An Electronic Welder Control Circuit

P. Verdelho* M. Pi0 Silva' E. Margato**

** J. Esteves'
Instituto Superior Tecnico Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa
SecqBo de Mgquinas Electricas e Electrhica de Potencia DEEA
AV. Rovisco Pais, 1096 R. Conselheiro Emidio Navarro, 1900
Lisboa, Portugal Lisboa, Portugal
pcverdelho @ alfa.ist.utl.pt

Abstract - This paper presents a 6kW electronic welder Flux-cored Arc Welding (FCAW). In that case an output
control circuit. The dc welding current is controlled with a dc voltage control must be realised. This dc voltage control
simple and robust control circuit. Fast dynamic performance must act in the inner current control mentioned above, as
and low current ripple are achieved. Paralleled IGBT's are the inner current control protects the electronic power
used with a switching frequency of 50 kHz. The welder supply. In these processes a consumable metal wire is
machine with this control stage can be applied to Shielded
automatically fed through the welding gun. When it
Metal Arc Welding and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
reaches the work piece the arc is started creating the heat
processes. The welding dc voltage is also controlled with an
outer controller acting in the current reference value. Fast
needed for welding. The filler wire feeds the puddle with
dynamic is also obtained for the dc voltage control without weld metal. This process is protected from the atmosphere
steady state error. With this control level Gas Metal Arc with a shielding gas, which is flowing from the gun. For
Welding and Flux-cored Arc Welding can be applied. The FCAW the wire used is a tubular one.
current control and the dc voltage control can also be applied There are mixed processes where dc welding current
in different cycles depending on a external signal. In the peak control and dc voltage control must be performed
and background current cycles the current control and dc alternating, like in Pulsed GMAW. Each control type is
voltage control are applied, respectively, enabling the use of selected by an external pulsed wave. The pulse frequency
the electronic welder for Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welding. In may vary between 25 Hz and 150Hz. In the low level
the paper the system modelling is also realised. Some control pulse, where a high current is necessary, the
modelling and experimental results are presented. The
current control is applied and so the peak current is
annoying problems caused by this type of equipment in the
low voltage network are also shown.
defined. On the other hand, in the high level control pulse
the dc voltage control is applied with a low voltage
I. INTRODUCTION reference value and so the background current is obtained.
On the high level cycle, penetration and fusion are
Welding machines have been widely used in industry. In achieved and on the low level the work is allowed to cool
the most common processes a high welding dc current is slightly while keeping the arc established. Acting in the
used with low voltage. Also an isolation transformer is pulse duty cycle the welding power can be controlled. Also
needed for safety reasons because the work piece forms the quantity of fusion metal can be adjusted acting in the
part of the electrical circuit. Due to equipment weight peak current value.
reasons it is desirable to utilise a high frequency Several welding power supplies have recently been
transformer instead of the conventional transformer presented. Inverters, which are switched at around 20 kHz
connected directly to the ac mains. and produce a sine wave current in the transformer at a
There are several arc-welding processes [ 11. In Shielded frequency of about lkHz are used [ 2 ] . The transformer
Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), which is the most popular output voltage is usually rectified. Higher frequency of
welding process, or in Gas Tungsten Arc welding (GTAW) operation enables improvement in welding performance
also known as TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas), the dc welding and quality, and also a reduction in size and weight of the
current must be controlled. This can be applied in the machine. Some authors are using resonant switching
transformer primary side where the current is smaller. In techniques in order to increase the switching frequency
SMAW consumable electrodes are used. These electrodes and to reduce power losses [3, 41. However the system
burn off forming a molten puddle that rapidly solidifies. complexity and price are increased.
This molten puddle is shielded from the atmosphere by a This type of equipment produces undesirable
gas resulting from the electrode flux coating. In GTAW a phenomena in the three-phase electricity supply network.
non-consumable tungsten electrode is used to heat and The welding machines input ac currents can have low
melt the work piece. The molten puddle is shielded from frequency oscillations and also a wide-band harmonic
the atmosphere by an inert gas supply feeding from the spectrum with the presence of interharmonics. This is
torch cup. The tungsten electrode is inside the torch. caused by the non-linear behaviour of the welding process
There are other processes where a welding dc voltage and also due to the individual welding actions varying
control must be applied like Gas Metal Arc Welding between a second and several seconds. Also for pulsed
(GMAW) popularly known as MIG (Metal Inert Gas) or GMAW machines, the pulse process generates low
frequency oscillations and interharmonics in the input ac

