# Presentation: 252048

## Network Communications for Weld Cell Integration Status of Standards Development 

- Bill Rippey
- NIST
- william.rippey@nist.gov

## Network Standards for WeldingCapsule

- Use of networks for manufacturing is increasing, including for welding
- Approaches vary: *proprietary*, *ad-hoc standard*, 3 formal public welding standards that exist are under development
- Benefits: enhance efficiency and effectiveness of connecting welding manufacturing components.

## Outline

- Welding as an Application for Networks
- Network Concepts
- Welding Standards Efforts
- Summary

## Automation, semi-automatic welding

-   Simplify cabling
-   Easier integration
-   Multi-vendor  choices

- Opportunities for standard connection techniques

## AWS D16.2-94Interface, controller<->welding equipment

**A**

**D**

**C**

**B**

**E**

**H**

**G**

**F**

**L**

**P**

**N**

**M**

**U**

**X**

**W**

**V**

**b**

**e**

**d**

**c**

**h**

**m**

**k**

**j**

**n**

**s**

**r**

**p**

**g**

**f**

**a**

**J**

**R**

**Z**

**T**

**S**

**K**

- WFS cmd (0-10v)

- Weld voltage (0-10v)

- Current cmd(0-10v)

- Arc On output

- Arc Failure output

- Gas On output

**37 pin connector layout**

- Jog wire forward

## Factory Communications Architecture

## Network Concepts

- Network Structure (layers)
*Proprietary* implementations
*Ad hoc* *standard* implementations
*Formal Standards*

## Network Concepts

- Three broad layers of network technology.

## Proprietary Networks

**Physical** - connections, media access,  plus raw packets

**High Level Protocol** - packet formatting, routing, message meaning, services

**Device Specific** - device models, description of functional interactions

**e.g. CANBus, Ethernet**

**e.g. DeviceNet, Ethernet/IP, Profibus**

**e.g. wire feeder, I/O module, power source**

## Proprietary Network Examples

- AMET cell integration using CAN bus
- CRC-Evans Automated pipeline welding system

## Ad-Hoc Standard Networks

**Physical** - connections, media access,  plus raw packets

**High Level Protocol** - packet formatting, routing, message meaning, services

**Device Specific** - device models, description of functional interactions

**e.g. CANBus, Ethernet**

**e.g. DeviceNet, Ethernet/IP, Profibus**

**e.g. wire feeder, I/O module, power source**

## Ad-hoc Network Products

- Resistance welding controllers -> DeviceNet, Profibus, ControlNet
- Robotic quick change interface-> DeviceNet
- Power source with Profibus, Ethernet/IP, Modbus, CANOpen, SDS, Interbus, LON FTT.
- Wrist interface, resistance welding controller, resistance weld monitoring, welding robot (for IO), power source -> DeviceNet, InterBus

## Standard Specifications

**Physical** - connections, media access,  plus raw packets

**High Level Protocol** - packet formatting, routing, message meaning

**Device Specific** - device models, description of functional interactions

**e.g. CANBus, Ethernet**

**e.g. DeviceNet, Ethernet/IP, Profibus**

**e.g. wire feeder, I/O module, power source**

## AWS A9.4 Standard Project

- Network-based communications within the cell for devices close to power source
- CANBus-based.
- CAN 2.0B spec, 29 bit identifier
- RS-485 driver at 125kbits/sec
- 5 wire cable with 40v DC power, arc sense.
- MIL-SPEC type connectors, rugged cable
- Devices are modeled as network visible objects
- Descendant of Lincoln Electric “ArcLink”

## A9.4 Scope

## AWS A9.4 Project

| # | Name | Description | Value semantics | Req | Class | Type |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 512 | Gas Command | Command input | 0: OFF
1: ON | Y | Sequence controlled command | BOOLEAN
 |
| 513 | Total gas flow rate | Commanded rate | None | Y | reference | SINT2 |
| 514 | Actual flow rate | Measured flow | None | N | signal | SINT2 |
| 521 | Gas 1 command | Command | 0:OFF
1: ON | N | Reference | BOOLEAN |
| 521 | Gas 2 command | Command | 0:OFF
1: ON | N | Reference | BOOLEAN |
| 532 | Actual Gas 1 percentage | Measured percentage | None | N | Signal | UNIT2 |
| 533 | Actual Gas 2 percentage | Measured percentage | None | N | Signal | UNIT2 |

