Control apparatus for resistance welding machine

Abstract: A control apparatus for a resistance welding machine comprises a welding current detecting device (5;205) for detecting a welding current, interelectrode voltage detecting device (6;206) for detecting an interelectrode voltage, a calculating section (13;213) for predicting a nugget growth and control section (16,17,18;212,215) for controlling the welding current so that the nugget growth can be adjusted to a predetermined value.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to a control apparatus for a resistance welding machine, especially to a control apparatus for a spot welding machine, of the kind disclosed in US-A-4 596 917. 2. Prior Art In a resistance welding machine used for welding of steel plates or the like, three principal parameters to stabilize the welding quality are a welding current, an energizing time, and an electrode pressurizing force. It is generally known that these parameters are feedback controlled instead of dial setting recommendable conditions or each base metal based on expertise and experiences. Enhancement of the welding quality has been recently request severely. To satisfy such a requirement, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 4-178275, published in 1992, discloses a technology for controlling a welding operation by directly monitoring a nugget, since the nugget growth reflects the result of the welding operation. Hereinafter, the control apparatus of a conventional resistance welding machine disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 4-178275 will be explained with reference to the accompanied drawing. In Fig. 4, reference numeral 21 represents a power source unit for a resistance welding machine, and reference numeral 22 represents a controller for the welding power source unit 21. Reference numeral 23 represents a welding current detecting device. Reference numeral 24 represents a secondary conductor. Reference numeral 25 represents a lower arm. Reference numeral 26 represents a base metal to be welded. Reference numeral 27 represents a pair of electrodes. Reference numeral 28 represents a pressurizing cylinder. Reference numeral 29 represents an upper arm. Reference numeral 30 represents an electropneumatic proportional valve. Reference numeral 31 represents a pressure sensor. Reference numeral 32 represents a controller for the electropneumatic proportional valve 30. Reference numeral 33 represents a cable which detects an interelectrode voltage (i.e. a voltage between electrodes 27). Reference numeral 34 represents a distance detector which detects a shift amount of electrodes 27. Reference numeral 35 represents a signal processing section which acts as a hardware circuit for processing signals representing the electrode pressurizing force, the electrode shift amount, the interelectrode voltage and the welding current. Reference numeral 36 represents an estimating section which estimates a nugget size and a heat input density. And, reference numeral 37 represents a control signal generating section which generates control signals for the welding current and the electrode pressurizing force. The above-described control apparatus of the conventional resistance welding machine will be explained with reference to a flow chart shown in Fig. 5. First, the plate thickness of base metal 26, the number of metal plates to be lapped or stacked, and the material information of base metal 26 are respectively entered (step 101). Next, a welding operation is started (step 102). Prior to an energizing operation, electrodes 27 are pressurized to confirm the total thickness of metal plates. Then, a relationship between the actual pressurizing force and the shift amount of electrodes 27 is measured. Based on the measuring result, an electrode pressurizing force value is set to an appropriate value to make the metal plates fit to each other sufficiently (step 103). Referring to the lapping number of metal plates, a standard heat input density pattern and a standard energizing diameter increase pattern are selected respectively (step 104). The standard heat input density pattern and the standard energizing diameter increase pattern are both determined in advance in accordance with numerical calculations and experiments. Selection of these two standard patterns is essential for realizing an effective control of the variation of the heat input density and the increase of the energizing diameter during the actual welding operation. More specifically, both the heat input density and the energizing diameter are controlled to be equalized to the values designated by the selected standard patterns. Next, the energizing operation is started (step 105). Then, a momentary change of a nugget diameter is monitored through a simulation of numerical calculations while performing a heat input density control later described (step 112). When the estimated nugget diameter becomes larger than a required nugget diameter (step 113), the energizing operation is terminated (step 114). Through this operation, it becomes possible to realize an excellent welding portion with reliability. Next, the simulation of numerical calculations for obtaining the nugget diameter and the heat input density control will be explained. An interelectrode voltage and a welding current value are detected during the welding operation after starting the energizing operation (step 106). The detected