US20090152251A1 - Personalized interface for torch system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for quick identification and selection of torch processes based on a profile scheme. In an illustrated embodiment, a profile selectable via a one-click process may define operational parameters for one or more torch processes. Multiple profiles may be identified by corresponding labels that are visible on the face of the system. Furthermore, in an illustrated embodiment, the profiles and associated torch processes may be automatically stored in the system upon user configuration of the operational parameters. For example, in one embodiment, the user may select a profile and configure a welding process. Upon changing an operational parameter, it may be automatically saved to the selected profile and process. Reselection of that profile may recall the last used process and its associated parameters. The operational parameters of other configured processes may then be retrieved by selecting the desired process within the selected profile.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is a Non-Provisional patent application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/014,670, entitled “PERSONALIZED INTERFACE FOR TORCH SYSTEM AND METHOD”, filed Dec. 18, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
• The invention relates generally to a torch system and control of various features according to user preferences.
• Torch systems generally support different types of processes, including metal inert gas (MIG) welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, stick welding, air carbon arc cutting (CAC-A), plasma arc cutting, etc. Multi-process torch equipment may provide control for several processes in a single unit. A multi-process torch system may employ a relatively sophisticated user interface with controls, displays, etc. to setup and control the various processes for which it is designed. Depending on the specific application, an operator may be required to switch between welding and/or cutting processes on a regular basis to properly complete a job. Switching between processes may require the operator to select the new process to be used and to change the equipment settings to achieve optimal performance. This process is time consuming, impacts productivity, and requires the operator to remember the specific settings for each particular process. Furthermore, a single torch system is often used by multiple operators, and each operator may have personal preferences for a given type of process. Each operator may need to adjust the system before every use, which can become very time consuming.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
• A torch system, in one embodiment, may include a personalized interface having multiple selectors each corresponding to a configurable profile. Each selector may adjust operational parameters of the torch system upon selection. In another embodiment, a torch system may include a programmable controller having a personalized user interface. The personalized user interface may have at least one quick selector for recalling the operational parameters of a torch process. A torch system, in another embodiment, may include tangible, machine-readable media having code executable to save operational parameters for multiple profiles automatically upon user selection of the operational parameters for each profile and/or code executable to recall the operational parameters for each profile to configure the torch system based on a one-click user selection of each profile. In a further embodiment, a method includes automatically saving a user profile to a profile selector based on one or more selections of operational parameters of a torch system via controls separate from the profile selector. A further embodiment of a torch system may include a personalized interface having multiple customizable profiles, each having operational parameters for the torch system, wherein a desired customizable profile is selectable without scrolling through a list of the customizable profiles.
DRAWINGS
• These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a torch system having a personalized interface in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention;
• FIGS. 2-4 are front views of exemplary personalized interfaces for use with the torch system ofFIG. 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
• FIG. 5 is an organizational chart for a plurality of profiles and processes in accordance with the exemplary embodiments illustrated inFIGS. 2-4;
• FIGS. 6-7 are front views of exemplary personalized interfaces for use with the torch system ofFIG. 1 in accordance with further embodiments of the present invention;
• FIG. 8 is an organizational chart for a plurality of profiles and processes in accordance with the exemplary embodiments illustrated inFIGS. 7-8; and
• FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a process control board for use in the torch system ofFIG. 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
• When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Moreover, the use of “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” and variations of these terms is made for convenience, but does not require any particular orientation of the components. Finally, in the illustrated embodiments, features may be referred to as “selectors,” “buttons,” “switches,” or “knobs,” however these elements are not intended to be limited to the specific terminology used. That is, a “button” may include, for example, a push-button, a toggle switch, a knob, or any similar device. Likewise, a “switch” is not limited to a single type of switch, such as a toggle, but may include a push-button or a knob, among other devices. A “knob” may be, for example, a quadrature encoder, a dial, a rotary switch, or a similar device.
