An automatic welding tool and method for girth laser welding with filler wire

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of automated welding technology, specifically to an automated welding fixture and method for laser wire-filler welding of circumferential welds. The fixture includes a laser welding torch, a rotating system, and a control system. The laser welding torch is equipped with a wire feeding mechanism and is fixed on the welding torch support of the rotating system. The rotating system consists of a motor mechanism, a rotating support, and a rotating base. The rotating base includes a welding torch support, an XY bidirectional fine-tuning slide, a rotating platform, and a bearing assembly. This invention uses a motor-driven rotating mechanism to rotate the welding torch at a uniform speed, ensuring that the laser spot and wire feeding position are always aligned with the center of the circumferential weld. The control system coordinates the adjustment of laser power, wire feeding speed, and rotation speed to achieve automated welding of the circumferential weld.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated welding technology, and in particular to an automated welding fixture and method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds. Background Technology

[0002] Large structural components (such as marine engineering components and large radiators) cannot be automatically welded due to their large size, heavy weight, and complex shape. Currently, the mass welding of components mounted on such structures still relies on manual welding, resulting in low efficiency and inconsistent weld quality. Welding is even more difficult for structures within confined spaces. The welding range of industrial robots is limited, and automated laser welding of large components in confined spaces cannot meet the requirements.

[0003] Conventional welding methods are even less suitable for high-precision, high-quality welding in confined spaces. For example, gas shielded welding (GSW) has high heat input and large weld bead size, causing severe deformation of structural components; argon arc welding (ATW) has shallow weld penetration, low welding efficiency, and large weld deformation. Ordinary handheld laser welding cannot be automated, and circumferential welds require manual rotation of the welding torch, making operation difficult, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and resulting in inconsistent weld quality, demanding a high level of operator skill. Furthermore, in ordinary handheld laser filler wire welding, the welding speed is unstable when welding circumferential welds, and the operator needs to rotate to follow the welding position during the welding process, making operation very difficult. Therefore, it cannot meet the requirements for high-quality, batch welding.

[0004] Publication numbers CN109794697B and CN112427802A describe a specialized welding fixture designed for mass-produced products, used in conjunction with industrial robots for automated welding. Publication numbers CN114029616A and CN207223194U describe a welding torch head fixed to a dedicated workbench for automated welding of small-batch products. Publication number CN218874097U describes a welding torch head fixed to a product bracket, using the extension of a cylinder piston rod to move the torch and perform welding. These patents only address mass welding of movable small to medium-sized products; they cannot be applied to circumferential welds in confined spaces on large components, and no other relevant patents have been found.

[0005] Publication No.: CN207139149U An automatic welding device for circumferential weld seams of civil defense accessories includes a base, an ultrasonic probe, a pipe fitting, a U-shaped frame, a rotating clamping component, and a driving component. The rotating clamping component is mounted on the base to clamp the pipe fitting. The U-shaped frame is driven to move up and down by the driving component. When the rotating clamping component rotates, the driving component rotates accordingly to drive the U-shaped frame to move up and down reciprocally. Two elastic sensing modules are symmetrically mounted on the U-shaped frame, and ultrasonic probes are installed on them for detecting the weld seam. This prior art discloses a coordinated motion control method in which the rotating clamping component drives the pipe fitting to rotate, and the driving component drives the detection component to move up and down reciprocally, as well as the controller's coordinated control of the motor, cylinder, electric push rod, pressure sensor, etc., but it cannot be applied to the processing of large components.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automated welding fixture and method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds to solve the problems of low efficiency and large welding deformation in circumferential welds of large components. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose an automated welding fixture and method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds, so as to solve the problems of low efficiency and large welding deformation of circumferential welds of large components.

[0008] For the batch welding of circumferential welds of structural components in confined spaces, an automated welding fixture for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds is adopted. The laser welding gun head is fixed on the welding fixture and electrically automated control is used. The laser spot of the welding fixture gun head rotates around the circumferential weld at a constant speed through the laser spot and wire feeding position, so as to realize the rapid, batch, efficient and automated welding of circumferential welds.

[0009] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows:

[0010] One object of the present invention is to disclose an automated welding fixture and method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds, comprising:

[0011] A laser welding torch, connected to a laser source and equipped with a wire feeding mechanism, is used to perform laser filler wire welding.