values of the interelectrode voltage and the welding current are substituted into the following equation (1) to calculate the energizing diameter (step 107). dc= 4 π • ρm· A· Σhi Rtip - R0 where "dc" is a representative energizing diameter of a welding portion, "ρm" is a mean specific resistance of the welding portion, "A" is a correction coefficient relating to current spread, "Σhi" is a total plate thickness, "Rtip" is an interelectrode resistance (=Vtip/I, when "Vtip" is an interelectrode voltage and "I" is a welding current), and "R0" is an electrode resistance. In the above-described equation (1), the mean specific resistance "ρm" of the welding portion is determined based on a mean temperature in the welding portion. When the energizing operation is started (t=0), the mean specific resistance "ρm" is equal to a specific resistance "ρm0" at the room temperature. Temperature change during a tiny time interval Δt can be regarded as negligible. Next, the energizing diameter thus calculated and the detected welding current value are substituted into the following equation (2) to estimate a temperature distribution to be obtained after a time elapse of Δt. c σ ∂T ∂t = ∂ ∂x (K ∂T ∂x ) + ρ δ 2 where "c" is a specific heat, "σ" is a density, "K" is a heat conductivity, "δ" is a current density (≡AJ/(π·dc 2 /4)), "T" is a temperature, "t" is a time, "x" is a distance in the direction of plate thickness, and "∂" is a partial derivative symbol. From this temperature distribution, "ρm1" is obtained as a mean specific resistance to be obtained after a time elapse of Δt. By substituting "ρm1" into the equation (1), an energizing diameter to be obtained after a time elapse of Δt can be calculated. In this manner, momentary values of the energizing diameter, temperature distribution, and heat input density are successively obtained during a duration from start of the energizing operation to a certain time (step 110). Furthermore, a correct nugget diameter can be estimated by taking into account a heating start-up delay time at each radial position. Then, the welding current and the electrode pressurizing force are controlled to equalize the energizing diameter and heat input density obtained here to the preferable standard heat input pattern and preferable standard energizing diameter increase pattern selected in step 104 (step 111). A detection of an electrode shift amount (step 108) is necessary to confirm and correct (step 109) an error of the energizing diameter calculated in step 107, which is likely to be caused in the initial stage of the energizing operation. The detected electrode shift amount is substituted into the following equation (3) to calculate a mean temperature of the welding portion. Then, the mean temperature thus obtained is used to correct the mean temperature distribution at present time which is previously obtained. Tm = B· Δ l 3·αm·Σhi where "Tm" is a mean temperature of the welding portion, "Δl" is an electrode shift amount, "αm" is a mean value of linear expansion coefficient, and "B" is a proportional constant. However, according to the above-described conventional arrangement, it is necessary to successively identify the mean temperature and the energizing diameter of the welding portion during the welding operation, and it is complicated to determine the standard energizing diameter increase pattern and the standard heat input density pattern to compare them with the identified energizing diameter and the heat input density obtained from this energizing diameter. Furthermore, it is necessary to perform an adaptive control in real time for adjusting the welding current and the electrode pressurizing force based on the comparison result of the energizing diameter and the heat input density in connection with the standard energizing diameter increase pattern and the standard heat input density pattern. Therefore, the control apparatus becomes complicated and expensive. Furthermore, in the resistance welding machine used for lap welding of steel plates or the like, increasing a heat input amount to a welding portion is important to increase the welding strength. The factors determining the heat input amount are a welding current, an energized portion resistance, and an energizing time. Especially, when the number of welding points is increased, the tip of an electrode is worn and deformed. This leads to deterioration of the welding strength. Thus, it becomes necessary to further increase the heat input amount to the welding portion. However, increasing the heat input amount provokes generation of expulsion & surface-flash. It is well known that, when the expulsion & surface-flash is once generated, the welding strength is extremely reduced and the appearance or configuration of the welding portion is terribly worsened. From the enhancement of the welding quality, the recent development of the welding technology makes it possible to obtain a sufficient size of nugget while suppressing the generation of the expulsion & surface-flash at a minimum level. For example, it is effective to intentionally reduce the welding current during a start-up period of a welding operation and also during the second-half period of the welding operation, because the expulsion & surface-flash tends to be caused in these specific durations. Meanwhile, it is allowed to increase the welding current largely during an intermediate period of the welding operation, because the