• A “quick selector,” as the term is used herein, may include any device that enables quick selection or deselection of an option. For example, a button may be considered a quick selector because an option may be selected or deselected merely by depression of the button. Likewise, a switch or a knob may be considered a quick selector. A scrolling device, on the other hand, would not be considered a quick selector as such a device requires scrolling through a list to select or deselect an option. Similarly, multi-step selection devices are not quick selectors.
• FIG. 1 illustrates amulti-process torch system10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Themulti-process torch system10 may be configured to perform multiple processes, such as, for example, stick welding, flux cored arc welding (FCAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), metal inert gas (MIG) welding, pulsed MIG welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, pulsed TIG welding, spot welding, resistance spot welding (RSW), submerged arc welding (SAW), regulated metal deposition (RMD), air carbon arc cutting (CAC-A), plasma arc cutting, induction heating, power generation, wire feeding, or a combination thereof.
• Thesystem10 generally includes a power/control unit12 having apower source14 and acontroller16; right and left torches orguns18 and20, respectively; and ashielding gas source22. The power/control unit12 may be coupled to awire feeder24 configured to control the wire supply to the first andsecond guns18 and20. Thecontroller16 may include apower source interface26 and a process control board (not shown). Thepower source interface26 includes aprocess interface28 for inputting operational parameters to the process control board and aprofile interface30 for selecting a desired profile. The process control board includes hardware and circuitry for storing programs (e.g., code on memory) to operate thetorch system10. Furthermore, thewire feeder24 may include awire feeder interface32 coupled to thecontroller16 such that operational parameters may be input to the process control board via thewire feeder interface32. Thepower source interface26 and thewire feeder interface32 may control the same or different configuration settings.
• An exemplary embodiment of thepower source interface26 with unique personalization control features is illustrated inFIG. 2. Thepower source interface26 may include controls for multiple welding, cutting, or heating processes. In the illustrated embodiment, thepower source interface26 includes a plurality of profiles which may be selected by choosing aprofile selector36. Eachprofile selector36 has anadjacent display area38 for labeling the profile. For example, each profile may be assigned to a different user, and thedisplay areas38 may list the users' names. In another example, each profile may be assigned to a torch process, and thedisplay areas38 may list the processes. Thedisplay areas38 may include white boards or ceramic labels on which users may write with a pen, grease pencil, marker, etc. In another embodiment, thedisplay areas38 may enable application of stickers or magnets to thepower source interface26. In a further embodiment, thedisplay areas38 may include digital displays, such as an LCD or similar screen. In this embodiment, labels may be programmed into thepower source interface26 for display on thedisplay areas38. A light integral with or adjacent to eachprofile selector36 may indicate which profile is selected. The light may be integral with the profile numbers such that the selected profile number lights up while the profile is selected. If thedisplay area38 is a display, the display may indicate which profile is selected by lighting up or alerting the user in another manner.
• Each profile may correspond to one or more sets of operational parameters for the torch system10 (FIG. 1). For example, each profile may correspond to a type of process, such as those described above. A user may utilize controls independent from theprofile selectors36, as described below, to set the operational parameters for each process and then simply choose one of theprofile selectors36 to recall the saved operational parameters for that profile. In another embodiment, each profile may be associated with a particular user, and the operational parameters for multiple processes may be designated within the user's profile. That is, operational parameters for multiple processes, such as those described above, may be saved to each profile. The desired user profile may be recalled by selecting one of theprofile selectors36. The desired process may then be selected, as described below, and the user's saved operational parameters for that process are recalled. In any embodiment, selection of the desiredprofile selector36 automatically recalls operational parameters associated with the selected profile without the need to change other settings on thetorch system10. Additionally, thetorch system10 may be set to a default profile and process upon first use, and each profile may likewise have default settings which can be adjusted by the user, as described below.
