Compare Resistance Welding Controls

WeldComputer has standard power assemblies for any welding requirement, from less than 100 amps to more than 1,000,000 amps. Select a power assembly size that will handle the largest welding current you will need for the machine. Select the breaker size needed to meet the duty cycle requirements. For assistance in selecting the best assembly size and breaker size for the application, contact the factory.

The Multi-Variable Adaptive Control option is based on selected variables and allows the control system to make hundreds of decisions every millisecond to determine the appropriate actions to take during each millisecond of welding. The Adaptive Control has the intelligence to identify many different conditions that can affect weld consistency, as each weld is taking place, and instantly take the appropriate actions to correct or compensate for the problems. It corrects for variations in force, part thickness, surface contamination, poor part fit-up, shunting, flattening electrodes, expulsions, and other problems. 

Full adaptive control improves the consistency of all welds produced, converts what would otherwise be failed welds into successful ones, and immediately alerts the operation when it’s not possible to produce a good weld. This option is designed to enhance the precision and reliability of the welding process, and to provide a more flexible and responsive control system that can adapt to changing conditions and improve the quality of the welds.

Industrial hardened packaging protects electronics in harsh manufacturing over capital life of the equipment.

Wave synthesis technology built into each WeldComputer Control provides the ability to drive any welding transformer (AC, 3 phase, Frequency Converter or MFDC). It can also be used to program the frequency and waveform pattern of the current synthesized by the control, with sub-millisecond granularity, in order to optimize the performance of the welding transformer and the welding process.

The WeldComputer Control has standard weld schedule programs available for just about every type of application, and can easily be edited to fit any customer needs. This customization grants welding engineers the flexibility to achieve any type of weld schedule functionality, enabling standard equipment to be customized for any application. 

Each Weld Schedule program in a WeldComputer control can be configured, named, and saved with thousands of program steps, and instruct the control to operate with hundreds of configurable user settable parameters. Additionally, WeldComputer software allows for role-based access controls to define multiple user access levels and limitations for each profile – Administrators to allow the underlying access to the welding schedule and adjust system calibrations; Supervisors can be limited to adjust various parameters; Operator level access where the user can be restricted as far as to only being able to load and run the production weld schedule.

Parametric Programming capability allows the user a simpler way to manage complex process setups that require many interdependent adjustments. The capability allows the operator to adjust a single parameter that can adjust multiple linked parameters at once. There are no limits to how many parameters can be grouped together using this capability.

As a simple example, suppose a user is instructed that whenever setting the Down Pressure Parameter to a specific psi value, they should set the Up Pressure Parameter to 10 less than the Down Pressure Parameter value . In this scenario, if we’re setting down pressure to 50 then we must set up pressure to 40. If we adjust the down pressure to 60 then we must set the up pressure to 50. Each time we adjust the down pressure, we have to make a second up pressure adjustment as well. Using Parametric Programming, the user can create a parameter “PSI less than down that up is set to” that we would set to 10. Now, when someone adjusts the “Down Pressure” parameter, the Up Pressure value automatically gets set to Down Pressure – 10. This grouping of parameters under a master parameter allows the user to make a single adjustment instead of two.

The Integrated Monitor Upgrade, with the selected variables to meet the manufacturer’s quality assurance verification standards, provides proof of accurate process performance for every weld produced. It provides millisecond-by-millisecond monitoring and digital data recording of the programmed current and the selected monitoring variables for each weld, along with a date and time stamp. 

This option enables operators and robots to easily monitor the accuracy of the welding process from start to finish and instantly receive notification when a problem occurs. Resistance welding outfits without this type of intelligent monitoring have problem welds pass through production that are not detected with periodic destructive tests. They also incur more downtime and labor figuring out when problems exist and what to do to correct them. In addition to increasing weld quality assurance, monitoring helps to eliminate guesswork and reduce troubleshooting time, ensuring efficient and reliable operation of the welding machine.

The Force Control Safety System is a safety system that allows the welding electrodes to come down under a low pressure to prevent serious injury to the operator. Once metal is detected, the system immediately goes to the predetermined welding pressure. 

This feature is designed to bring the welding head down at low force, ensure that the electrodes are in contact with the workpiece before increasing the force and completing the weld, or abort the weld and raise the head if contact is not achieved. If any foreign objects, such as a finger or hand, are detected, the welding operation is immediately halted to prevent the application of high electrode force and potential injury. 

This system helps to ensure the safety of the operator and the integrity of the welding process.

Timing the start of weld heat can be a major problem for resistance welding operations. Even something as simple as changing out the electrodes can alter the timing of the welding process, potentially causing the heat to start too soon before full electrode force is applied, resulting in expulsion or damage to the part and electrodes. The WeldComputer Contact Gauge is an effective solution for eliminating these variations and improving the repeatability of the welding process. It ensures that a user-programmed minimum cylinder pressure is reached before the weld is initiated, providing better operator safety and more consistent results. 

