A Didactic Computational Tool for Monitoring and Control of Arc Welding Processes-Teaching and Research
This paper describes the development of a control and monitoring platform for arc welding processes, which provides versatility and efficiency in the scientific study and teaching of welding technology. The implemented system is capable of executing different welding modalities as well as effecting substantial changes in their function logic in a simple and didactic manner. One of the innovations promoted by the development of this system is the possibility of drawing waveforms of the welding current for the arc welding processes (MIG/MAG, TIG, Plasma) thus allowing a more visual and interactive method for demonstrating the characteristics of each variant. This also allows deepening of the studies related to the metal transfer (MIG/MAG) and, as a consequence, presenting technological innovations for this process. The control and monitoring platform developed was structured in such a way as to be able to incorporate new technologies, allowing its updating together with the evolution of welding processes. The generated files can also be exported and transferred online, so that several institutions are able to interact in synergic projects. In this context, this system is presented as an alternative with significant potential for welding studies in teaching and research institutions both in Brazil and abroad. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 239-246, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20390
mig/mag tig plasma welding teaching and research automation