• The illustrated exemplarypower source interface26 includes control settings for stick and TIG welding processes. Astick button40 may initiate the stick welding process. Thepower source interface26 may include indicators to notify the user which settings are selected. For example, selection of thestick button40 may light up the “STICK” label or thebutton40. Anelectrode switch42 allows the user to select between multiple possible electrodes to use in the stick welding process. For example, the user may select between an E6010 and an E7018 electrode, depending on the process parameters. Other electrode types may be offered as options in addition to, or instead of, the E6010 and E7018 electrodes. Theelectrode switch42 may be a toggle switch, and the selected electrode may be the one toward which the toggle is biased. In another embodiment, theelectrode switch42 may be a push button, and the label for the selected electrode may light up to indicate the selection. Finally, anamperage knob44 enables the user to adjust the amperage supplied to the torch (e.g., welding gun) in the stick welding process. The amperage may be displayed on adisplay46, such as, for example, an LED or a seven-segment display. As described in more detail below, after the user selects one of theprofile selectors36 and adjusts the settings for the stick welding process, the selected settings may be automatically saved to the selected profile. That is, the user may return at a later time and select the previously-used profile to enable the configured settings. In another embodiment, the user may adjust the settings for the stick welding process then save the settings to a particular profile. For example, theprofile selector36 corresponding to the desired profile may be depressed and held for several seconds to save the settings to that profile.
• In addition to the stick welding process, the exemplarypower source interface26 includes control settings for a TIG welding process. A single profile may store several processes, including both stick welding parameters and TIG welding parameters. Parameters for additional processes may be stored in each profile and accessed via additional buttons. For example, aTIG button48 may initiate the TIG welding process. As described above, selection of theTIG button48 may light up the “TIG” label or thebutton48. Parameters for both stick welding and TIG welding may be stored in a given profile and recalled upon depression of thestick button40 or theTIG button48, depending on the desired process. Astart switch50 enables the user to select whether to use a high frequency start method or a lift arc start method. The chosen start method may be indicated by a toggle switch or a lit label. Theamperage knob44 may be utilized to adjust amperage for the TIG welding process in addition to the stick welding process. Adjusting theamperage knob44 changes the amperage setting only for the selected process. That is, if theTIG button48 is depressed, rotating theamperage knob44 adjusts only the amperage setting for the TIG welding process; the amperage setting for the stick welding process is not affected.
• FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of thepower source interface26 with unique personalization control features. In the illustrated embodiment, additional controls are provided to enable programming of additional welding process parameters for each profile. Specifically, the illustratedinterface26 includes all features of the interface26 (FIG. 2) along with many more user selections related to material, wire size, gas, and so forth. As with the buttons described above, selection of the operating parameters may be indicated by the position of a toggle or knob, or by the chosen option lighting up.
• For each welding process, a base material for creating a weld, such as carbon steel or stainless steel in the illustrated embodiment, may be designated using abase material switch54. Awire size switch56 enables the user to specify the diameter (e.g., 0.035 or 0.045 inches) of the wire used in the welding process. For a MIG welding process, aMIG type switch58 may be utilized to select the desired MIG welding process. For example, the user may designate a standard MIG process, a regulated metal deposition (RMD) process, or a pulsed MIG process via theswitch58.
• In addition, agas selection button60 may enable the user to select a shielding gas for the MIG welding process. Thegas selection button60 may, for example, be pressed until the desired gas is illuminated on anadjacent display chart62. The gas selection may be limited by the base material and MIG type selections, as indicated in the illustrated embodiment. For example, if the user has chosen carbon as the base material (switch54) and pulse as the MIG type (switch58), the gas selection may be limited to C8-C15 (i.e., a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide containing approximately 8-15% CO₂) as this is the only option available in the Carbon Steel-Pulse column indisplay chart62. On the other hand, if the user has chosen stainless steel as the base material (switch54) and RMD as the MIG type (switch58), the gas selection may include C2 (i.e., a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide containing approximately 2% CO₂), 98/2 Ox (i.e., a mixture containing approximately 98% argon and 2% oxygen), TriH (i.e., a mixture containing approximately 90% helium, 7.5% argon, and 2.5% carbon dioxide), or others as indicated in the Stainless-MIG/RMD column. Selection of “others” may change the displayed options if more options are available than fit on thedisplay62. It should be understood that any appropriate gases may be utilized in the present system, and thedisplay chart62 may be updated accordingly.
