage between the welding electrodes 33 and 33 are sent to the welding power source 1 to determine the difference between the operation status and the set condition and the welding result. The quality of the product is determined.

The welding power source 1 includes a control unit 11, a setting operation unit 12, a display unit 13, a welding timing signal generation unit 14, a welding information monitor unit 15, an arbitrary output signal generation unit 16, an I / O interface unit 17, a timer 18, and a system bus. 19, a rectifying unit 21, a smoothing capacitor 22, and a switching unit 23.

  The control unit 11 mainly includes a central processing unit (CPU) that is a central processing unit, a ROM that stores a program for controlling the welding power source 1, a memory for storing welding timing and various parameters for executing a welding operation. It consists of a RAM that becomes a storage and work area and temporarily stores data when the program is executed.

The control unit 11 inputs operation information from the setting operation unit 12 in accordance with a program stored in the ROM; an editing screen for setting parameters including welding current, welding voltage, welding timing, and the like and generating an arbitrary output signal Display on the display unit 13 and operate the setting operation unit 12 according to this display to generate parameter settings and arbitrary output signals; input signals from the external device 41 via the I / O interface unit 17 Input welding current and welding voltage via the welding information monitor unit 15; output a signal to the external device 41 including an arbitrary output signal; welding set as parameters of the input welding current and welding voltage The current and welding voltage are compared to determine whether the welding operation is right or wrong and whether the welding quality is good (monitor determination) ;

The setting operation unit 12 performs input of numerical values necessary for the parameter setting, selection of information necessary for generating the arbitrary output signal (output pin number, output start, output end time and output start, end conditions), and the like. . The display unit 13 displays an edit screen for setting the parameters and generating an arbitrary output signal in the previous period. The welding timing signal generation unit 14 generates a welding profile according to the set parameters, and generates an on / off signal for the switching unit 23 based on the welding profile.

The welding information monitor unit 15 inputs the welding current detected by the current detection element 32 and the voltage between the welding electrodes 33 and 33 as a welding voltage. The arbitrary output signal generation unit 16 starts output based on the output start point and output start condition selected by the setting operation unit 12, and generates an arbitrary output signal that ends output based on the output end point and output end condition. To do. The I / O interface unit 17 transmits and receives a control signal and a welding status monitor signal to and from the external device 41 as input / output signals. The arbitrary output signal generated by the arbitrary output signal generation unit 16 is also sent to the external device 41 through this. The timer 18 generates a signal having a predetermined pulse width. The system bus 19 connects an address signal and a data signal between the control unit 11 and the timer 18.

  21 is a rectifier that rectifies the commercial AC power input, 22 is a smoothing capacitor that smoothes the current rectified by the rectifier 21, and 23 is composed of four IGBTs in a bridge configuration. As a set, each of the IGBTs of each set is a switching unit that alternately turns on and off to flow current in the opposite direction. This on / off is controlled by an on / off signal created based on the above-described welding profile.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes an operation switch unit of the setting operation unit 12. By pressing this operation switch, a function assigned to each by the control unit 11 is achieved. In FIG. 3, 301 is a timing display unit of the display unit 13 that displays the welding timing of a series of welding processes and the generated arbitrary output signal waveform corresponding to each other in time, and 302 is an output pin for each generated arbitrary output signal. It is an information display section of the display section 13 that sequentially divides and displays selectable numbers, time points, and condition information into numbers, output start points, output start conditions, output end points, and output end conditions.

Next, generation of an arbitrary output signal according to the present invention will be described.
Prior to the generation of the arbitrary output signal, the setting of welding timing and various parameters is completed. Here, a series of welding processes are constituted by four welding periods from the first welding period to the fourth welding period. Here, as is apparent from the description of “1st PHASE” to “4th PHASE” in FIG. 6, each welding period is composed of an energization welding time (weld) followed by an energization stop cooling time (cool).

[Edit arbitrary output signal]
First, the “PARAMETER” key ((2) in FIG. 2) of the setting operation unit 12 is pressed to enter the arbitrary output signal editing mode (S401 in FIG. 4). By this operation, the timing display unit 301 and the information display unit 302 are displayed on the display unit 13, and editing of the generation of the arbitrary output signal can be started from the setting of the output pin number of the “EXT_OUT1” signal that is the first arbitrary output signal ( FIG. 3). At this time, the welding timing signal previously set is schematically displayed on the timing display unit 301 ((13) in FIG. 3), and at the same time, an “RDY” signal ((FIG. 11)) and the “ACT” signal ((12) in FIG. 3) indicating the energization start timing is displayed.