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 +
Fig. 1. Welder power circuit

currents. The pulse frequency can vary between 25Hz and enlarge the conduction interval of the rectifier, to decrease
150Hz. The low frequency input ac currents are generated the ac current maximum value and to increase the power
by the interaction between the pulse and mains factor.
frequencies. The inverter stage is an IGBT half bridge inverter. The
Welding machines are mostly connected to the low- inverter diodes guarantee the de-magnetization of the
voltage network. The current harmonics generated cause transformer. Two IGBT’s in parallel, with a switching
harmonic voltage drops across the network impedance frequency of SOkHz, are used.
which result in distorted mains voltages. The current low A half wave rectifier supplying an inductance
frequency harmonics and also the current interharmonics, constitutes the output stage. The inductance current is
even at low levels, can give rise to flicker (low frequency controlled in the half bridge inverter.
voltage fluctuations) in the mains. This voltage For SMAW and GTAW the output capacitor is not used.
fluctuations cause changes in luminance of lamps. At For GMAW and FCAW the output capacitor must be used.
certain oscillation frequencies the flicker becomes The welder dc voltage is controlled acting in the
annoying, even for voltage fluctuations of very small inductance current.
amplitude. In certain cases interharmonics can also cause
interference in ripple control systems. Nowadays, the 111. SYSTEM MODELLING
levels of interharmonic voltages have not been thoroughly
investigated. These levels are under consideration [5, 6, 71. A model for the system must be developed for
Conventionally, passive LC filters and capacitors have simulation reasons. It is desirable that a simplified model is
been used to eliminate line current harmonics and to used to obtain fast system simulations. This is necessary
increase the power factor. However, in these applications due the very high IGBT’s switching frequency (50 kHz),
where the amplitude and frequency content of the compared with the mains frequency or the welding
distortion power can vary randomly, this conventional machine control pulse frequency. Moreover, to observe the
solutions become ineffective. Active power filters [8, 91 undesirable problems caused by this type of system in the
can solve this type of problems. mains, large time intervals must be simulated.
In the paper, a 50 kHz IGBT electronic welder machine The input rectifier model is presented in (1).
control circuit is presented. In this very simple control
circuit, an inner current control loop is performed. A fast
response is achieved. An outer dc voltage control loop is The rectifier control function f, depends on the input ac
applied. Also a fast dynamic response is achieved without current by:
steady state error. Two types of control can be applied
depending on a external pulse signal. Thus this control f , = l i f i S H and fy=-l ifis<O (2)
circuit can be implemented in SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, The rectifier input and output filters are determined in
FCAW and Pulsed GMAW welding machines. The system (3) and (4):
modelling and simulation is presented in the paper.
Experimental results are shown. The annoying problems dvc
-- -
i, -iinv
(3)
caused by this type of welding machines in the low-voltage dt Ci
network are also shown.
di, v s -v,.
-- _ _ _ - -
r, ,

1, (4)
dt L, L,
11. CIRCUIT SCHEME AND BASICS OF OPERATION
The half bridge inverter model is given by:
The welder power circuit is shown in Fig. 1. The input
stage is an uncontrolled rectifier and a dc filter capacitor.
In the rectifier ac side an inductance is used in order to The inverter control function fi is determined by:

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J;=I $G=l again fired the magnetizing current must be zero. So the
IGBT’s must be open, at least during 10 ps. This is
f ,= - ] $(G=O and i,,>O)
‘
imposed by the clock signal CK, Fig. 2. Due to precaution
reasons, the clock signal has a duty cycle of 45% and a
J=O otherwise (6) frequency of 50kHz. In the low to high clock transition the
The function G is the IGBT’s control signal. For G=l edge-triggered D type flip-flop determines the control
the IGBT’s are being fired and for G=O they are opened. function G depending on the current error signal ei,. The
A simplified model of the transformer is considered control function G value is chosen in order that condition
where the leakage inductance is neglected (7). L, gives the 13 is satisfied. So if ei,>O G must be set to 1 or otherwise
magnetizing inductance and N is the turns ratio. to 0. If during the high value of the clock the current error
signal becomes negative then, to satisfy condition 13, G is
V T ~=-VT2 , iT1 = N i ~ +iM
2 set to 0 by resetting the D flip-flop.
N