• Additionally, if a fixed torch is utilized in the designated welding process, the user may indicate this by depressing afixed torch button64. Finally, a triggerselect button66 may enable or disable the ability of the user to change profiles by clicking a trigger on the torch or gun.
• Turning toFIG. 4, an exemplary embodiment of thewire feeder interface32 with unique personalization control features is illustrated. Thewire feeder interface32, like thepower source interface26, may include control settings for various processes (e.g., welding) using a wire. In the illustrated embodiment, aleft gun button70 and aright gun button72 may be utilized to select the desiredgun18 or20, respectively. As described above, the user may determine whether buttons on thewire feeder interface32 are selected based on the position of a toggle switch, a lit label, or a similar indicator. For example, where a button has only one selection, as with the left andright gun buttons70 and72, thebuttons70 and72 may light up upon selection. For each gun, a welding process may be selected usingprocess selection buttons74 and76. For example, theprocess selection button74 may be depressed or toggled to select between a MIG welding process and a flux cored arc welding (FCAW) process using theleft gun18. Similarly, theprocess selection button76 may enable selection of a MIG welding process or a FCAW process using theright gun20. Within each welding process, parameters may be set utilizing avoltage knob78 and a wirefeed speed knob80. The selected voltage and wire feed speed are displayed ondisplays82 and84 adjacent to theknobs78 and80, respectively. Thedisplays82 and84 may be, for example, LCDs or seven-segment displays. Atrigger hold button88 may enable the user to weld for an extended period of time without holding down the welding gun trigger.
• In addition, aprofile selection button90 may be disposed on thewire feeder interface32 to enable the user to easily switch between profiles without returning to the power/control unit12 (FIG. 1). This feature is useful when thepower source14 is located remotely from thewire feeder24. In one embodiment, the label for the chosen profile may be lit to indicate which profile is selected. In another embodiment, theprofile selection button90 may be a knob with an indicator pointing at the selected profile. Other indicators of profile selection may be used as well. Additionally, ajog button92 may be depressed to thread wire through thewelding gun18 or20 without activating the weld process. Similarly, apurge button94 may be depressed to purge shielding gas from thegun18 or20 without activating the welding process.
• FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating anexemplary profile hierarchy112 that may be associated with theprofile selectors36 and90 of theexemplary interfaces26 and32 illustrated inFIGS. 2-4. The illustrated embodiments include only four profiles, although an unlimited number of profiles may be utilized. In the illustrated embodiments, a user may select a user/process profile114 by selecting one of the profile selectors36 (FIG. 2 or3) or depressing the profile selection button90 (FIG.4) until the desired profile number is selected. The first time theprofile114 is selected, default welding parameters are automatically recalled. For example, the default settings for profile one may be a stick welding process utilizing an E6010 electrode at 85 amps. The user may change the settings for the stick welding process or select a different process. In this example, any changes made while profile one is selected are saved such that they may be recalled at a later time. A different user/process profile114 may be selected, and upon returning to profile one the last utilized process and settings will automatically be recalled. In addition, changes to any other processes within profile one may be recalled by selecting the desired process.
• The user may select the desiredprofile114 via theprofile selectors36 and90. By programming operational parameters into theprofiles114, the desired parameters associated with eachprofile114 may be recalled with a single push of a button (e.g., theprofile selectors36 and90) without the trouble of manually adjusting each and every control on thesystem10. For example, theprofile114 may correspond to a specific user and/or to a specific process. Within theprofile114, the user may select between astick process116, aTIG process118, aleft gun process120, or aright gun process122. Thestick process116 may include selection of either anE6010 electrode124 or anE7018 electrode126. For eachelectrode124 and126,amperage128 and130 may be set, respectively. Likewise, in the TIG process, anamperage132 may be input, and ahigh frequency start134 or a lift-arc start136 may be selected. For theleft gun120, aMIG process138 or aFCAW process140 may be selected. Avoltage142 and awire feed speed144 may be adjusted for theMIG process138, and atrigger hold option146 may be selected. Likewise, for theFCAW process140, avoltage148 and awire feed speed150 may be input, and atrigger hold option152 may be selected. As with theleft gun process120, theright gun process122 may be aMIG process154 or aFCAW process156. For each of theMIG process154 and theFCAW process156, the user may select avoltage158 and160, awire speed feed162 and164, and atrigger hold option166 and168, respectively. Other settings and processes may be specified based on the processes available on the givenwelding system10. If multiple processes are defined in the desiredprofile114, the user may also press a button (e.g.,stick button40,TIG button48, leftgun button70,right gun button72, etc.) to recall the operational parameters associated with the desiredprocess116,118,130, or122 in the desiredprofile114.