  Further, the information display unit 302 includes “PIN” which is an output pin number of an arbitrary output signal, “START POINT” and “START FACTOR” which are output start points and output start conditions, and “end point and output end conditions” which are output end points. “NC (not connected)”, “ANYTIME (anytime)” and “NON (unconditional)” are set as initial values in “END POINT” and “END FACTOR”, respectively ((15) to ( 22)).

Here, first, an output pin number is selected (S402 in FIG. 4). The pin number is usually one of 1 to 50 which is a pin number of a 50-pin connector 43 for inputting / outputting a signal to / from an external device, or pin numbers 1 to 10 of the expansion I / O 10-pin terminal block 42. 1 can be selected, and the “+” switch ((3) in FIG. 2) or the “−” switch ((4) in FIG. 2) of the operation unit 12 is pressed to set a desired pin number. select. Here, each time the “+” switch ((3) in FIG. 2) or the “−” switch ((4) in FIG. 2) is pressed, the next pin number becomes one in the opposite direction (scroll display) . Further, the “>” key ((6) in FIG. 2) or the “<” key ((6) in FIG. 2) is used to move the selection item from the output start time to the output start condition.

By pressing the “+” switch ((3) in FIG. 2) and the “−” switch ((4) in FIG. 2), the selection target is changed one by one and scrolled to display the desired target. Since the selection may be completed for the other selection items when the selection is made, the selection of the future selection items by pressing these switches is omitted.

  Next, “START POINT” which is the output start time is selected (S403 in FIG. 4). The output start time is “ANYTIME”, “ACTIN”, “SQZ_S”, “SQZ_E”, “1WELD_S”, “1WELD_E”, “1COOL_S”, “1COOL_E”, “2WELD_S”, “2WELD_E”, “2COOL_S”, “E2COL_S” ”,“ 3WELD_S ”,“ 3WELD_E ”,“ 3COOL_S ”,“ 3COOL_E ”,“ 4WELD_S ”,“ 4WELD_E ”,“ 4COOL_S ”,“ 4COOL_E ”,“ HLD_S ”,“ HLD_E ”,“ READY ” One can be selected.

Here, “ANYTIME” is an unconditional condition, “ACTIN” is an input time point of a welding start signal, and “SQZ_S” is a squeeze time start time point that is a waiting time until the first welding start apparent from FIG. "1" is the end point of energization in the first welding period, "1WELD_S" is the end point of energization in the first welding period, and "1COOL_S" is the end point of energization stop in the first welding period. , “1COOL_E” is the energization stop time of the first welding period, “2WELD_S” is the energization start time of the second welding period, “2WELD_E” is the energization completion time of the second welding period, and “2COOL_S” is the second “2COOL_E” represents the end of energization stop in the second welding period.

  In addition, “3WELD_S” is the energization start time of the third welding period, “3WELD_E” is the energization end time of the third welding period, “3COOL_S” is the energization stop start time of the third welding period, and “3COOL_E” is the third energization stop time. “4WELD_S” is the energization start point of the fourth welding period, “4WELD_E” is the energization end point of the fourth welding period, and “4COOL_S” is the energization stop period of the fourth welding period. “4COOL_E” represents the end point of the energization stop of the fourth welding period, “HLD_S” represents the hold time start point, “HLD_E” represents the hold time end point, and “READY” represents the welding start preparation completion point. Yes.

  Subsequently, “START FACTOR” which is an output start condition is selected (S404 in FIG. 4). The output start conditions are “NON”, “MON_OK”, “MON_NG”, “WELD_ERR”, “1_MON_GO”, “1_MON_NG”, “2_MON_GO”, “2_MON_NG”, “3_MON_GO”, “3_MON_NG”, “4” Any one of “4_MON_NG”, “E_IN1_ON”, “E_IN2_ON”, “E_IN3_ON”, “CNT1_HI”, and “CNT2_HI” can be selected.

Here, “NON” starts output unconditionally, “MON_OK” indicates output permission when the monitor determination is OK, “MON_NG” indicates output permission when the monitor determination is NG, and “WELD_ERR” generates a weld error. “1_MON_GO” indicates output permission when the first welding period monitor determination is normal, “1_MON_NG” indicates output permission when the first welding period monitor determination is abnormal, and “2_MON_GO” indicates “output permission”. “2_MON_NG” indicates that output is permitted when the monitor determination of the second welding period is normal, and “2_MON_NG” indicates that output is permitted when the monitor determination of the second welding period is abnormal.

