Special automatic welding equipment for maintaining and replacing electric heating element of voltage stabilizer

Abstract

The invention discloses automatic welding equipment special for maintenance and replacement of electric heating elements of voltage stabilizers, and relates to the technical field of welding equipment for maintenance of the electric heating elements of the voltage stabilizers. The automatic welding equipment comprises a machine head shell, and a machine head clamping mechanism, a walking transmission mechanism, a welding machine head module and a wire feeding mechanism are arranged on the machine head shell; the machine head clamping mechanism is used for fixing the automatic welding equipment to a to-be-welded area, the walking transmission mechanism is used for driving the automatic welding equipment to rotate and move along a welding seam path, and at least four driving shafts are arranged in the automatic welding equipment to achieve the main rotation function, the arc length adjusting function, the welding seam swinging function and the wire feeding driving function correspondingly. The wire feeding mechanism is fixed to the machine head shell, and the whole rotation space of the automatic welding equipment is controlled within 160 mm. The full-automatic welding machine has the effect of achieving stable, high-precision and full-automatic welding of 2G position welding seams (butt joint / angle joint) between the electric heating element and the sleeve in a high-irradiation environment in an ultra-narrow rotation space smaller than or equal to 160 mm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of welding equipment for repairing electric heating elements of voltage regulators, and in particular to special automatic welding equipment for repairing and replacing electric heating elements of voltage regulators. Background Technology

[0002] The pressurizer is an important device for regulating pressure in the primary loop of a pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant. The pressurizer is a vertical vessel, mainly composed of an upper head, an intermediate shell, a lower head, a lower electric heater, a skirt, and other connecting pipes.

[0003] During the operation of a nuclear power plant, the electric heating elements of the pressurizer equipment are directly immersed in water for heat exchange. This component is subjected to high temperature, high pressure, and high radiation for a long time, and also needs to cope with instantaneous temperature changes. These factors can lead to material aging, stress cracking, and performance degradation, resulting in faults such as electric weld failure and reduced insulation resistance, which affect the reliability of the pressurizer operation.

[0004] Existing technical solutions mainly fall into two categories. The first is manual welding. This method requires operators to work for extended periods in a strong radiation environment, posing serious personal safety risks. Furthermore, limited operating space makes manual welding prone to quality defects such as uneven weld formation and incomplete penetration, for example, the hot cracking problem mentioned in the background section regarding single-layer remelting welding. The second category is general-purpose automatic welding equipment. Taking the "automatic pipe welding device" described in patent CN116604268A as an example, although this equipment has molten pool monitoring and rotation functions...

[0005] However, its turning radius exceeds 160mm, which cannot meet the operational requirements in the extremely narrow space around the electric heating element bushing of the voltage regulator. Furthermore, its clamp design is not optimized for irregularly shaped bushings, potentially leading to uneven clamping force distribution and displacement during welding. Moreover, the equipment's traveling mechanism is prone to vibration under off-center load conditions, severely affecting the consistency and quality stability of the weld. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a special automatic welding equipment for the repair and replacement of electric heating elements of voltage regulators. It has the function of stable, high-precision fully automatic welding of 2G position welds (butt joints / corner joints) between electric heating elements and bushings in a high-irradiation environment within an ultra-narrow turning space of ≤160mm.

[0007] The automatic welding equipment for repairing and replacing the electric heating element of the voltage regulator provided in this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A dedicated automatic welding equipment for repairing and replacing voltage regulator electric heating elements includes a welding head housing. The welding head housing is equipped with a welding head clamping mechanism, a traveling transmission mechanism, a welding head module, and a wire feeding mechanism. The welding head clamping mechanism is used to fix the automatic welding equipment in the area to be welded. The traveling transmission mechanism is used to drive the automatic welding equipment to rotate and move along the weld path. The automatic welding equipment is equipped with at least four drive shafts to realize the main rotation, arc length adjustment, weld oscillation, and wire feeding drive functions, respectively. The wire feeding mechanism is fixed on the welding head housing. The overall rotation space of the automatic welding equipment is controlled within 160mm.