• Furthermore, it may be desirable to set eachprofile114 to a specific process having user-independent settings. For example, profile one may be set to automatically recall settings for thestick welding process116, while profile two may automatically initialize theTIG welding process118. Every user of thewelding system10 may then utilize the same process settings. This feature enables one-touch switching between processes by assigning a different process or different settings to eachprofile114. One-touch recall of different process settings may be especially useful where certain welding processes are commonly used on thewelding system10 and the settings for each process do not change from user to user. The process specified for eachprofile114 may be labeled on the display area38 (FIGS. 2-3) so that the user can easily identify whichprofile selector36 corresponds to whichprofile114.
• In addition, if thewelding system10 is used by different welders who have preferred settings for each welding process, eachprofile114 may be assigned to a different user. The users' names may be displayed on the display areas38 (FIGS. 2-3) adjacent to theprofile selectors36. The user may then select his or her name and adjust the available welding process to preference. In this scenario, the user may press the desiredprofile selector36 to return to the last welding process utilized by that user. If desired, a different process may then be selected within that user'sprofile114. In another embodiment, theprofile selectors36 may be pressed multiple times to step through the processes associated with the user. That is, the user may press theprofile selector36 next to his name once to recall hisprofile114 and his first designated process (or last used process). Pressing thesame profile selector36 again may switch thesystem10 to the next process associated with theprofile114. In this manner, the user may select hisprofile selector36 until the desired process is activated, as indicated by the same indicators described above which would otherwise indicate selection of a given process.
• Another exemplary embodiment of thepower source interface26 with unique personalization control features is illustrated inFIG. 6. Many of the controls described inFIG. 3 are also included in the present embodiment, wherein like element numbers indicate like features. For example, to enable programming of welding process parameters for each profile, the illustratedinterface26 includes user selections related to continuous wire process type, material, wire, gas, and so forth. Acover170 may be attached to thepower source interface26 to protect and/or hide some or all of the selection buttons when closed. In the illustrated embodiment, thecover170 is rotatably coupled to theinterface26, e.g., via a hinge or pivot joints171. As with the buttons described above, selection of the operating parameters may be indicated by the position of a toggle or knob, or by the chosen option lighting up. As described above, the buttons, selectors, knobs, and so forth described herein may be push-buttons, toggles, knobs, quadrature encoders, dials, rotary switches, or any similar device. In addition, theprofile selector36 operates as described above.
• Thepower source interface26 illustrated inFIG. 6 may enable selection of operating parameters for stick, TIG, and MIG welding processes. For example, thestick button40 initiates programming of a stick welding process, and theelectrode switch42 allows the user to select the electrode type. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrode types may be denoted as EXX10 and EXX18 to indicate that electrodes of varying tensile strengths may be interchanged in the system. Similarly, theTIG button48 initiates programming of a TIG welding process. The user may select a high frequency start method or a lift-arc start method using thestart switch50. In addition, the amperage supplied to the torch (e.g., welding gun) may be altered by rotating theamperage knob44, and the output amperage may be displayed on thedisplay46.
• When a continuous wire process is selected, theMIG type switch58 enables the user to select a continuous wire welding process type, such as, for example, a flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) process, a standard MIG welding process, a regulated metal deposition (RMD) process, or a pulsed MIG welding process. For the selected process, the base material may be selected or input via thebase material switch54, and the wire diameter may be selected or input via thewire size switch56. In addition, thegas selection button60 may enable the user to select a shielding gas for MIG welding processes, as described above. The selected gas may be displayed on theadjacent display chart62. The triggerselect button66 may enable or disable the ability of the user to change profiles by clicking the trigger on the torch or gun (e.g., the right and leftwelding guns18 and20).
• In addition to the process settings configurable at thepower source interface26, the left orright gun18 or20 (FIG. 1) may be selected via a sideselect button172. By enabling the user to select the gun at the power source, the user may not be required to walk back and forth between the power source and the wire feeder. This feature may be especially useful where the power source is located at a considerable distance from the wire feeder.