  “3_MON_GO” indicates that output is permitted when the third welding period monitor determination is normal, “3_MON_NG” indicates that output permission is permitted when the third welding period monitor determination is abnormal, and “4_MON_GO” indicates that the fourth welding period is monitored. “4_MON_NG” indicates output permission when the fourth welding period monitor determination is abnormal, “E_IN1_ON” indicates output permission when there is a signal input to the external input terminal 1, and “E_IN2_ON” indicates that output is permitted. Indicates that output is permitted when a signal is input to the external input terminal 2, “E_IN3_ON” indicates that output is permitted when a signal is input to the external input terminal 3, and “CNT1_HI” indicates that output is permitted when the counter 1 arrival signal is ON. “CNT2_HI” indicates that output is permitted when the counter 2 arrival signal is ON.

  Next, “END POINT” which is the output end time is selected (S405 in FIG. 4). The output end time can be set to the output start time “ANYTIME”, “ACTIN”, “SQZ_S”, “SQZ_E”, “1WELD_S”, “1WELD_E”, “1COOL_S”, “1COOL_E”, “2WELD_S”, “2WELD_E”, “2COOL_S”, “2COOL_E”, “3WELD_S”, “3WELD_E”, “3COOL_S”, “3COOL_E”, “4WELD_S”, “4WELD_E”, “4COOL_S”, “4COOL_E”, “HLD_S”, “HLD_S”, “HLD_S” "AFTER400" and "AFTER50" can be selected.

  Here, “ANYTIME” to “READY” are as described above, “AFTER400” represents the time when 400 ms has elapsed after the end of the series of welding operations, and “AFTER50” represents the time when 50 ms have elapsed after the end of the series of welding operations.

  Subsequently, “END FACTOR” which is an output end condition is selected (S406 in FIG. 4). The output end condition can be selected as the output start condition “NON”, “MON_OK”, “MON_NG”, “WELD_ERR”, “1_MON_GO”, “1_MON_NG”, “2_MON_GO”, “2_MON_NG”, “3_MON_GO”, “3_MON_G” Any one of “4_MON_GO” and “4_MON_NG” plus “E_IN1_OF”, “E_IN2_OF”, “E_IN3_OF”, “CNT1_LOW”, and “CNT2_LOW” can be selected.

  Here, “NON” to “4_MON_NG” are as described above, “E_IN1_OF” is an output permission when there is no signal input to the external input terminal 1, and “E_IN2_OF” is no signal input to the external input terminal 2. "E_IN3_OF" indicates output permission when no signal is input to the external input terminal 3, "CNT1_LOW" indicates output permission when the counter 1 arrival signal is OFF, and "CNT2_LOW" indicates that the counter 2 arrival signal is OFF. Indicates that output is permitted.

Such a procedure is repeated to generate a maximum of 8 arbitrary output signals (S407 in FIG. 4). When the generation of up to eight arbitrary output signals is completed (Yes in S407 in FIG. 4), the “OPERATE” key ((1) in FIG. 2 ) is pressed to end the arbitrary output signal editing mode (FIG. 4). S408).
Next, for the generation of the arbitrary output signal set in this way, the pin number 43 of the connector 43 is selected as the output pin number of the first arbitrary output signal, “2WELD_E” as the output start time, and the output start condition as An example will be described in which “1_MON_OK” is selected, “4WELD_S” is selected as the output end point, and “NON” is selected as the output end condition.

[Generation of arbitrary output signal]
When a desired one is selected from the set welding timing, welding conditions, etc., a necessary calculation is performed by the control unit 11 according to the selected one, and the welding start ready state (RDY signal is valid) (FIG. 3). (11)). Here, when a welding operation command (ACTIN) is received, a series of welding processes are started ((12) and (13) in FIG. 3).

The output of the arbitrary output signal is started when the output start condition is satisfied at the output start time (Yes in S501 in FIG. 5, Yes in S502) (S503 in FIG. 5). Here, since “2WELD_E” is selected as the output start time and “1_MON_OK” is selected as the output start condition, the first welding is performed at the time when the energization time of the second welding period ends after the series of welding processes starts. When the monitor determination of the period is normal (OK) , the output of the first arbitrary output signal is started (“START POINT” in FIG. 6).

  The output of the arbitrary output signal ends when the output end condition is satisfied at the end of the output (Yes in S504 in FIG. 5, Yes in S505) (S506 in FIG. 4). Here, since “4WELD_S” is selected as the output end time and “NON” is selected as the output end condition, the output of the first arbitrary output signal is unconditionally ended when the energization start time of the fourth welding period is reached (FIG. 6 “END POINT”).