[0009] Preferably, the head clamping mechanism includes a clamp-type opening and closing module, a contour clamp, and a tightening module. The contour clamp includes a clamp base and a first clamping block and a second clamping block that can be replaced and disposed on the top of the clamp base. The second clamping block is connected to a knob via a screw to realize the opening and closing action. The clamp-type opening and closing module forms a shear-resistant structure with a plug bolt through a tenon and mortise fit. The surface of the contour clamp is covered with a stainless steel pressure block to apply clamping force evenly.

[0010] Preferably, the contour clamp is detachably connected to the clamp-type opening and closing module via standard bolts, the contour of the pressure block matches the external shape of the electric heating element sleeve, the knob is threaded to the end of the screw, and a hinge structure is formed between the second clamp and the rotation axis.

[0011] Preferably, the walking transmission mechanism includes a cover plate, a drive motor, a multi-stage gear transmission assembly, and an open movable gear ring. The multi-stage gear transmission assembly includes a bevel gear set to achieve power conversion from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. The open movable gear ring is rigidly connected to the arc-shaped opening of the welding head module and is limited in rotation by a coaxially arranged open guide rail. The multi-stage gear transmission assembly includes a third gear, a fourth gear, and a fifth gear that mesh sequentially. The fifth gear meshes with the outer ring of the open movable gear ring. The output end of the drive motor is connected to a first gear, and a second gear is meshed with the lower side of the first gear. Power is transmitted between the second gear and the multi-stage gear transmission assembly.

[0012] Preferably, the bevel gear set includes a small bevel gear and a large bevel gear. The small bevel gear is coaxially connected to the rotating rod inside the second gear. The large bevel gear is coaxially connected to the third gear through a rotating shaft. The third gear meshes with the fourth and fifth gears through involute tooth profiles.

[0013] Preferably, the welding head housing includes a first housing and a second housing, both of which are fixed to the bottom of the arc-shaped opening inside the welding head module. The first housing and the second housing are respectively provided with an AVC transmission mechanism and an OSC transmission mechanism. The AVC transmission mechanism and the OSC transmission mechanism are connected by bolts to achieve synchronous movement. The AVC transmission mechanism is used to adjust the distance between the welding torch and the workpiece, and the OSC transmission mechanism is used to drive the welding torch to swing laterally along the weld seam. The welding head module also includes a water-cooled welding torch module and a weld pool monitoring component.

[0014] Preferably, the molten pool monitoring component includes a high-resolution camera and an image transmission module. The camera is set parallel to the welding torch module via a fixed bracket. The image transmission module is wired to an external display device. The optical axis of the camera is on the same plane as the center line of the welding torch nozzle to achieve real-time observation of the molten pool area.

[0015] Preferably, both the AVC transmission mechanism and the OSC transmission mechanism adopt a combination structure of a lead screw and a linear slide. The lead screw is driven by a motor, and the linear slide achieves linear motion through a guide rail pair. The lead screw axes of the AVC transmission mechanism and the OSC transmission mechanism are perpendicular to each other.

[0016] Preferably, the water-cooled welding gun module includes a tungsten electrode guide, a glass cover, and an internal circulating cooling system. The tungsten electrode guide forms a gas-protected cavity through the glass cover, and the circulating cooling system includes built-in cooling pipes and inlet / outlet water interfaces connected to an external water source.

[0017] Preferably, the wire feeding mechanism includes a wire spool for storing welding wire, a wire feeding wheel, a drive module for driving the wire feeding wheel, a wire feeding tube, and a straightening device. The wire spool is used to hold the wound welding wire. The output end of the welding wire is guided by the wire feeding wheel, so that the welding wire is guided through the wire feeding tube to the inside of the straightening device for straightening treatment.

[0018] In summary, this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. To address the need for full-function welding within an ultra-narrow 160mm space, this invention highly integrates the head clamping mechanism, travel transmission mechanism, welding head module, and wire feeding mechanism into a single head housing. Further optimized, through a ring-shaped evenly distributed travel transmission and a longitudinal power layout, coordinated control of main rotation, arc length adjustment, weld seam oscillation, and wire feeding drive is achieved, avoiding off-center load jitter and achieving stable welding within an overall rotation space of ≤160mm.

