ESAB AB

A method is performed in a welding or cutting system, including a power supply to deliver a current through a weld circuit to a welding torch to create an arc. The method includes: measuring the current to produce a measured current; measuring a voltage on a sense point of the power supply or the weld circuit that is spaced from the welding torch, to produce a measured voltage that differs from the arc voltage by a voltage drop caused by the current and inductance of the weld circuit; compensating the measured voltage for the voltage drop using the measured current and an inductance value, to produce a compensated voltage; computing a derivative of the compensated voltage; computing a second derivative of the measured current; and upon determining the inductance value and the inductance differ based on the derivative and the second derivative, adjusting the inductance.

A method includes supplying a welding current to a welding zone, monitoring, during a welding current ramp down period of a given short arc welding process cycle, a voltage across a current braking switch that is in an open state and that causes a decrease in welding current being supplied to a welding zone; and when the voltage across the current braking switch that is in the open state reaches a first predetermined voltage threshold, closing the current braking switch before a completion of the welding current ramp down period of the given short arc welding process cycle.

A method is performed in a welding or cutting system having a power inverter to generate an alternating current (AC) signal responsive to pulse width modulation (PWM) that is applied to the power inverter to control the AC signal. The method includes: upon detecting a power increase event in the welding or cutting system that necessitates an increase in the AC signal, controlling the PWM to cause the power inverter to increase the AC signal over multiple PWM cycles by: generating a first PWM cycle having a first period and a first on-time corresponding to a first duty cycle of the first PWM cycle that is greater than 50%; and generating a second PWM cycle having a second period that is greater than the first period and a second on-time corresponding to a second duty cycle of the second PWM cycle that is greater than 50%.

A method is performed in a welding or cutting system including a power supply configured to deliver current pulses through a weld circuit to a contact tip extending from a welding torch to create an arc on a workpiece. The method includes: while the contact tip is shorted to the workpiece to set an arc voltage equal to zero: sampling a current pulse to produce current values; and at a voltage sense point, on the power supply or the weld circuit, that is spaced-apart from the welding torch, sampling a voltage pulse associated with the current pulse to produce voltage values that differ from the arc voltage due to an electrical circuit parameter of the weld circuit; and computing a value of the electrical circuit parameter based on the current values, the voltage values, and the arc voltage equal to zero.

Techniques for automatic reading of marked consumables are disclosed. The techniques involve a reader having a plurality of sensors for receiving a marked consumable and detecting includes markings on the consumable, regardless of the orientation of the consumable to the reader.

A torch cable connector with an ancillary or auxiliary power source for powering ancillary torch components. In addition, a torch and connector system that has an independent power supply for additional functions, such as sensors or lighting on a welding torch. In one implementation, a manual welding torch may include one or more batteries or power sources that can be used to power additional functions independent from the welding machine. The auxiliary power source is separate from any power being supplied to the torch for its operation.

A method, performed in a welding or cutting system including a power supply configured to deliver a current to a welding torch to create an arc on a cut-off workpiece, comprises: sampling the current to produce digitized current values; filtering the digitized current values using a first digital filter to produce filtered digitized current values; sampling a voltage corresponding to the current to produce digitized voltage values; filtering the digitized voltage values using a second digital filter to produce filtered digitized voltage values; and controlling a current level of the current using the filtered digitized current values or the filtered digitized voltage values.

A system and method for dual-twin SAW cladding is disclosed. The method includes arranging a first twin SAW head in close proximity to a second twin SAW head, delivering electroslag flux to a surface of a workpiece to create a layer of electroslag flux atop the workpiece, directing two first consumable wires through the first twin SAW head towards the surface of the workpiece, directing two second consumable wires through the second twin SAW head towards the surface of the workpiece, introducing the two first consumable wires and the two second consumable wires into a molten slag pool formed on the surface of the workpiece to melt the two first consumable wires and the two second consumable wires via resistive heating, and translating the first twin SAW head and the second twin SAW head together to form a cladded deposit on the workpiece.