[0012] A rotating system is used to drive the laser welding gun to rotate relative to the center of the annular weld seam.

[0013] The control system is connected to both the laser welding gun and the rotating system to coordinate the control of the laser welding process and the motion parameters of the rotating system.

[0014] Furthermore, the rotating system includes a motor mechanism, a rotating mechanism, and a rotating base; the motor mechanism drives the rotating mechanism to rotate, the rotating mechanism drives the rotating base to rotate synchronously, and the rotating base is used to fix the laser welding gun.

[0015] Furthermore, the rotating base includes a welding torch bracket, a slide table, a rotating platform, and a base housing; the welding torch bracket is used to fix the laser welding torch, one end of the welding torch bracket away from the laser welding torch is connected to the slide table, the slide table is connected to the rotating platform, and the rotating platform is connected to the rotating mechanism.

[0016] Furthermore, the slide includes a fixed part and a movable part. The fixed part is fixedly connected to the rotating platform, and the movable part is fixedly connected to the welding torch bracket. The movable part has a degree of freedom of movement in the XY direction relative to the fixed part, which is used to adjust the alignment position of the welding wire end and the center of the annular weld.

[0017] Furthermore, the rotating base also includes a bearing bracket and a bearing base, and a thrust bearing and a rolling bearing are provided between the bearing bracket and the bearing base;

[0018] The thrust bearing is used to bear the axial load of the rotating base, and the rolling bearing is used to bear the radial load and position the rotation center.

[0019] Furthermore, the rotating system also includes a rotating support;

[0020] The rotating bracket is fixedly connected to the base shell, and the rotating base is aligned with the center of the annular weld of the workpiece to be welded;

[0021] When the rotating mechanism drives the laser welding gun to rotate, the rotation center of the rotating base coincides with the center of the annular weld.

[0022] Furthermore, the control system is connected to the laser welding gun and the rotating system respectively, and is used to control the start and stop of laser welding, the start and stop of the rotating system, the rotation speed, the number of rotations and the rotation direction, and to realize the coordinated control of the laser welding process and the motion process of the rotating system.

[0023] Another object of the present invention discloses an automated welding method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds, based on the automated welding fixture for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds as described in any of the above claims, comprising the following steps:

[0024] Fix the laser welding gun onto the rotating system and adjust the wire feeding position and angle;

[0025] By fine-tuning the slide, the rotating base is aligned with the center of the annular weld seam to ensure that the end of the welding wire remains in the same position as the weld seam during the rotation of the rotating system;

[0026] The process parameters, such as laser power, wire feeding speed, rotation speed, and rotation direction, are set through the control system.

[0027] Welding is initiated, and the control system coordinates the laser output and the rotation system movement to automatically complete the welding of the circumferential weld.

[0028] After welding is completed, move the tooling to the next circumferential weld position and repeat the above steps for batch welding.

[0029] Furthermore, the process parameters include: laser power of 1000W~3000W, wire feeding speed of 3m / min~15m / min, and rotation speed of 1r / min~10r / min.

[0030] Furthermore, the control system automatically stops laser output and rotation after the rotating system completes a preset number of rotations.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the automated welding fixture and method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds of the present invention have the following advantages:

[0032] 1. This invention fixes the laser welding torch on a handheld, movable rotating base and uses a motor-driven rotation system to rotate the torch at a uniform speed. It eliminates the need for industrial robots or large robotic arms, breaking through the space requirements of traditional automated welding equipment. At the same time, through the XY bidirectional fine-tuning function of the slide table, it can quickly achieve precise alignment between the welding wire and the center of the circumferential weld. This solves the problem of the difficulty in implementing automated welding for large components due to their large size, heavy weight, complex shape, and limited space, and significantly expands the application scope of automated welding.

[0033] 2. This invention uses a rotating system to drive a laser welding torch to rotate at a constant speed around the circumferential weld seam. Combined with the high energy density and low heat input characteristics of laser filler wire welding, it avoids the defects of traditional gas shielded welding, such as high heat input, large weld leg size, and severe deformation, as well as the defects of argon arc welding, such as shallow penetration and low efficiency. At the same time, the control system coordinates the adjustment of laser power, wire feed speed and rotation speed to ensure uniform weld seam formation. This solves the problems of unstable speed, poor quality consistency and high technical requirements for operators in manual welding, and significantly improves the efficiency and quality stability of batch welding.