[0020] 2. To address welding misalignment caused by unstable clamping of irregularly shaped sleeves, this invention employs a combination of a clamp-type opening and closing module and a contour-following fixture. Further optimization includes a replaceable stainless steel pressure block (with a contour matching the sleeve's shape). Through a tenon-and-mortise anti-shear structure and a hinged design with a knob-locking screw, the clamping force is evenly distributed and indentations are eliminated, achieving "one-step" rapid clamping and zero-displacement welding positioning. The stainless steel material prevents the fixture from contaminating the base material for welding on-site.

[0021] 3. To solve the challenge of smooth transmission of high torque in confined spaces, the walking transmission mechanism innovatively adopts a bevel gear set + open movable gear ring. Further optimized, the small bevel gear vertically transfers power to the large bevel gear, driving the three-stage gears to synchronously mesh with the outer ring of the gear ring, achieving precise rotary motion with no lateral movement and low vibration within a 160mm space.

[0022] 4. To address the visualization and management of the welding process in high-irradiation environments, the welding head module integrates an AVC / OSC dual mechanism and is protected by a housing to prevent contamination from radioactive dust and facilitate post-use cleaning. Further optimization involves synchronously driving the water-cooled welding torch and the molten pool monitoring camera via a lead screw linear slide linkage, and using a glass cover to protect the gas chamber, ensuring that the optical axis is coplanar with the center of the welding torch. This achieves high-definition wireless observation of the molten pool and real-time closed-loop control of arc length / oscillation. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure connecting the automatic welding equipment and the electric heating element in this embodiment;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall internal structure of the welding head module in this embodiment;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the head clamping mechanism in this embodiment;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the fixture in this embodiment;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure connecting the clamp and the electric heating element in this embodiment;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the walking transmission mechanism in this embodiment;

[0029] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of the open movable gear ring and the arc-shaped opening component in this embodiment;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the water-cooled welding gun module in this embodiment;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the wire feeding mechanism in this embodiment;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure connecting the wire feeding tube and the straightening device in this embodiment.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Head housing; 2. Head clamping mechanism; 21. Clamp-type opening and closing module; 22. Clamp; 221. First clamping block; 222. Second clamping block; 223. Screw; 224. Knob; 225. Clamp base; 23. Tightening module; 3. Travel transmission mechanism; 31. Cover plate; 32. Open movable gear ring; 33. Drive motor; 34. First gear; 35. Second gear; 36. Rotating rod; 37. 38. Small bevel gear; 39. Large bevel gear; 310. Third gear; 311. Fourth gear; 312. Fifth gear; 4. Welding head module; 41. Arc-shaped opening component; 42. Water-cooled welding torch module; 421. Welding torch body; 422. Tungsten electrode guide; 423. Tungsten electrode cap; 424. Tungsten electrode body; 425. Glass cover; 5. Wire feeding mechanism; 51. Welding wire spool; 52. Wire feeding wheel; 53. Wire feeding tube; 54. Straightening device. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following specific embodiments are only used to further illustrate the present application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make some non-essential improvements and adjustments to the present application based on the above application content.

[0035] Example

[0036] This invention discloses a dedicated automatic welding equipment for the repair and replacement of voltage regulator electric heating elements. This equipment automates the welding of 2G position butt / corner welds between the voltage regulator electric heating element and the bushing. Its core principle is to achieve comprehensive automated management and precise control of the welding process through multi-axis precision drive control and integrated modular design. Specifically, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a welding head housing 1, on which a welding head clamping mechanism 2, a traveling transmission mechanism 3, a welding head module 4, and a wire feeding mechanism 5 are mounted. The welding head clamping mechanism 2 is responsible for stably fixing the entire automatic welding equipment in the area to be welded. The traveling transmission mechanism 3 adopts a ring-shaped, evenly distributed design, enabling the entire welding head to move precisely along the weld path, ensuring the stability and consistency of the welding trajectory. This ring-shaped, evenly distributed design helps achieve smooth movement within a limited space and reduces vibration caused by off-center loading.

[0037] The automatic welding equipment has four independent drive shafts, which are responsible for main rotation, arc length adjustment, weld position adjustment / oscillation and wire feeding drive, respectively.

[0038] Specifically, the main slewing mechanism is used to control the welding head to rotate around the weld seam to accommodate the circumferential weld seam at position 2G.

[0039] Arc length adjustment (achieved by the AVC transmission mechanism described below) automatically adjusts the distance between the welding torch and the workpiece to ensure stable arc voltage, thereby maintaining consistent penetration depth and weld quality.

