Interval model control of Consumable Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding process

Kehai Li, Yuming Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

This application paper concerns the modeling and control of an innovative welding process, namely, the Consumable Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding. This innovative process can dramatically increase welding productivity and reduce weld distortion. It has demonstrated the feasibility to double the travel speed for automatic welding but requires controls to realize its unique advantages. To reach this goal, the bypass voltage and base metal current were selected as process outputs to be controlled. The bypass current and main wire feed speed were selected as the inputs and the control system was reduced to two single-inputsingle-output (SISO) subsystems for convenient implementation and design. Physical analysis and derivation show that these subsystems can be approximated as first-order model systems but their parameters depend on manufacturing conditions. Hence, they were described using first-order interval models whose parameters are unknown but bounded by known intervals. Step response experiments were conducted with selected range of manufacturing conditions to identify a few models for each of the subsystems. These models were then used to derive two interval models. To increase the stability margin, the intervals identified were artificially enlarged. Finally, a prediction-based interval model control algorithm was used to control the resultant interval models and closed-loop control experiments verified the effectiveness of the developed control system.

Original languageEnglish
Article number5325790
Pages (from-to)826-839
Number of pages14
JournalIEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
Volume7
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Manuscript received August 07, 2009. Date of publication November 10, 2009; date of current version October 06, 2010. This paper was recommended for publication by Associate Editor S. Bogdan and Editor M. Zhou upon evaluation of the reviewers’ comments. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant CMMI-0355324 entitled as “Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding.” K. Li was with the Center for Manufacturing and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 USA. He is now with ESAB, Florence, SC 29501 USA (e-mail: [email protected]).

Keywords

  • Gas metal arc welding (GMAW)
  • manufacturing
  • modeling
  • productivity
  • welding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Control and Systems Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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