Patent ID: 6278077
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
A welding system for welding a workpiece at a plurality of weld locations, the system comprising:a weld gun having a pair of displaceable electrodes;a sensor operable with the weld gun for generating a welding parameter signal indicative of a welding parameter;a weld gun actuator for closing the electrodes to engage the workpiece and for opening the electrodes to disengage the workpiece at a weld location;a position controller for moving at least one of the weld gun and the workpiece such that the weld gun moves relative to the workpiece to index to each of the weld locations;a weld power supply for applying welding power to the electrodes to effect welding of the workpiece at the weld location; anda weld controller having control logic and stored data related to primary weld locations and alternate weld locations, wherein each primary weld location is associated with a respective alternate weld location, the weld controller operable with the sensor for monitoring the welding parameter as a function of the welding parameter signal, the control logic is programmed to generate a fault signal based upon the stored data and the welding parameter, wherein the weld controller provides a fault signal to weld the associated alternate weld location when a comparison of the welding parameter to stored data related to the primary weld location indicates that the workpiece has been improperly welded.