[0040] The weld position adjustment / oscillation (achieved by the OSC drive mechanism described below) is used to control the welding torch to oscillate left and right to cover a wider weld width, optimize weld formation, and ensure good fusion on both sides.

[0041] The wire feeding drive continuously and stably feeds welding wire to the molten pool through the wire feeding mechanism 5 (fixed on the 1KG wire feeding bracket module), ensuring a continuous supply of welding materials.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the welding head module 4 further includes an arc-shaped opening 41. The lower part of the arc-shaped opening 41 is connected to key functional components such as an AVC transmission mechanism, an OSC transmission mechanism, a water-cooled welding torch module 42, and a high-definition molten pool monitoring camera. The high-definition molten pool monitoring camera provides real-time images of the welding process, enabling the operator to accurately observe the molten pool status and intervene or adjust as necessary to ensure weld quality. The water-cooled welding torch module 42 effectively dissipates the large amount of heat generated during welding, preventing the welding torch from overheating, ensuring long-term stable operation of the equipment, and extending the welding torch's lifespan.

[0043] A 1KG wire feed bracket module is fixed to the bottom of the welding head, and the wire feeding mechanism 5 is fixed on the wire feed bracket module to ensure continuous wire supply. Considering the 160mm overall turning space limitation on site, the components of the walking transmission mechanism 3 are evenly distributed in a ring space, while the power transmission (involving walking, welding head, and wire feeding) is arranged longitudinally. This design allows the equipment to maintain compactness while avoiding end vibration caused by excessive off-center loading, ensuring welding stability.

[0044] Through mechanisms such as AVC (Automatic Arc Length Control) and OSC (Automatic Oscillation Control), welding parameters are precisely controlled, significantly improving weld quality and consistency and reducing human error. Real-time monitoring of the molten pool allows for timely adjustments and optimization of the welding process, ensuring aesthetically pleasing welds with minimal internal defects. The coordinated operation of four drive axes enables precise control of the welding path, arc, wire feed, and oscillation, meeting high welding standards. This greatly reduces reliance on skilled welders; operators only need to monitor and set parameters, significantly improving welding efficiency.

[0045] Moreover, with the overall turning space controlled within 160mm, this equipment can easily enter confined spaces that are difficult to access with conventional manual welding, making it particularly suitable for the maintenance of equipment with compact internal structures, such as voltage regulators. In addition, the evenly distributed walking transmission mechanism 3 in the annular space and the longitudinally arranged power transmission effectively prevent uneven loading and vibration during movement, ensuring the stability and accuracy of welding in narrow spaces.

[0046] To facilitate disassembly and assembly, the connections between the head clamping mechanism 2, the walking transmission mechanism 3, the welding head module 4, and the wire feeding mechanism 5 are all bolted.

[0047] like Figure 3 As shown, specifically, the machine head clamping mechanism 2 includes a clamp-type opening and closing module 21, a clamp 22 made of contoured stainless steel, and a tightening module 23. When connected to the electric heating element, the lower end of the clamp base 225 is tightly connected to the open-type travel transmission mechanism 3. This integrated connection design directly transmits the clamping force to the motion mechanism of the equipment, thus forming a stable whole. This ensures that the entire machine head housing 1 will not shake or shift during the welding process, providing reliable support for subsequent precise welding operations.

[0048] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the clamp-type opening and closing module 21 uses a mortise and tenon joint and is fixed by plug bolts. This design provides excellent shear resistance, ensuring that the clamping mechanism will not shift under stress. It has stronger shear resistance.