expulsion & surface-flash seldom occurs in this intermediate duration. In view of the foregoing, a pattern welding current control and a constant-power welding method are already proposed, as disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 63-180384, published in 1988. Furthermore, there is a method of stopping the energizing operation as soon as the generation of the expulsion & surface-flash is detected by the sudden change of a pressurizing force or a welding current as disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 1-241385, published in 1989. Moreover, for a plurality of welding points which are continuously welded, there is a method of varying a welding current for the next welding point when an expulsion & surface-flash is detected during a welding operation for a certain welding point, as disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 5-337655, published in 1993. However, according to the above-described conventional technologies, the following problems arise. According to the pattern welding current control or the constant-power welding method, the generation rate of the expulsion & surface-flash can be reduced to a certain degree compared with the constant-current welding method. However, it is inherently impossible to obtain a nugget having a maximum strength without causing any expulsion & surface-flash. Meanwhile, according to the method of stopping the energizing operation immediately upon detecting the generation of expulsion & surface-flash, it necessarily permits to generate some of expulsion & surface-flash. Furthermore, according to the method of varying the welding current for the next welding point when any generation of the expulsion & surface-flash is detected in a present welding operation, it is impossible to prevent the generation of the expulsion & surface-flash during the present welding operation. In short, there was no method capable of perfectly preventing the generation of the expulsion & surface-flash. Patent Abstracts of Japan of unexamined Japanese Patent Application JP-A-05 337 657 discloses a resistance welding controller which detects at least one physical quantity on a part to be welded and carries out numerical analysis of the energizing diameter and the nugget diameter by using that physical quality. That result is compared to a model waveform and at least one of the welding current, the welding time and the welding force is varied depending on the result of the comparison and the numerical analysis. US 4,596,917 discloses a multivariable process monitor and method of monitoring a resistance spot welding process to yield instantaneous information on weld quality during the weld cycle. Sensors on the machine measure welding input variables and workpiece response variables and provide signals to a microcomputer system. A simplified analytical model of the spot welding process is incorporated in the microcomputer and is the reference for the weld quality logic that accepts or rejects the weld. Faulty welds are diagnosed and the reason displayed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in view of above-described problems encountered in the prior art, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and cheep control apparatus for a resistance welding machine capable of surely obtaining a stable and preferable nugget. To accomplish this and related objects, the present invention provides a control apparatus for a resistance welding machine, comprising: input means for inputting a required nugget size; welding current detecting means for detecting a welding current; interelectrode voltage detecting means for detecting an interelectrode voltage; calculating means for predicting a nugget growth comprising: present nugget size estimating means for estimating a size of a present nugget; and nugget growth predicting means for predicting a nugget growth curve after a present time and a required energizing time for reaching said required nugget size; and control means comprising: current control judgement means for generating a control signal to equalize the required energizing time with a recommendable energizing time; and control means for controlling said welding current during welding in accordance with said control signal. The hereinafter described arrangement allows a welding machine operator to input a required nugget size as a welding condition through the input means instead of entering the welding current and the energizing time. When the energizing operation is started, the present nugget size estimating means estimates a present size of the nugget momentarily growing during the welding operation. The nugget growth predicting means memorizes the present nugget size momentarily estimated by the present nugget estimating means as growth hysteresis, predicts the nugget growth curve after the present time based on the obtained growth hysteresis, and compares the nugget growth curve with the setting nugget to predict the required energizing time. The current control judgement means generates the control signal used for controlling the welding current so as to equalize the required energizing time with the recommendable energizing time. And, the control means controls the welding current according to this control signal, and stops the energizing operation in response to the deenergizing signal. Accordingly, the hereinafter described arrangement allows the welding machine operator to surely and