• The illustrated embodiment of thepower source interface26 may also include amemory interface174. Thememory interface174 may enable communication with a portable memory unit, such as a flash memory card, a pen drive, or an external hard drive, on which profile information may be stored. In an exemplary embodiment, thememory interface174 may have one or morememory card slots175 to receive portable memory cards (e.g., Secure Digital, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, xD, PCMCIA, SmartMedia, etc.). In another embodiment, thememory interface174 may include a port to which an external memory device may be coupled (e.g., USB or mini-USB device, external hard drive, FireWire device, eSATA drive, i.Link device, parallel SCSI device, etc.). Acover176 may protect thememory interface174 when not in use or when a memory card is inserted in thecard slot175. The cover may be rotatably coupled to theinterface26, e.g., via a hinge or pivot joints177.
• While the portable memory unit is coupled to thememory interface174, information may be copied to and/or from the process control board (not shown). For example, by pressing asave button178, the user may copy the settings from thepower source interface26 to the portable memory device. Similarly, the user may press aload button180 to automatically implement settings stored on the portable memory device. In another embodiment, thememory interface174 may automatically load information from the portable memory device upon coupling the memory device to the interface26 (e.g., plug-and-play). To indicate that the portable memory device is being accessed, abusy indicator182 may be illuminated and/or may flash on and off.
• As described above, changes input to the torch system10 (FIG. 1) via the exemplarypower source interface26 may be automatically saved to the profile which is selected at the time, or the changes may be saved manually to the desired profile. The selected profile may be indicated by the profile selectors36 (e.g., via an integral or adjacent light). Profiles may be saved to the internal process control board and/or to the portable memory unit. Each profile may correspond to one or more sets of operational parameters for thetorch system10, and the operational parameters may be recalled at a later time upon reselection of a given profile.
• FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of thewire feeder interface32 for use with the exemplarypower source interface26 illustrated inFIG. 6. Thewire feeder interface32 includes theleft gun button70 and theright gun button72 to enable selection of the desiredgun18 or20, respectively. As described above, the user may determine whether buttons on thewire feeder interface32 are selected based on the position of a toggle switch, a lit label, or a similar indicator. The MIG process type (e.g., FCAW, standard, RMD, or pulse) selected at the power source indicator26 (FIG. 6) may be indicated on thewire feeder interface32 by a continuouswire process indicator184. For example, the selected process type may be illuminated and/or may flash on and off to indicate its selection.
• Within each MIG welding process, the voltage parameters and/or arc length may be set using thevoltage knob78, and the wire speed may be set using the wirefeed speed knob80. The selected voltage and wire feed speed are displayed on thedisplays82 and84 adjacent theknobs78 and80, respectively. As described above, thejog button92 may be depressed to thread wire through thewelding gun18 or20 without activating the weld process. Thetrigger hold button88 may enable the user to weld for an extended period of time without holding down the welding gun trigger. Thepurge button94 may be depressed to purge shielding gas from thegun18 or20 without activating the welding process.
• In addition, theprofile selection button90 may enable the user to easily switch between profiles without returning to the power/control unit12 (FIG. 1). Again, changes input via the exemplarywire feeder interface32 may be stored to the selected profile for later recall. Any changes made while a particular profile is selected may be automatically saved to that profile such that reselection of the profile returns the settings to the last used settings for that profile. In another embodiment, changes may be manually saved to a desired profile after the settings have been adjusted. For example, a save button (not shown) may be activated, and the desired profile may be selected by depressing theprofile selection button90. Selection of the save button again may then save the settings to the selected profile. Furthermore, anindicator186 may signal to the operator that the portable memory unit is being accessed, similar to the busy indicator182 (FIG. 6). Theindicator186 may be illuminated when data is being transferred via thememory interface174.
• FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating anexemplary profile hierarchy188 that may be associated with theprofile selectors36 and90 of theexemplary interfaces26 and32 illustrated inFIGS. 6-7. In the illustrated embodiments, the user may select a user/process profile190 by selecting one of the profile selectors36 (FIG. 6) or depressing the profile selection button90 (FIG. 7) until the desired profile number is selected. As described above with respect toFIG. 5, default welding parameters are automatically recalled the first time theprofile190 is selected. Any changes made while a givenprofile190 is selected may be automatically or manually saved such that they may be recalled at a later time by simply selecting thatprofile190 again.