  The first arbitrary output signal generated by the arbitrary output signal generation unit 16 in this way is output from the 45 pin of the connector 43 to the external device 41 via the I / O interface unit 17.

  In this example, the output end condition is set to “NON”, and the output of the arbitrary output signal is ended unconditionally at the output end time. However, the output end time is set to “ANYTIME”, and the output end condition is set to other than “NON”. By selecting, the arbitrary output signal can be terminated when the condition selected as the output termination condition is satisfied. The same applies to the start of output of the arbitrary output signal.

  Although the present embodiment has been described in detail as described above, it should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications can be made without departing from the novel matters and effects of the present invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the present invention.

  For example, the hardware configuration is made compact by configuring the individual blocks shown in FIG. 1 with a control unit, timer, I / O port, operation information input, display information output, etc., using FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). It is to be. Further, “RDY”, “ACT”, “WELD”, “COOL”, and the like on the I / O editing screen shown in FIG. 3 are collectively displayed.

1 welding power source, 11 control unit, 12 setting operation unit, 13 display unit,
14 welding timing signal generator, 15 welding information monitor,
16 arbitrary output signal generation unit, 17 external interface unit, 18 timer,
19 system bus, 21 rectifier, 22 smoothing capacitor, 23 switching unit,
31 welding transformer, 32 current detection element, 33 welding electrode, 35, 36 object to be welded,
41 External device 42 Expansion I / O 10-pin terminal, 43 connector

Claims (7)

A welding power source capable of inputting / outputting signals to / from an external device via an I / O interface unit,
A display section (13) for displaying a welding timing chart in which a plurality of sets of welding periods constituted by the energization welding time and the energization stop cooling time subsequent thereto are repeated continuously;
A setting operation unit (12) for setting an output start point and an output end point of an external output signal output to the external device (41) at the start or end point of welding or cooling in the welding period in the welding timing chart;
A control unit (11) for controlling welding current and voltage supplied in each welding period and controlling transmission / reception with the external device in response to setting by the setting operation unit (12);
An arbitrary output signal generator (16) for outputting an external output signal indicating the output start time and output end time to the external device;
A plurality of connection pins for connecting the I / O interface unit (17) and the external device;
A welding power source comprising:   The setting operation unit (12) can set an output start condition and an output end condition together with the output start point and the output end point. The arbitrary output signal generation unit (16) can set the output start point and the output end point. The welding power source according to claim 1, wherein the external output signal is output when the output start / end conditions are satisfied. The display unit (13) includes a timing display unit (301) for displaying the timing chart, and an information display unit (302) for setting an output start point, an output end point, an output start condition, and an output end condition. wherein the setting control section (12) has a plurality of output start time, the output end and a plurality of output start a preset for a plurality of sets of the welding phase in the weld timing chart in the information display unit (302) The welding power source according to claim 2, wherein a condition and an output end condition are sequentially scroll-displayed, and the output start time, output end time, output start condition, and output end condition can be selected. The information display unit (302) further includes a connection pin number for sending the external output signal output from the arbitrary output signal generation unit (16) to the external device via the I / O interface unit (17). The welding power source according to claim 3, wherein the setting operation unit (12) is capable of setting. The welding power supply according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the output start time and output end time include any of the following time points.
a) Input point of energization start signal from external device (ACTIN)
b) Squeeze time start time (SQZ_S), which is the waiting time until the first welding starts
c) End of squeeze time (SQZ_E)
d) Energization start point (1WELD_S to 4WELD_S) in each welding period
e) End of energization in each welding period (1WELD_E to 4WELD_E)
f) Energization stop time at each welding time (1COOL_S to 4COOL_S)
g) End of energization stop in each welding period (1COOL_E to 4COOL_E)
h) Hold time start point (HLD_S) after completion of all welding periods
i) Hold time end point (HLD_E)
j) When welding preparation is completed (READY) The welding power source according to claim 1, wherein the output end signal includes the following signal in addition to the signal according to claim 5.
a) When 400 ms has elapsed after the end of a series of welding operations b) When 50 ms have elapsed after the end of a series of welding operations The welding power source according to claim 1, wherein the output start condition and the output end condition include the following conditions.
a) When the monitor determination is OK (MON_OK)
b) When the monitor judgment is NG (MON_NG)
c) When a weld error occurs (WELD_ERR)
d) When the monitoring judgment of each welding period is OK (1_MON_OK to 4_MON_OK)
e) When the monitoring judgment of each welding period is NG (1_MON_NG to 4_MON_NG)

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