simply get the predetermined nugget having a required size by merely inputting the required nugget information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a control apparatus for a resistance welding machine in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing an operation of the control apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 3A is a characteristic view showing an ideal relationship between a nugget growth curve and a welding current in accordance with the present invention, wherein no welding current control is necessary; Fig. 3B is a characteristic curve showing a relationship between a nugget growth curve and a welding current in accordance with the present invention, obtained as a result of a first welding current control; Fig. 3C is a characteristic curve showing a relationship between a nugget growth curve and a welding current in accordance with the present invention, obtained as a result of a second welding current control; Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a conventional control apparatus for a resistance welding machine; and Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing an operation of the conventional control apparatus for a resistance welding machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the views. In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 represents base metals to be welded, and reference numeral 2 represents a pair of welding electrodes which holds or clamps the base metals 1 and is pressurized by an appropriate pressurizing mechanism (not-shown). Reference numeral 3 represents a welding power source unit. Reference numeral 4 represents a control apparatus. Reference numeral 5 represents a toroidal coil which detects a welding current. Reference numeral 6 represents an interelectrode voltage detecting wire. Reference numeral 7 represents a distance detector which detects a clearance between welding electrodes 2. Reference numeral 8 represents a signal conversion section which converts the output signals of toroidal coil 5, interelectrode voltage detecting wire 6, and distance detector 7 into data signals processible in the control apparatus 4. Reference numeral 9 represents a condition setting section comprising an input key 10 and a recommendable condition table 11 which memorizes recommendable welding conditions for various metals. Reference numeral 12 represents a nugget setting section which allows a welding machine operator to input a desirable nugget size. Reference numeral 13 represente a calculating section consisting of a present nugget estimating section 14 and a nugget growth predicting section 15. Reference numeral 16 represents a deenergizing judgement section. Reference numeral 17 represents a current control judgement section. The deenergizing judgement section 16 and the current control judgement section 17 constitute a judgement section 21. Reference numeral 18 represents a control section which performs the current control of the present invention in accordance with a phase control using a thyrister. Furthermore, reference numeral 19 represents a correction table which is used for correcting the present nugget diameter estimated by the present nugget estimating section 14 in accordance with information relating to the base metal to be welded. Reference numeral 20 represents an abnormality warning section comprising a red indicator lamp and a buzzer. An operation of the above-described control apparatus for the resistance welding machine will be explained with reference to Fig. 2. First, the information (material, plate thickness, lapping number, etc) relating to base metal 1 given in the design package or specification are entered through input key 10 of condition setting section 9 (step 1). And, the information (material, tip configuration, etc.) relating to the used welding electrodes 2 are entered through input key 10, too (step 2). The condition setting section 9 sets initial welding conditions with reference to the recommendable condition table 11 (step 3). Next, a desirable nugget diameter, required for guaranteeing the welding quality, is entered through nugget setting section 12 (step 4). After finishing the above-described preparation, base metals 1 are held or clamped between upper and lower welding electrodes 2 and pressurized to start the welding operation (step 5). The welding current required immediately after starting the welding operation is given by the initial welding conditions previously set (step 6). After starting energizing process for the welding operation, the toroidal coil 5, interelectrode voltage detecting wire 6, and distance detector 7 detect momentary values of the welding current, the interelectrode voltage and the interelectrode distance, respectively. The signal conversion section 8 receives these detected data and converts them into data signals which are later sent to the calculating section 13 (step 7). Calculating section 13 operates in the following manner. First, the present nugget estimating section 14 estimates a present nugget diameter momentarily according to the conventional method (step 8). More specifically, the present embodiment estimates the nugget diameter based on the energizing diameter, temperature distribution and heat input density obtained through the processing similar to the steps 106 through 110 of Fig. 5. In the estimation of the nugget diameter, a correction is performed based on the entered