• Within theprofile190, the user may select between astick welding process192, aTIG welding process194, aleft gun process196, or aright gun process198. Additionally, a triggerselect option200 may enable theprofile190 to be selected via the trigger on the torch or gun (e.g., the right and leftwelding guns18 and20). Thestick welding process192 may include selection of either anEXX10 electrode202 or anEXX18 electrode204. For eachelectrode202 and204,amperage206 and208 may be set, respectively. Likewise, in the TIG welding process, anamperage210 may be input, and ahigh frequency start212 or lift-arc start214 may be selected.
• If theleft gun process196 is selected, aMIG process type216 may be chosen. In addition, avoltage218, awire feed speed220, abase material222, awire diameter224, and agas type226 may be selected. Atrigger hold option228, which allows the user to weld for an extended period of time without holding down the welding gun trigger, may also be enabled or disabled. Similarly, if theright gun process198 is selected, aMIG process type230 may be chosen. Avoltage232, awire feed speed234, abase material236, awire diameter238, and agas type240 may also be selected. In addition, atrigger hold option242 may be enabled or disabled.
• Furthermore, theprofile190 may be enabled to permit automatic profile selection through actuation of the left or right gun trigger. Enabling the triggerselect option200 on two or more profiles allows the user to easily switch between the profiles in which trigger select is activated. For example, ifprofiles1 and3 have trigger select enabled, the weld operator may select between the two profiles by rapidly actuating the active gun trigger. Subsequent actuation of the active gun trigger will switch betweenprofiles1 and3. If trigger select is enabled on more than two profiles, trigger actuation will sequentially toggle through the profiles.
• Other settings and processes may be specified based on the processes available on the givenwelding system10. If multiple processes are defined in the desiredprofile190, the user may also press a button (e.g., thestick button40, theTIG button48, the sideselect button172, theleft gun button70, theright gun button72, etc.) to recall the operational parameters associated with the desiredprocess192,194,196, or198 in the desiredprofile190. Selection of various processes based on the process and/or the user may be programmed, as described above.
• FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplaryprocess control model250 in accordance with an embodiment of the present technique. Specifically, certain components of the power/control unit12 (FIG. 1) are illustrated. Theprocess control model250 may include, for example, amicroprocessor252 connected to abus254. Also connected to thebus254 are a read-only memory (ROM)256, a random access memory (RAM)258, user input interfaces260, and adisplay262. TheROM256 and theRAM258 may be utilized to store programming information, such as, for example, programs to properly translate user input to desired output from thesystem10. Themicroprocessor252 may utilize the user input and stored programs to command the power/control unit12 to operate according to the profiles. The user input interfaces260 may include, for example, theinterfaces26 and32 havingprofile selectors36 and90 and various operational control buttons, knobs, and switches described inFIGS. 2-4 and6-7. Thedisplay262 may include theamperage display46, thevoltage display82, the wirefeed speed display84, theprofile display38, thechart62, etc.
• Furthermore, theprocess control model250 may include anon-volatile memory264. Thenon-volatile memory264 may include, for example, a hard drive, a flash memory drive, a tape drive, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc. Thenon-volatile memory264 may be integral with or separate from theROM256. User/process profiles may be stored on thenon-volatile memory264, for example, in a look-up table, and recalled upon selection of theprofile selectors36 and90. Default process settings may be initially stored on thenon-volatile memory264. In one embodiment, the user/process profiles may be updated automatically upon entering settings via the user input interface(s)260. That is, as soon as a user changes a setting, such as adjusting theamperage knob44 or pressing theleft gun button70, the active user/process profile may be updated to reflect the change. In another embodiment, the user/process profiles may be updated manually upon specific user input via the user input interface(s)260. For example, after a user changes a setting, the user may select to save the settings to a specific user/process profile. If a different user/process profile is selected, the previous settings for that profile are recalled automatically from thenon-volatile memory264 and displayed on the display(s)262.
• In some embodiments, thenon-volatile memory264 may be portable and easily transferable to anothersystem10. For example, user/process profiles may be copied from afirst system10 to a flash memory drive and transported to anothersystem10, where the user/process profiles are loaded for use. Theprocess control model250 may contain both portable and fixednon-volatile memory264, and transferring the user/process profiles may consist of copying the profiles between the portable and the fixednon-volatile memory264. For example, user depression of the save button178 (FIG. 6) may initiate copying of the displayed user/process profile from the fixednon-volatile memory264 to the portablenon-volatile memory264. Similarly, depression of the load button180 (FIG. 6) may initiate copying of the displayed user/process profile from the portablenon-volatile memory264 to the fixednon-volatile memory264.
• While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Claims (29)