- Gas Controller Object

## AWS A9.4 Project

| # | Name | Description | Value semantics | Req. | Class | Type |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 512 | Motor Command | Command input | 0: OFF
1: ON | Y | Sequence controlled command | BOOL
 |
| 513 | Set WFS | Command | None | Y | Reference,
Sequence controller | UINT2 |
| 514 | Actual WFS | Measured WFS | None | N | Signal | UINT2 |
| 524 | Positive polarity | Selects positive or negative electrode polarity | 0: electrode neg
1: electrode pos | N | Configuration | BOOL |
| 528 | Cold inch command | Input to jog wire | None | Y | Command | BOOL |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

- Wire Drive Object

## DeviceNet Arc Welding SIG

- Cell controller interface to power source
- Object model of integrated power source
- Welding Object
- Weld Schedule Object
- New services defined
- Read Procedure Details
- Weld Procedure Search
- Read ArcLink Attribute
- Write ArcLink Attribute

## Welding Object Attributes (51)

- Welding Trigger, Workpoint
- Weld Mode, Gas Command
- Strike WFS, Restrike WFS, Arc Detect, Wire Touch
- Gas Fault, Wire Fault, Wire Stick
- .....

## Weld Schedule Object

- Specifies 15 phases of a weld sequence
- Idle, Setup, Gas Preflow, Strike, Start, Upslope, Weld1, Weld2, Downslope, Crater, Burnback, Gas Postflow, Restrike, Fault.
- Each phase has many parameters that can be set.

## German DVS CANOpen Project	

- Cell controller interface to power source
- Progress interrupted by lawsuit over patent
- Players were SKS, Siemens, Schneider....

## Leveraging IT Standards to Integrate Robots into Factories

- RIA R15.04 Communications and Information Committee
- Networking standards for robot controllers
- 3 wave approach
- Jeff Fryman, RIA, (734) 994-6088, _[jfryman@robotics.org](mailto:jfryman@robotics.org)_, http//:roboticsonline.com
- Acknowledgement: These slides come from Fred Proctor who is a member of R15.04.
- _[http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/projects/openarch/](http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/projects/openarch/)_

## Expressed in RIA 15.04-TR.1 2003 Technical Report
Key Points
FTP
TCP
IP
802.3 10BaseT

- Key Points
- FTP
- TCP
- IP
- 802.3 10BaseT

- Wave I - Definition From January 2001 Meeting

**Result - Successful Definition of Wave I Specification!**

## Waves II and III Content, 2003

_**Wave II **_
**Centralized Configuration**
**	**Remote address administration and determination; disaster recovery; time synchronization (1 sec for file date/time)
- DNS
- BOOTP/DHCP Client
- ARP
- UDP/TFTP
- NTP or others as appropriate
**Timing: 2003 **

_**Wave III **_
**Network Management Capabilities**
- SNMP/MIB-II
**Data Abstraction and Presentation**
- HTTP
- HTML
- XML
**Real Time Communication Over Ethernet**
**Timing : Start after Wave II is agreed**

## SUMMARY

- Networks are pervasive in other industries, use in welding is increasing.
- There are a few formal standards developments, more “ad-hoc standard” and proprietary products.
- Benefits – easier integration, better capabilities?, possible opportunities for small vendors.
- Integrators and component vendors are looking to find which technology/technologies to implement.
- AWS supports the A9 formal standards effort.

## End

- Bill Rippey
- 301-975-3417
- william.rippey@nist.gov
- Chairman of AWS A9 committee
- NIST

## RIA 15.04 Chairman

- Jeff Fryman, RIA
- (734) 994-6088
- _[jfryman@robotics.org](mailto:jfryman@robotics.org)_
- http//:roboticsonline.com