information relating to the base metal 1 by referring to the correction table 19 (step 9). The present nugget diameter size momentarily estimated by the present nugget estimating section 14 is sent to the deenergizing judgement section 16 and the current control judgement section 17. The deenergizing judgement section 16 compares the momentary value of the present nugget diameter with the desirable nugget diameter set in the step 4 (step 11), and generates a deenergizing signal when the present nugget diameter becomes equal to the desirable nugget diameter ("YES" in step 12). This deenergizing signal is sent to the control section 18. Responding to this deenergizing signal, the control section 18 deactivates the thyrister to shut the welding current and terminate the welding operation (step 17). The abnormality warning section 20 compares a total energizing time, corresponding to a time interval from the start of the energizing operation to the generation of the deenergizing signal, with a recommendable energizing time being set as one of initial welding conditions by the condition setting section 9 (step 13). When the comparison result is not within a predetermined region, it is considered that the condition of the welding portion is extremely bad or there is an abnormality such as severe wear of the welding electrodes 2. Then, the warning is generated by activating the buzzer and the red indicator lamp (step 18). On the other hand, nugget growth predicting section 15 successively memorizes the present nugget size after the energizing operation is started and obtains a nugget growth hysteresis curve (step 10), and subsequently the nugget growth hysteresis curve is extrapolated to obtain a nugget growth predicting curve which predicts the nugget growth after the present time (step 14). Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C show the examples of the nugget growth curves. In Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C, each abscissa represents the energizing time, while each ordinate represents the nugget diameter and the welding current. In these examples, the prediction is executed at the present time "tn". The nugget growth hysteresis curve, having been obtained during a past time duration from the start of the energizing operation to the present time "tn", is shown by a solid line. Meanwhile, the growth predicting curve, to be obtained after the present time "tn", is shown by a dotted line. The current control judgement section 17 estimates a welding completion time by overlapping a straight line parallel to the abscissa on the nugget growth predicting curve. The ordinate value of this straight line corresponds to the desirable nugget diameter being set in the earlier step. From this estimation, a total energizing time "te" is obtained. Then, the estimated total energizing time "te" is compared with the recommendable energizing time "ts" being set as one of initial welding conditions by the condition setting section 9, thereby checking whether the present nugget growth is in good order. As shown in Fig. 3A, when the ratio of the estimated total energizing time "te" to the recommendable energizing time "ts" is regarded as substantially 1 or within a predetermined acceptable range, the welding operation is continued and completed without performing corrections or adjustments (step 15 → step 7). When the ratio of the estimated total energizing time "te" to the recommendable energizing time "ts" is smaller than 1 as shown in Fig. 3B, it is considered that the present welding current is larger than the optimum value. On the other hand, when the ratio of the estimated total energizing time "te" to the recommendable energizing time "ts" is larger than 1 as shown in Fig. 3C, it is considered that the present welding current is smaller than the optimum value. Meanwhile, when the present time "tn" reaches a predetermined control time "tc" (step 13), the current control judgement section 17 generates a current control signal based on the above-described judgement result (step 16). More specifically, in response to this current control signal, the welding current is increased r decreased such that the nugget growth curve changes as shown by an alternate long and short dash line in Figs. 3B or 3C. This current control signal is sent to the control section 18. The control section 18 controls the conducting phase of the thyrister in response to this current control signal, so as to execute the welding current decreasing control (i.e. first control corresponding to Fig. 3B or the welding current increasing control (i.e. second control corresponding to Fig. 3C. With this welding current decreasing or increasing control, the nugget growing process is corrected appropriately. The welding operation of high quality is realized. By repeating the above-described welding current control during one welding period, the nugget growth process will be further accurately regulated. However, from the fact that the nugget growth predicting curve is obtained by extrapolating the growth hysteresis curve, the extrapolating calculation will be complicated if the welding current is varied during the past duration from the start of the energizing operation to the predicting time "tn". Thus, the accuracy in predicting the nugget growth will be deteriorated significantly. According to the verification result by the inventors, an appropriate result is obtained when the above-described