The output rectifier model is: , .,‘

vro = froVT2 iT2 = f r o i L (8)
The rectifier control function fr,,depends on its input ac
voltage by: Fig. 2. General welding machine control circuit.
f,,=I $ v , X and f , = O $v,<O (9)
This simple current controller has a fast dynamic
The system output filters are determined by (10) and behaviour and a negligible steady state error. It has a
(1 1). maximum value of AJL/2 where AIL is the current
. . maximum ripple, which in these applications can be very
dv,
-=-
ZL- Z~
(10) low. So the steady state error can be neglected. Moreover,
dt C
with this type of control, it is possible to sense the current
in the inductance or in the primary of the transformer. As
the primary current of the transformer is not so big,
smaller current sensors can be used.
The system state model is obtained from equation (1) to The output voltage is controlled with a PI controller. To
(1 1). synthesise this controller a simplified model is used. A
zero order system for the current controller is assumed and
O 0 1 so the capacitor output equation (10) becomes:

dvo iL
* - i o.
-- -
dt C
From this equation and with a PI dc voltage controller
acting in iL*,the dc voltage controller simplified transfer
function is derived.
ki
(12) Sf-

The converters control functions f,, f, and f,, are

determined respectively by (2), (6) and (9). Using the state
model (12) the system simulation is performed, being a
Low overshoot and fast response are the design criteria for
valuable tool for system dynamics and regulation studies.
the PI controller. The kp and k! controller parameters are
IV. SYSTEM CONTROL tuned by (16) where a value of 5 = & I 2 is chosen and wn
depends on the specified time response, which is selected
The inductance current is controlled acting in the to be w,=6280 rad/s.
inverter IGBT’s control signal G, Fig. 2. The IGBT’s must
kp=fiCWn , ki=Cune2 (16)
be closed during a time shorter then 10 ps to avoid
saturation of the transformer. When they are opened the This general control circuit can be used in several
transformer magnetizing current forces the diodes welding processes. For SMAW and GTAW machines fc
cccduction, and so the input capacitor voltage is applied to must be settled to 0. Thus only the current control is
the transformer with a minus sign. Before the IGBT’s are applied. For GMAW and FCAW machines fc must be

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 .....
settled to 1. For Pulsed GMAW the two controllers are
applied depending on the pulse signal applied to fc.
vo
V. RESULTS

The welding machine rating values are: nominal power

P,=6 kW, maximum output current il,=200 A, input ac
inductance Lh=l mH, dc capacitor C,=l mF, transformer
magnetizing inductance L,=0,7 mH, and output inductance
L=20 pH.
A simulation result for a 200A welding machine with
the control circuit of Fig. 2 is presented in Fig. 3. A pulse 4
signal with 120Hz is applied in fc. The output inductance ".
L

current and the welding voltage and current are shown. (a) Welding voltage and output inductance current (fc=26 Hz)
The current and voltage control are selected depending on
the pulse signal level.

....... ......... ..........

....... ..................... : ...
....... .....................................

2 100 .................

..........
..........
......... ....... .....

0 0002 OOM 0006 0008 001

Timel~j

(a) Pulse signal fc (b) Output inductance current

(b) Welding voltage and current (fc=133Hz)

.....
Fig. 5.Experimental result for a Pulsed GMAW machine.

........
........
.........
.......
, ,

U ouui uuu owb uuun DUI '0 UOUi 00M UOOb UWl 001
Time 151 1" 191

(c) Welding current (d) Welding voltage

Fig. 3. Simulation result for a Pulsed GMAW machine.

00

5"

40

.-40
I

20 4
10 OA-
0 Transient from voltage to current control
.. .. .. .. ..
- 1 00 5 ~ "1 " 2 [SI 2 5
" 1 "5 T8me 3 3 5 x 10-4

(b) Transformer primary current

Fig. 4.Simulation result for the start-up of a Pulsed GMAW machine.

The system start-up is presented in Fig. 4. The output

inductance current and the transformer primary current are
shown.
A 200A welding machine experimental prototype was
constructed. In each inverter leg two IGBT's are connected
in parallel. Fast IGBT's are used. The switching frequency
is 5OkHz.

Transient from current to voltage control

Fig. 6. Experimental result for a Pulsed GMAW machine

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 In Fig. 5 experimental results for a Pulsed GMAW
machine are presented. A pulse frequency of 26 Hz and
50% of duty cycle is used in Fig. Sa. The welding voltage
and the output inductance current are shown. It can be
verified that the fc signal imposes successively a current
control value of 80A,followed by an output voltage control
value of 6V. Fig. 5b presents a similar result but for
fc=133Hz and a higher value of the output current 1.50 A.
In this case the welding voltage and current are shown.
OA 4
The transients from current to voltage control and
voltage to current control can be observed in Fig. 6.
An experimental result for a SMAW machine is also
presented in Fig. 7. In this application only the current
control is applied. The output capacitor C is not used. The
(a) Mains voltage and current
output rectifier voltage, the transformer primary current
and the welding current are shown.