[0049] The clamping mechanism 2 includes a clamp-type opening and closing module 21, a contour clamp 22, and a tightening module 23. The contour clamp 22 includes a clamp base 225 and replaceable first clamping block 221 and second clamping block 222 mounted on top of the clamp base 225. The second clamping block 222 is connected to a knob 224 via a screw 223 to achieve the opening and closing action. The clamp-type opening and closing module 21 forms a shear-resistant structure with a plug bolt through a tenon and mortise fit. The surface of the contour clamp 22 is covered with a stainless steel pressure block to apply clamping force evenly. The contour stainless steel pressure block is bolted to the upper end of the clamp-type opening and closing module 21 to achieve stable clamping while ensuring no indentation on the bushing surface and avoiding contamination of the welding base material. In addition, different contour clamping blocks can be replaced to adapt to bushings of different types of voltage regulators; the knob 224 locking design eliminates the risk of parts (bolts, nuts) falling off from the source. The contoured stainless steel clamping block connected to the upper end of the clamp-type opening and closing module 21 is contoured, meaning it is designed according to the external contour of the clamped electric heating element bushing. This contoured clamping block is replaceable to accommodate the geometry of different stacked voltage regulator bushings, achieving versatility. The contoured design ensures that the clamping force is evenly distributed on the bushing surface, avoiding localized stress concentration and thus preventing indentations or damage to the bushing surface.

[0050] This design allows the welding head housing 1, along with the entire automatic welding equipment, to be stably clamped onto the electric heating element sleeve. By tightening and loosening the locking knob 224, the welding head clamping mechanism 2 clamps and releases the electric heating sleeve. The welding head clamping mechanism is reliable and convenient to install and disassemble, requiring only one step to lock and secure the automatic welding equipment.

[0051] A jaw is formed by the first clamping block 221 and the second clamping block 222, and the second clamping block 222 rotates around a locking bolt to create an opening and closing action. A screw 223 passing through the first clamping block 221 and the second clamping block 222 is connected to a knob 224. When the knob 224 is tightened, the screw 223 drives the second clamping block 222 to move closer to the first clamping block 221, thereby generating a strong clamping force. The front locking screw provides additional stable support during this process.

[0052] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the walking transmission mechanism 3 includes a cover plate 31 and an open movable gear ring 32. A drive motor 33 is fixedly mounted on the cover plate 31. The output end of the drive motor 33 is connected to a first gear 34. A second gear 35 is meshed with the lower side of the first gear 34. A small bevel gear 37 is coaxially connected to the center of the second gear 35 via a rotating rod 36, realizing a 90° change in the power transmission direction. A large bevel gear 38 is meshed with the lower side of the small bevel gear 37, causing the large bevel gear 38 to rotate inside the cover plate 31. A third gear 39 is coaxially connected to the bottom of the large bevel gear 38 via a rotating shaft. A fourth gear 310 and a fifth gear 311 are sequentially meshed with both sides of the third gear 39. The outer ring of the fifth gear 311 meshes with the outer ring of the open movable gear ring 32, which is used to transmit power to the multi-stage reduction fixed gear set to drive the open movable gear ring 32. The bottom of the open movable gear ring 32 is rigidly connected to the arc-shaped opening part 41 of the machine head, forming a complete rotary motion system.

[0053] like Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, specifically, the drive motor 33 provides the initial power. First, the first gear 34 at the motor output meshes with the second gear 35, achieving initial deceleration and simultaneously transmitting power to the next stage. The center of the second gear 35 is coaxially connected to a small bevel gear 37 via a rotating rod 36. The small bevel gear 37 meshes with a large bevel gear 38. The unique geometry of the bevel gears allows for a 90° change in the power transmission direction, converting power from the vertical direction into power driving in the horizontal plane. The bottom of the large bevel gear 38 is coaxially connected to a third gear 39 via a rotating shaft. The third gear 39 then transmits power to the final open movable gear ring 32 via the fourth gear 310 and the fifth gear 311 meshing sequentially on both sides. This series of multi-stage gear engagement further achieves a significant reduction ratio, thereby reducing the speed of the drive motor 33 while greatly increasing the output torque. The outer ring of the fifth gear 311 meshes with the outer ring of the open movable gear ring 32. This multi-point meshing method ensures that power can be transmitted evenly and stably to the open movable gear ring 32. Since the bottom of the open movable gear ring 32 is rigidly connected to the arc-shaped opening part 41 of the machine head, when the open movable gear ring 32 rotates, the entire arc-shaped opening part 41 of the machine head will rotate accordingly, forming a complete rotary motion system.

[0054] The bevel gear enables a 90° power transmission direction change, allowing the drive motor 33 to be mounted perpendicular to the final plane of rotation. This effectively utilizes space and makes the entire transmission mechanism more compact, making it particularly suitable for equipment with requirements on height or floor space.

