A bead appearance inspection device includes an input unit configured to enter input data related to a welding bead of a workpiece produced by welding, a first determination unit configured to perform a first inspection determination related to a shape of the welding bead based on a comparison between the input data and a master data, k second determination units, where k is an integer of 1 or more, that are equipped with k types of artificial intelligence and that are configured to perform a second inspection determination related to a welding defect of the welding bead based on processings of the k types of artificial intelligence targeting the input data, and a comprehensive determination unit configured to output a result of an appearance inspection of the welding bead to an output device based on determination results of the first determination unit and the k second determination units.

The present invention refers to a control method and welding equipment for MIG/MAG-welding with presence of short-circuiting droplets between an electrode end and a workpiece. The method comprises establishment of a short-circuiting time, establishment of an arc time, and controlling the energy supplied to the electrode. The energy supply is controlled in such a way that the energy supply is increased if a measured short-circuiting time of a total period time, where the period time is the sum of the short-circuiting time and the arc time, exceeds a defined adjustable set value and decreases if said short-circuiting percentage goes below said set value.

Methods and systems are provided for using optical interferometry in the context of material modification processes such as surgical laser or welding applications. An imaging optical source that produces imaging light. A feedback controller controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on an interferometry output generated using the imaging light. A method of processing interferograms is provided based on homodyne filtering. A method of generating a record of a material modification process using an interferometry output is provided.

A control unit and method for a joining system having at least one joining station, which is designed to join at least one first joining element to a workpiece, determines actual data with respect to a first joining element joined to a current workpiece by the joining station. The control unit and method determine, in accordance with the actual data, a subsequent control instruction for the joining station for joining a first joining element to a subsequent workpiece.

A control unit and method for a joining system having at least one joining station, which is designed to join at least one first joining element to a workpiece, determines actual data with respect to a first joining element joined to a current workpiece by the joining station. The control unit and method determine, in accordance with the actual data, a subsequent control instruction for the joining station for joining a first joining element to a subsequent workpiece.

A low voltage system and method for servicing welding equipment including a service tool that may provide a low voltage power source to the welding equipment, enabling the welding equipment to be tested in a low voltage mode of operation. The service tool may also run various test sequences on the welding equipment operating in a low voltage mode of operation to troubleshoot and diagnose any issues with the circuitry of the welding equipment.

In a method for scanning the surface of metallic workpieces, during scanning, a welding torch with a consumable welding wire is moved over and towards the workpiece surface, until contact of the welding wire with the workpiece is detected, and the welding wire is subsequently moved away from the workpiece. Before scanning, slag-removal is carried out to remove slag at the welding wire end, wherein the welding current is lowered to a minimum, and the welding wire is moved cyclically with a rapid recurrent forward/backward movement over a specified path length toward the workpiece, and by a smaller distance away from the workpiece, until a short circuit between the welding wire and the workpiece is detected, whereupon slag-removal is ended, and upon the detection of no short circuit, slag-removal is repeated, and upon the detection of several short circuits one after the other, slag-removal is ended.

In a method for scanning the surface of metallic workpieces, during scanning, a welding torch with a consumable welding wire is moved over and towards the workpiece surface, until contact of the welding wire with the workpiece is detected, and the welding wire is subsequently moved away from the workpiece. Before scanning, slag-removal is carried out to remove slag at the welding wire end, wherein the welding current is lowered to a minimum, and the welding wire is moved cyclically with a rapid recurrent forward/backward movement over a specified path length toward the workpiece, and by a smaller distance away from the workpiece, until a short circuit between the welding wire and the workpiece is detected, whereupon slag-removal is ended, and upon the detection of no short circuit, slag-removal is repeated, and upon the detection of several short circuits one after the other, slag-removal is ended.

Embodiments of welding systems and methods with coordinated dual power outputs supporting a same welding process or a same AC output process are disclosed. One embodiment of a welding system includes an engine and a generator operatively connected to the engine, where the engine is configured to drive the generator to produce electrical input power. The welding system also includes a power supply operatively connected to the generator and having at least one controller. The power supply is configured to convert the electrical input power to form two power outputs that are coordinated with each other, at least in time, via the controller to support a same welding process. The same welding process may be, for example, a hotwire welding process, a tandem metal inert gas (MIG) welding process, or an alternating current (AC) output process.

An example welding or cutting circuit includes: an input leg comprising a capacitor coupled between a high bus and a low bus; a buck converter coupled in parallel with the input leg, wherein the buck converter comprises a first transistor, a first diode, and an output electrically coupled to a node between the first transistor and the first diode, and wherein the buck converter is configured to convert input voltage to current in an inductor coupled to the output of the buck converter; and a steering leg coupled in parallel with the input leg, wherein the steering leg is configured to control a rate at which the current in the inductor decreases, and wherein a current detector is positioned at the output to monitor the current, the current detector providing current level indications to a hysteretic controller, the hysteretic controller providing signals to the first transistor that control the transistor to an on state or an off state to control the voltage applied to the inductor.