(b) Mains voltage and current (zoom)

Fig. 7. Experimental result for a SMAW machine. Start-up transient.

Welding machines input ac current present a large

distortion. The input rectifier with a capacitor at the
entrance level generates different harmonics in the mains.
Also, due to the non-linear behaviour of the welding
process and to the individual welding actions varying 0 400 Hz
between a second and several seconds, a wide band
harmonic spectrum with the presence of interharmonics is (c) Current spectrum
generated. Moreover, this problem becomes worst in
Pulsed GMAW welding machines due to successive
changes from current control to voltage control and vice-
versa. Low frequency current harmonics are generated by
the interaction between the pulse and mains frequencies.
As welding machines are mostly connected to the low-
voltage network its current harmonics cause harmonic
0 400 Hz
voltage drops across the network impedance which result
in distorted mains voltages. A wide voltage spectrum is (d) Voltage spectrum
generated. The existence of low order harmonics and
interharmonics can give rise to flicker in the mains. The Fig. 8. Experimental result for a Pulsed GMAW machine (fc=48 Hz)
repercussion of this kind of phenomena must be
characterised. Nowadays, the levels of the interharmonic
voltages have not been thoroughly investigated. These Besides the existence of higher odd harmonics, usually
levels are under consideration [ S , 6, 71. found in mains, we have verified the inclusion of low
This behaviour can be illustrated for an extreme case order harmonics and the existence of inter-harmonics. Also
showed in Fig. 8. A f, frequency value of 48 Hz was even harmonics are observed.
applied to the Pulsed GMAW welding machine prototype. The results can be quite different for adjacent pulse
Mains voltage and current time evolutions and respective frequencies. In Fig.9 the same results of Fig.8 are
harmonic spectrum are presented. presented but for fc=42 Hz.

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 used. The output welding voltage is also controlled. The
two types of control are imposed successively by a pulsed
signal. Excellent performance is obtained.
O\’- I
With this control circuit several welding techniques can
be applied, namely Shielded Metal Arc Welding and Gas
Tungsten Arc Welding, where current control is employed:
Gas Metal Arc Welding and Flux-cored Arc Welding using
voltage control and mixed processes like Pulsed Gas Metal
Arc Welding.
OA- 4
This type of equipment produces undesirable
phenomena in the low-voltage supply network, where they
are mostly connected. The welding machines input ac
currents can have low frequency oscillations and also a
(a) Mains voltage and current
wide-band harmonic spectrum with the presence of
interharmonics. The current low frequency harmonics and
also the current interharmonics, even at low levels, can
give rise to flicker. This undesirable phenomena is shown
in the paper.

VII. REFERENCES

[ 11 C. Stinchcomb, Welding technology today, principles

and practices, Prentice Hall, 1989.

[2] A. Sakabe, T. Kashima, T. Mita and T. Araya,

“Inverter-controlled arc welding equipment”, Welding
international, 1, pp.629-638.
(b) Mains voltage and current (zoom)
H.Pollock, J.O.Flower, “Series-parallel load-resonant
10
converter for controlled-current arc welding power
supply”, IEE Proc. Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 143, n.3,
3
.3
pp.211-218, 1996.

0 L.Malesani, P.Mattavelli, L.Rossetto, P.Tenti,

0 400 Hz W.Marin, A.Pollmann, “Electronic welder with high-
(c) Current spectrum frequency resonant inverter”, IEEE Trans. Industry
applications, vo1.31, n.2, pp.273,279, 1995.
40
European Committee for Electrotechnical
Ei Standardization (CENELEC), European Standard
EN50160, November, 1994.

0 International Electrotechnical Commission,

0 400 Hz
International Standard IEC 1000-2-1. 1990.
(d) Voltage spectrum

Fig 8 Expenmental result for a Pulsed GMAW machine (fc=42 Hz). International Electrotechnical Commission,
International Standard IEC 1000-2-2, 1990.

VI. CONCLUSION H. Akagi, “New trends in active power filters”,

European Power Electronics, vol.0, pp. 17-26, 1995.
A 6kW/50kHz welding machine prototype was
constructed and tested. The welding machine control P. Verdelho, G. Marques, “An active power filter and
circuit and some relevant results are presented. unbalanced current compensator” in IEEE Trans.
The dc welding current is controlled with a simple and Industrial Electronics, ~01.44,n.3, pp.321-328, 1997.
robust controller. The current can be sensed in the output
inductance or in the transformer primary winding, where
its value is not so high, then smaller current sensors can be

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