[0055] Multi-stage gear transmission with a symmetrical gear set design, where two fifth gears 311 mesh simultaneously to drive the open movable gear ring 32, can effectively distribute the load, reduce wear and impact on individual gears, improve the smoothness of transmission, reduce noise, and help achieve more precise positioning and rotational motion.

[0056] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the cover plate 31 is provided with an open guide rail inside, and the open guide rail is coaxially connected with the open movable gear ring 32, so that the open movable gear ring 32 can rotate at the upper limit of the open guide rail.

[0057] like Figure 2As shown, the head housing 1 includes a first housing 11 and a second housing 12. Both the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are fixed to the bottom of the arc-shaped opening 41 inside the welding head module 4. The first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are respectively provided with an AVC transmission mechanism and an OSC transmission mechanism. The AVC transmission mechanism and the OSC transmission mechanism are connected by bolts to achieve synchronous movement. Specifically, the OSC transmission mechanism is mainly responsible for realizing the oscillating welding function of the welding head. By adopting a combination structure of high-precision lead screw and linear slide, the lead screw is driven by a motor to rotate, which in turn drives the slider to move smoothly on the linear guide rail, thereby realizing the precise displacement of the welding torch in the vertical direction.

[0058] The AVC transmission mechanism plays a crucial role in ensuring welding quality. It uses a combination structure of high-precision lead screw and linear slide. The drive motor 33 drives the lead screw through a gear set, and the slide drives the camera, wire guide, and other components to achieve reciprocating motion. The OSC transmission mechanism, through close cooperation with the connecting block and the multi-functional block, drives the AVC module to achieve movement in the OSC direction, thereby driving the welding torch to oscillate.

[0059] like Figure 8 As shown, the welding head module 4 also includes a water-cooled welding torch module 42 and a molten pool monitoring component. The water-cooled welding torch module 42 includes a welding torch body 421. A tungsten electrode guide 422 is installed inside the welding torch body 421. A tungsten electrode cap 423 is fixedly installed on the top of the tungsten electrode guide 422. The bottom of the tungsten electrode guide 422 extends through the interior of the welding torch body 421 and is connected to a tungsten electrode 424. A glass cover 425 is installed on the bottom of the welding torch body 421, located outside the tungsten electrode guide 422. During welding operations, real-time observation of the molten pool status is crucial to ensuring welding quality and requires precise control via a monitoring screen. Therefore, this customized welding torch uses a high-transmittance glass cover 425 as a gas shield. It not only provides reliable protection for the core components of the welding torch, ensuring stable gas protection, but more importantly, its excellent light transmission performance can be perfectly matched with the camera of the molten pool monitoring system, allowing operators to clearly and in real time observe key information such as the molten pool shape and weld formation quality through the connected display screen, thereby facilitating timely adjustment of welding parameters and ensuring welding quality.

[0060] To address the overheating issue that often occurs during prolonged, high-intensity welding operations, a highly efficient water-cooling system is specifically designed inside. This system consists of built-in cooling pipes, inlet and outlet water interfaces, and sealing components, forming a closed-loop circulation system with the welding power source's cooling water tank. When the welding torch is started, coolant from the tank, driven by the power unit, continuously flows into the torch through the inlet pipe, flowing closely along the cooling pipes to the heat-generating components, effectively absorbing the large amount of heat generated during welding. The coolant, carrying heat, then returns to the tank through the return pipe for further cooling before re-entering the circulation loop. This continuous coolant circulation effectively and promptly reduces the torch temperature, preventing problems such as component aging and decreased welding precision caused by overheating, thus ensuring the welding torch maintains stable operation throughout the entire work cycle.

[0061] The high-definition molten pool monitoring camera is securely installed at a designated position on the machine head using the matching mounting components, ensuring that the camera lens's field of view accurately covers the molten pool and wire feeding area.

[0062] The wire feeding mechanism 5 is a key component to ensure a stable supply of welding wire during the welding process. The wire feeding speed range is (100-1000) mm / min and is continuously adjustable. The wire feeding speed accuracy is ≤5%, and it has pulse wire feeding and welding wire straightening functions.

[0063] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, specifically, the wire feeding mechanism 5 includes a wire spool 51 for receiving welding wire, a wire feeding wheel 52, a drive module for driving the wire feeding wheel 52, a wire feeding tube 53, and a straightening device 54. The wire spool 51 is used to hold the wound welding wire. The output end of the welding wire is guided by the wire feeding wheel 52, so that the welding wire is guided through the wire feeding tube 53 to the inside of the straightening device 54 for straightening processing.