1. A torch system comprising:

a personalized interface, comprising:

a plurality of selectors corresponding to a plurality of configurable profiles, wherein each selector is configured to adjust operational parameters of the torch system upon selection.

2. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises a plurality of buttons each corresponding to a single configurable profile.

3. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein each selector enables recall of a personalized configuration of the operational parameters without adjustment of various controls associated with the operational parameters.

4. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein a single selection of each selector is configured to recall the corresponding configurable profile.

5. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein each selector is disposed adjacent to a label area.

6. The torch system ofclaim 5, wherein the label area comprises one or more reusable labeling surfaces.

7. The torch system ofclaim 5, wherein the label area comprises one or more displays.

8. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein a programmable controller comprises the personalized interface and is configured to automatically save the operational parameters for the plurality of configurable profiles.

9. The torch system ofclaim 8, wherein a programmable controller comprises a flash memory reader/writer configured to copy the operational parameters for the plurality of configurable profiles to/from a portable flash memory device.

10. The torch system ofclaim 1, comprising a torch power unit, a welding gun, a cutting torch, a wire feeder, a gas source, a power source, or a combination thereof.

11. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein the operational parameters correspond to a stick welding process, a flux cored arc welding process, a gas metal arc welding process, a shielded metal arc welding process, a gas tungsten arc welding process, a metal inert gas welding process, a pulsed metal inert gas welding process, a tungsten inert gas welding process, a pulsed tungsten inert gas welding process, a spot welding process, a resistance spot welding process, a submerged arc welding process, a regulated metal deposition process, an air carbon arc cutting process, a plasma arc cutting process, or a combination thereof.

12. The torch system ofclaim 1, wherein the operational parameters comprise amperage, voltage, wire feed speed, electrode type, start method, base material, wire diameter, metal inert gas weld type, shielding gas, fixed torch, trigger hold, trigger select, or a combination thereof.

13. A torch system, comprising:

a programmable controller, comprising:

a personalized user interface, wherein the personalized user interface comprises at least one quick selector configured to recall operational parameters of a torch process.

14. The torch system ofclaim 13, wherein the programmable controller comprises at least one process user interface configured to enable input of the operational parameters.

15. The torch system ofclaim 14, wherein the personalized user interface enables the programmable controller to recall the operational parameters input to the process user interface without adjusting settings on the process user interface.

16. The torch system ofclaim 13, wherein the programmable controller comprises a non-volatile memory configured to store the operational parameters in association with one or more profiles, wherein the profiles are selectable via the quick selector.

17. The torch system ofclaim 16, wherein the programmable controller is configured to automatically save the operational parameters in association with the one or more profiles upon input of the operational parameters.

18. The torch system ofclaim 13, wherein the programmable controller comprises a flash memory reader/writer configured to copy the operational parameters for the plurality of configurable profiles to/from a portable flash memory device.

19. The torch system ofclaim 13, comprising a torch power unit, a welding gun, a cutting torch, a wire feeder, a gas source, a power source, or a combination thereof.

20. A torch system, comprising:

one or more tangible, machine-readable media comprising:

code executable to save operational parameters for a plurality of profiles automatically upon user selection of the operational parameters for each profile; or

code executable to recall the operational parameters for each profile to configure the torch system based on a one-click user selection of each profile; or

a combination thereof.

21. The torch system ofclaim 20, wherein the code is executable to save and/or recall the operational parameters for a plurality of different torch processes for each profile.

22. The torch system ofclaim 20, comprising a non-volatile memory configured to store the operational parameters associated with the profiles.

23. The torch system ofclaim 20, wherein a programmable controller comprises the one or more tangible, machine-readable media and is configured to receive the operational parameters via at least one user interface.

24. A method, comprising:

automatically saving a user profile to a profile selector based on one or more selections of operational parameters of a torch system via controls separate from the profile selector.

25. The method ofclaim 24, comprising recalling the operational parameters upon selection of the user profile via the profile selector.

26. A method, comprising:

saving operational parameters of a torch system to a desired profile upon user selection of a save option and/or the desired profile; and

recalling the operational parameters upon a one-step selection of the desired profile.

27. The method ofclaim 26, wherein user selection of the desired profile comprises depressing and holding a selector associated with the profile.

28. A torch system, comprising:

a personalized interface, comprising:

a plurality of customizable profiles each having operational parameters for the torch system; and

a desired customizable profile is selectable without scrolling through a list of the plurality of customizable profiles.

29. The torch system ofclaim 28, wherein the desired customizable profile is selectable by a single depression of a corresponding button.

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