Gravity-based weld travel speed sensing system and method

Abstract

A welding system includes an orientation sensing system associated with a welding torch and is configured to sense a welding torch orientation relative to a direction of gravity. The welding system also includes a processing system communicatively couple to the orientation sensing system and configured to determine an angular position of the welding torch relative to a pipe based at least in part on the sense welding torch orientation.

1 . A welding system, comprising:
 an orientation sensing system associated with a welding torch and is configured to sense a welding torch orientation relative to a direction of gravity; and   a processing system communicatively coupled to the orientation sensing system and configured to determine an angular position of the welding torch relative to a pipe based at least in part on the sensed welding torch orientation and a radius of the pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The welding system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine a travel distance traveled by the welding torch from an initial position to the angular position. 
     
     
         3 . The welding system of  claim 2 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine a travel speed of the welding torch based on the determined position. 
     
     
         4 . The welding system of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing system comprises at least one accelerometer. 
     
     
         5 . The welding system of  claim 4 , wherein the orientation sensing system comprises at least one gyroscope configured to measure of angular changes of the welding torch. 
     
     
         6 . The welding system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine the travel distance based at least in part on a travel profile for an operator or a job. 
     
     
         7 . The welding system of  claim 6 , wherein the travel profile comprises a learned profile input using a teaching mode or an input travel profile. 
     
     
         8 . The welding system of  claim 6 , wherein the travel profile comprises compensation for gravitational effects on welding material during the weld. 
     
     
         9 . The welding system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system determines the angular position of the welding torch in relation to an initial position using the following equation:
     d=r*ϕ,      
       where d is the travel distance, r is the radius, and ϕ is an angle between a torch axis at the initial location and the torch axis at the angular position. 
     
     
         10 . The welding system of  claim 1 , comprising a weld area sensor located within a weld area, wherein the weld area sensor is configured to also sense orientation of the welding torch, and the processing system is configured to fuse sensed orientations from the orientation sensing system and the weld area sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The welding system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to receive an indication of the radius from a job information database or manual input from a user. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 sensing an initial orientation of a welding torch at an initial location of a pipe using one or more orientation sensors;   sensing an angular orientation of the welding torch at an angular location of the pipe using the one or more orientation sensors;   determining an angular change in orientation between the initial orientation and the angular orientation; and   deriving a travel distance of the welding torch from the initial location to the angular location based on the angular change.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein deriving a travel distance comprises determining the travel distance using the following equation:
     d=r*ϕ,      
       where d is the travel distance, r is a radius of the pipe, and ϕ is an angle between a torch axis at the initial location and the torch axis at the angular position. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  comprising compensating for a pipe that is not parallel to the ground using the following equation to determine a minor diameter of an ellipse formed by a projection of the weld joint onto a plane perpendicular the ground:
     d   minor   =d   major *cos(θ),
 
 
       where d minor  is the minor diameter of the ellipse, d major  is twice a radius of the pipe, and θ is an inclination angle of the pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  determining the inclination angle by placing the welding torch on the pipe and determining an inclination orientation of the welding torch using the one or more orientation sensors. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  comprising determining travel speed based on the travel distance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising indicating the travel speed to an operator moving the welding torch by:
 providing visual feedback via a display;   providing audible feedback; or   providing haptic feedback.   
     
     
         18 . A retro-fit kit configured to couple to a welding torch, comprising:
 an accelerometer configured to determine an initial orientation of the welding torch and a subsequent angular orientation; and   a processor configured to:   determine an angular change in orientation between the initial orientation and the subsequent angular orientation; and   derive a travel speed of the welding torch based on a travel distance from the initial location to the angular location determined using the angular change and a radius of the pipe at a weld joint.   
     
     
         19 . The retro-fit kit of  claim 18 , wherein at least the accelerometer is configured to physically couple onto the welding torch. 
     
     
         20 . The retro-fit kit of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is enclosed in a housing configured to physically couple onto to the welding torch.