[0064] The wire spool 51 is used to hold a large quantity of wound welding wire. When welding is required, the welding wire is unwound from the wire spool 51 and fed out. As the wire feed roller 52 rotates, it rubs and pushes the welding wire, pulling it off the wire spool 51 and conveying it forward along a predetermined path. The wire feed tube 53 is a U-shaped pipe, its function being to guide the welding wire smoothly from the wire feed roller 52 into the straightening device 54. It is used to prevent the welding wire from tangling, knotting, or deviating from the path during transmission, ensuring smooth transmission.

[0065] Straight welding wires have a more stable path when fed out, are less prone to wobbling, thus reducing arc oscillation and instability, and helping to form a more uniform weld.

[0066] Meanwhile, since the wire feeding mechanism 5 is located below the arc-shaped opening 41 of the machine body, it does not interfere with the electric heating element during actual use, so its turning radius can be greater than 160mm.

[0067] Working principle: First, the operator selects the matching profile clamp 22 pressure block according to the model of the voltage regulator electric heating element bushing, and installs it onto the upper end of the clamp-type opening and closing module 21 using the positioning pin. After placing the machine head housing 1 in the area to be welded, the operator rotates the knob 224 to drive the screw 223, which causes the second clamp 222 to close around the hinge axis of the first clamp 221. The profile clamp evenly presses the bushing surface, and the position is locked by the shear-resistant structure of the tenon and the plug bolt, thus completing the rigid fixation of the whole machine.

[0068] Then, the walking transmission mechanism 3 is activated: the drive motor 33 outputs power, which is transmitted sequentially through the first gear 34 and the second gear 35 to the small bevel gear 37. Through a 90° vertical shift, it meshes with the large bevel gear 38, driving the coaxial third gear 39 to rotate. The third gear 39 synchronously drives the fourth gear 310 and the fifth gear 311 on both sides. The fifth gear 311 meshes with the outer ring of the open movable gear ring 32. The gear ring rotates smoothly under the constraint of the open guide rail, driving the rigidly connected head housing 1 to move along the weld seam path. The multi-stage gear distribution design effectively suppresses off-center vibration within a narrow 160mm space.

[0069] Simultaneously, the welding head module 4 initiates multi-axis coordination. Specifically, the rotary shaft drives the welding torch to perform 2G position welding operations along the circumferential weld seam. At the same time, the linear slide in the automatic voltage control (AVC) transmission mechanism dynamically adjusts the distance between the welding torch and the workpiece to ensure a constant arc length. Furthermore, the oscillating OSC transmission mechanism uses a vertically oriented screw to drive the welding torch to oscillate laterally, effectively widening the cladding width. Regarding wire feeding, the straightening device 54 built into the wire feeding mechanism 5 precisely straightens the welding wire using multiple sets of rollers.

[0070] Subsequently, the water-cooled welding torch module 42 begins operation; the tungsten electrode ignites the arc within the glass cover 425, and the internal circulating cooling system continuously reduces the welding torch temperature; the high-definition camera of the molten pool monitoring component captures the molten pool status in real time through the customized welding torch glass cover 425, and the images are wirelessly transmitted to an external display. The operator dynamically adjusts the OSC oscillation amplitude or AVC height according to the molten pool formation to ensure no defects such as incomplete fusion or undercut.

[0071] Finally, after completing a single weld, release knob 224 to release clamp 22, and replace the next station's contour block to adapt to different stack type voltage stabilizers. The entire process achieves fully closed-loop automation of "clamping-movement-welding-monitoring" within a ≤160mm rotation space, completely replacing manual operations in high-irradiation environments.

[0072] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. The automatic welding equipment for repairing and replacing the regulator electric heating element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The head clamping mechanism (2) includes a pincer opening and closing module (21), a profiling clamp (22) and a screwing module (23), the profiling clamp (22) includes a clamp base (225) and replaceably arranged first and second clamp blocks (221) and (222) on the top of the clamp base (225), the second clamp block (222) is connected with a knob (224) through a screw rod (223) to realize opening and closing action, the pincer opening and closing module (21) is formed into a shear-resistant structure with a plug bolt through mortise and tenon cooperation, and the surface of the profiling clamp (22) is covered with a pressure block made of stainless steel material to uniformly apply clamping force.