current control is performed once or twice during one welding operation. Ordinarily, a satisfactory welding quality can be obtained by performing only one welding current control. Thus, this embodiment performs only one welding current control per welding operation. Correcting and predicting accuracy of the nugget growth predicting curve is improved as the welding operation progresses. Hence, it is not effective to execute the judgement of the nugget growth process at a too earlier stage of the total energizing period of time. On the other hand, it is readily understood that the excellent welding quality can be obtained by performing the welding current control as early as possible. According to the verification result, a preferable result is obtained when the control time "tc" is in a range from 1/3 to 1/2 of the recommendable energizing time "ts". The above-described abnormality warning section 20 decides that the condition of the welding portion of the base metal is extremely bad or there is an abnormality such as severe wear of the welding electrodes when the ratio of the estimated total energizing time "te" to the recommendable energizing time "ts" is extremely far from 1, and generates a warning by activating the buzzer and the red indicator lamp in accordance with the judgement result. As explained above, the apparatus comprises input key 10 and recommendable condition table 11 cooperatively constituting the condition setting section 9, as well as the nugget setting section 12, the present nugget estimating section 14, the nugget growth predicting section 15, the deenergizing judgement section 16, the current control judgement section 17, the control section 18, the correction table 19, and the abnormality warning section 20. In other words, the apparatus allows each welding machine operator to input a required nugget size directly through the nugget setting section 12 for setting the welding conditions instead of inputting various data for the welding conditions, including the welding current and the energizing time, with reference to a predetermined welding condition table and further without requiring expert correction thereon. Thus, it becomes possible to reduce the burden of the welding machine operator, such as requisite expertise. And, the control of welding current is executed by predicting the nugget growth process during the welding operation and judging the acceptability thereof. Furthermore, when the nugget has grown to the required nugget size, the energizing operation is stopped automatically. Hence, it becomes possible to assure a preferable growth of the nugget so as to have a predetermined strength. In Fig. 1, the welding current is detected by toroidal coil 5. However, it is possible to use a current shunt. Moreover, it is possible to detect the welding current by measuring the primary current of the welding power source transformer. The condition setting section 9 can automatically set the initial welding conditions with reference to the recommendable condition table 11. However, it is of course possible for the welding machine operator to directly input the initial welding conditions by manual operation. Furthermore the welding current is preferably adjusted based on a constant-current control. However, it is possible to adopt a well-known pattern control utilizing the up-slope in the starting phase of the energizing operation or a current increase after the nugget growth is stabilized. It is preferable to perform the current control once or twice during one welding operation. However, it is needless to say that the total number of the current controls per welding operation can be flexibly changed. Yet further, it is possible to skip the current control during the present welding operation. In this case, after completing the present welding operation, the setting value of the welding current is changed for the next welding operation performed for another welding point. It is preferable that the control time "tc" is in the range from 1/3 to 1/2 of the recommendable energizing time "ts". However, the present invention does not prohibit to set the control time "tc" to be smaller than 1/3 of recommendable energizing time "ts" or to be larger than 1/2 on the other hand. Furthermore, it is possible to set the control time "tc" to be a specific time reachable by counting a predetermined value from the moment the nugget growth is first confirmed (i.e. t0 in Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C). Still further, deenergizing judgement section 16 preferably compares the present nugget size with the setting nugget size to generate the deenergizing signal. However, the similar effect will be obtained by uniformly starting the deenergizing operation at the time the recommendable energizing time "ts" has elapsed, because the present embodiment can control the increase-or-decrease of the welding current adequately so as to obtain an optimum welding current. Furthermore, the present nugget diameter is preferably estimated based on the energizing diameter, the temperature distribution, and the heat input density obtained according to the method similar to the conventional method expressed by steps 106 through 110 of Fig. 5. However, it is possible to detect at least one of the welding current, the interelectrode voltage and the interelectrode distance and then estimate the nugget diameter in accordance with the correlation between the nugget