The Digital Contact Gauge with Differential Pressure Transducer also prevents weld initiation until the differential weld cylinder pressure meets the user-specified minimum value, and immediately cuts off the welding heat if pressure is lost during the welding process. 

This option improves machine safety and weld consistency by synchronizing the weld sequencing with the pressure in the welding cylinder, and provides repeatability and reliability superior to a mechanically actuated contact gauge.

Manual pressure adjustments using dials can be error-prone, and even a small deviation of just one PSI can cause a significant variation in the welding process. The Digital Programmable Air System with Feedback provides two channels of digitally controlled pressure regulation with a range of 0.1 to 99.9 PSI. The Standard resolution version is programmable in 0.5 PSI pressure increments, and High resolution version, in 0.1 PSI increments. 

Computer controlled air allows for more precise and consistent pressure regulation, eliminating the inconsistencies and variations caused by manual adjustments with manual regulators. The established pressure settings are automatically stored and recalled with each weld schedule, providing repeatable and accurate pressure control. Each pressure channel uses automatic closed-loop feedback to continuously maintain the regulated pressures at the programmed target values, ensuring stable and consistent operation of the welding machine. 

The Digital Programmable Air System with Feedback eliminates the need for crude manual adjustments, which can create unnecessary sources of process variation and produce unnecessary scrap. It provides more accurate pressure regulation and eliminates variations caused by inconsistent operator settings, ensuring reliable and consistent welding performance.

The Cascade Firing option allows up to 16 machines to fire from the same WeldComputer Control, enabling more efficient production and reducing the need for multiple control systems and operators, even if some transformers are MFDC and some are AC.

The Microsoft Window-based touchscreen computer with installed Data Viewer software is available for inlay on the door of the WeldComputer control cabinet, or as a 21-inch panel mount system to mount separately. This system is designed to provide easy and convenient access to data and information about the welding process, and to allow for the easy and intuitive weld schedule editing with drop down menus that logically organize the different groups of settable parameters used to control the machine. 

The touchscreen interface is user-friendly and allows for easy navigation of the software and the welding controls. This option is ideal for those who want to monitor and control the welding process from a separate location, and for those who want to take advantage of the advanced data analysis capabilities of the Data Viewer software.

Select a protocol that can include Ethernet/IP, ProfiNet, DeviceNet, or Modbus. These protocols can be used to interface the welding machine with other equipment such as PLCs, allowing for seamless integration and communication between different systems. 

This option is designed to improve the flexibility and functionality of the welding machine, and it is an essential tool for those who need to integrate their welding equipment with other automation systems. The support for multiple industrial protocols allows users to choose the protocol that best meets their needs and requirements, and it enables the welding machine to be easily integrated into a wide range of production environments and applications.

The Data Bridge provides the ability to store large amounts of data and to transfer data and weld schedule files between the control and the outside world via Ethernet. 

This allows for high-level support and troubleshooting assistance to be provided remotely, facilitating easier maintenance and support of the welding machine.

The Analog Output Option provides an analog output that can be programmed to any value between -10V and +10V under weld schedule control. This output can be used as a ground referenced signal input to most popular motor drives to control the motor speed and direction of the seam welder. 

In non-seam systems this output can be programmed by the weld schedule to echo the value of a selected variable, such as current or force, so it can be monitored in real-time by an oscilloscope or other external device.

Extra I/O adds up to 64 combined 24VDC Inputs and 24VDC Outputs. These inputs and outputs can be programmed to perform a multitude of functions desired under weld schedule control, and in most cases, eliminate the need for a separate PLC. Typical functions used for these extra signals include operating multiple valves, relays, indicators, stack lights and alarms, and monitoring buttons, switches, proximity sensors, managing machines with multiple heads, and interfacing with other automation equipment.

The Solid State Tip Arc Relay is recommended for Sciaky spot welders and other welders with a frequency converter transformer. It prevents an arc from developing between the electrode and the part as the tips open after a weld is performed. This electronic relay eliminates common service issues that typically occur with other tip arc relays by performing the function electronically, without any physical contacts that can wear down or fuses that can blow. 

This option is designed to improve the reliability and durability of the welding machine, and prevent arcs from developing that leave black spots on the surface of the welds produced and degrade the electrodes.

The Secondary Current Feedback option is recommended for machines with a Frequency Converter transformer, as it eliminates measurement errors from the onset of transformer saturation during welding. This option is also recommended for machines with a non-linear welding transformer, as it provides accurate measurement and control of secondary current. 

This option is designed to improve the accuracy and reliability of the welding process, and to ensure that the machine is operating at optimal levels of performance. It is an essential tool for maintaining the quality and consistency of the welds, and for maximizing the efficiency and productivity of the welding operation.