Advanced control of gas metal arc welding

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is a process used for joining pieces of metal. Probably the GMAW process is the most successful and widely used welding method in the industry today. A key issue in welding is the quality of the welds produced. The quality of a weld is influenced by several factors in the overall welding process; one of these factors is the ability of the welding machine to control the process. The internal control algorithms in GMAW machines are the topic of this Ph.D. project. Basically, the internal control includes an algorithm which is able to keep the electrode at a given distance from the workpiece. It also includes an algorithm which is able to handle the detachments of the liquid drops at the tip of the electrode.