growth and the change of the detected value itself or a combination of detected values (e.g. a resistance value obtained by dividing a detected voltage by a detected current). Still further, the nugget size is preferably expressed by the diameter for use in the settings, estimations, or predictions. However, it is of course possible to express the nugget size by the thickness, volume or temperature distribution region. Moreover, the welding current control preferably uses a thyrister. Needless to say, it is possible to adopt other control method such as an inverter method. As explained in the foregoing description, a control apparatus for a resistance welding machine is provided, which comprises setting nugget input means, present nugget estimating means, nugget growth predicting means for predicting a nugget growth curve after a present time and a required energizing time for the predicted nugget growth, current control judgement means for generating a control signal used for controlling a welding current so as to equalize the required energizing time with a recommendable energizing time, and control means for controlling the welding current. With this arrangement, the present invention allows each welding machine operator to input a required nugget size directly for setting the welding condition instead of inputting various data for the welding conditions, including the welding current and the energizing time, with reference to a predetermined welding condition table and further without requiring expert correction thereon. Thus, it becomes possible to reduce the burden of the welding machine operator, such as requisite expertise. Thus, it becomes possible to provide an excellent control apparatus for a resistance welding machine capable of always producing a preferable nugget having a predetermined strength regardless of the machining accuracy of the base metals to be welded and wear of the welding electrodes.

Claims: A control apparatus for a resistance welding machine, comprising: input means (12) for inputting a required nugget size; welding current detecting means (5) for detecting a welding current; interelectrode voltage detecting means (6) for detecting an interelectrode voltage; calculating means (13) for predicting a nugget growth characterized in that said calculating means comprises: present nugget size estimating means (14) for estimating a size of a present nugget; and nugget growth predicting means (15) for predicting a nugget growth curve after a present time and a required energizing time for reaching said required nugget size; the apparatus further including control means (21) comprising: current control judgement means (17) for generating a control signal to equalize the required energizing time with a recommendable energizing time; and control means (18) for controlling said welding current during welding in accordance with said control signal. The control apparatus for a resistance welding machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising deenergizing judgement means (16) for generating a deenergizing signal when the present nugget size estimated by said present nugget size estimating means becomes equal to said required nugget size set by said input means. The control apparatus for a resistence welding machine in accordance with claim 2 or 3, further comprising detecting means (7) for detecting the interelectrode distance during a welding operation, wherein said present nugget size estimating means (14) estimates the size of the present nugget growing during the welding operation based on variation of at least one of the welding current, interelectrode voltage, and interelectrode distance detected by one of said detecting means. The control apparatus for a resistance welding machine in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising condition input means (10) for inputting information relating to a base metal, recommendable condition memory means (11), and welding condition setting means (9) for automatically setting initial welding conditions suitable for said base material. The control apparatus for a resistance welding machine in accordance with claim 4, wherein said present nugget size estimating means (14) uses a correction table (19) in the correction of said present nugget size estimated based on the information relating to the base metal. The control apparatus for a resistance welding machine in accordance with any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising abnormality warning means (20) for generating an alarm when the required energizing time obtained by said nugget growth predicting means (15), or one of a difference and a ratio between the recommendable energizing time and a time interval from start of energizing to generation of the deenergizing signal, is not within a predetermined region. The control apparatus for a resistance welding machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heat input control means comprises: optimum welding current estimating means (212) for generating a control signal representing an optimum welding current value, and welding current control means (215) for controlling the welding current in accordance with said control signal produced from said optimum welding current estimating means.

Inventors: FUJII KOJI, GOTO YASUHIRO, RYUDO MAKOTO, FUJII, KOJI, GOTO, YASUHIRO, RYUDO, MAKOTO
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B23K11
IPC codes: B23K11