Dale K Watney

Title: Dale K. Watney and a Patent for Weld Quality Prediction

Introduction

Dale K. Watney is an inventor associated with Troy, Michigan, and General Motors Global Technology Operations, Inc. The supplied information identifies one patent in Watney’s name, concerning a method and apparatus for predicting and controlling weld quality.

Latest Patents

Watney’s listed patent, “Method and Apparatus for Predicting and Controlling the Quality of a [Weld],” describes monitoring weld parameters during a weld period and analyzing resistance and power data with a programmed computer. The method calculates the rate of change in resistance relative to power, then uses the resulting curve to identify the point that approximates the onset of melting.

The patent also describes evaluating whether a weld is a nugget or a sticker by combining measures of energy and resistance change. To detect edge-weld geometry, it assesses energy during expulsion and the degree of resistance inflection. These calculations are combined into weighted measures intended to characterize weld conditions.

Career Highlights

The available information connects Watney’s patent work with General Motors Global Technology Operations, Inc. The invention applies data analysis to resistance welding, using measured electrical behavior to estimate weld formation and identify conditions such as expulsion.

Collaborations

Dixon Cleveland and Basil A. Decina, Jr., are identified as Watney’s coworkers. The supplied information does not specify their roles in the patent or the invention.

Conclusion

Dale K. Watney’s listed patent presents a data-driven approach to predicting weld quality by analyzing resistance, power, and energy measurements during welding.