2. The automatic welding equipment for maintenance and replacement of the regulator electric heating element according to claim 2, characterized in that, The profiling clamp (22) is detachably connected with the pincer opening and closing module (21) through standard bolts, the profile of the pressure block matches the external shape of the electric heating element sleeve, the knob (224) is threadedly connected with the end of the screw rod (223), and a hinged structure is formed between the second clamp block (222) and the rotation axis.

3. The regulator electric heating element repair and replacement automatic welding apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking transmission mechanism (3) includes a cover plate (31), a driving motor (33), a multi-stage gear transmission assembly and an open movable gear ring (32), the multi-stage gear transmission assembly includes a bevel gear set to realize power conversion from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, the open movable gear ring (32) is rigidly connected with the arc-shaped opening piece (41) of the welding head module (4) and is limited in rotation through the coaxially arranged open guide rail, the multi-stage gear transmission assembly includes third, fourth and fifth gears (39), (310) and (311) which are sequentially meshed, the fifth gear (311) is meshed with the outer ring of the open movable gear ring (32), the output end of the driving motor (33) is connected with a first gear (34), the lower side of the first gear (34) is meshingly connected with a second gear (35), and the second gear (35) and the multi-stage gear transmission assembly are power transmission.

4. The regulator electric heating element maintenance and replacement automatic welding equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bevel gear set includes a small bevel gear (37) and a large bevel gear (38), the small bevel gear (37) is coaxially connected with a rotating rod (36) in the second gear (35), the large bevel gear (38) is coaxially connected with the third gear (39) through a rotating shaft, and the third gear (39) is meshingly and transmissionally connected with the fourth and fifth gears (310) and (311) through involute tooth profile.

5. The regulator electric heating element repair and replacement automatic welding apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The head shell (1) includes first and second shells (11) and (12), the first and second shells (11) and (12) are fixed at the bottom of the arc-shaped opening piece (41) in the welding head module (4), the inner parts of the first and second shells (11) and (12) are respectively provided with AVC and OSC transmission mechanisms, the AVC and OSC transmission mechanisms are synchronously moved through a bolt-connected connecting assembly therebetween, the AVC transmission mechanism is used for adjusting the distance between the welding gun and the workpiece, and the OSC transmission mechanism is used for driving the welding gun to swing transversely along the weld, and the welding head module (4) further includes a water-cooled welding gun module (42) and a molten pool monitoring assembly.

6. The regulator electric heating element repair and replacement automatic welding apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The molten pool monitoring assembly comprises a high-resolution camera and an image transmission module, the camera is arranged in parallel with the welding torch module through a fixing support, the image transmission module is wired connected with an external display device, and the optical axis of the camera is in the same plane with the center line of the welding torch nozzle to realize real-time observation of the molten pool area.

7. The regulator electric heating element repair and replacement automatic welding apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The AVC transmission mechanism and the OSC transmission mechanism both adopt a combined structure of a lead screw and a linear slide, the lead screw is driven by a motor, the linear slide realizes linear motion through a guide rail pair, and the lead screw axes of the AVC transmission mechanism and the OSC transmission mechanism are perpendicular to each other.

8. The regulator electric heating element repair and replacement automatic welding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The water-cooled welding torch module (42) comprises a tungsten electrode flow guide (422), a glass cover (425) and an internal circulating cooling system, the tungsten electrode flow guide (422) forms a gas protection cavity through the glass cover (425), and the circulating cooling system comprises an internal cooling pipeline and water inlet and outlet interfaces connected with an external water source.

9. The regulator electric heating element service replacement automatic welding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wire feeding mechanism (5) comprises a welding wire reel (51) for accommodating welding wire, a wire feeding wheel (52), a driving module for driving the wire feeding wheel, a wire feeding pipe (53) and a straightening device (54), the welding wire reel (51) is used for placing the wound welding wire, the output end of the welding wire is guided by the wire feeding wheel (52), and the welding wire is guided to the inside of the straightening device (54) through the wire feeding pipe (53) for straightening treatment.

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