[0034] 3. This invention aligns the rotation center with the center of the circumferential weld by rotating the bracket and the base shell, and uses auxiliary structures such as thrust bearings and rolling bearings to ensure the smooth rotation of the rotating base. This ensures that the welding torch is always aligned with the weld position during the circumferential motion, avoiding problems such as unstable torch rotation and welding speed fluctuations caused by human operation in handheld laser welding. It guarantees full circumferential penetration and forming quality of the circumferential weld, improves welding reliability, and reduces the rework rate caused by welding defects.

[0035] 4. This invention adopts an integrated and compact structural design, and the tooling can be carried and quickly installed at the welding position. One-button start can complete the automated welding of a single circumferential weld. After welding, it can be easily moved to the next weld position, realizing batch and assembly line operation of multiple circumferential welds on large components, simplifying the operation process, reducing equipment investment and maintenance costs, and shortening the production cycle of batch welding. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automated welding fixture for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the rotating base of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotating base of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating base of the present invention.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0042] 1. Laser welding torch; 2. Rotating mechanism; 3. Motor mechanism; 4. Rotating support; 5. Laser fiber; 6. Wire feeding mechanism; 7. Rotating base; 71. Welding torch support; 72. Slide table; 73. Rotating platform; 74. Bearing support; 75. Thrust bearing; 76. Rolling bearing; 77. Bearing base; 78. Base shell; 8. Workpiece to be welded. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the technical means and objectives and effects of the present invention easier to understand, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific illustrations.

[0044] It should be noted that all directional and positional terms used in this invention, such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," "back," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," "top," "lower," "lateral," "longitudinal," and "center," are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and connections between components in a specific state. They are merely for the convenience of describing the invention and do not require the invention to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0045] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides an automated welding fixture for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds. The automated welding fixture includes: a laser welding torch 1, a rotation system, and a control system.

[0048] Specifically, the laser welding torch 1 is connected to the laser source via a laser fiber 5 and is equipped with a wire feeding mechanism 6. The laser welding torch 1 is used to receive the laser beam output from the laser source and, with the cooperation of the wire feeding mechanism 6, outputs laser and filler wire to the annular weld seam to be welded, thereby realizing laser filler wire welding.

[0049] Specifically, the rotation system is used to drive the laser welding torch 1 to rotate relative to the center of the annular weld. In some embodiments, the rotation system includes a motor mechanism 3, a rotation mechanism 2, and a rotation base 7. The output end of the motor mechanism 3 is connected to the rotation mechanism 2 for driving the rotation mechanism 2 to rotate at a uniform speed. The rotation base 7 is fixedly connected to the rotation mechanism 2 for supporting and fixing the laser welding torch 1. When the motor mechanism 3 drives the rotation mechanism 2 to rotate, the rotation mechanism 2 drives the rotation base 7 and the laser welding torch 1 fixed thereon to rotate synchronously.

[0050] Specifically, the control system is connected to both the laser welding torch 1 and the rotating system via signals. The control system coordinates the motion parameters of the laser welding process and the rotating system, achieving timing synchronization between them. The laser welding process includes laser start / stop, power adjustment, and wire feeding start / stop; the motion parameters of the rotating system include start / stop, rotation speed, number of rotations, and direction of rotation.

[0051] This design eliminates the need for industrial robots or large robotic arms in the welding fixture. Its compact structure and hand-mountable design allow it to be directly installed in the confined spaces of large components, significantly expanding the application scenarios for automated welding.

[0052] Continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the rotating base 7 includes a welding torch holder 71, a slide 72, a rotating platform 73, and a base housing 78.

[0053] Specifically, the laser welding torch 1 is fixedly mounted on the welding torch holder 71. The end of the welding torch holder 71 away from the laser welding torch 1 is fixedly connected to the slide table 72. The slide table 72 is fixedly connected to the rotating platform 73. The rotating platform 73 is fixedly connected to the output end of the rotating mechanism 2.

[0054] To improve alignment accuracy, the slide table 72 is configured with a bidirectional XY fine-adjustment structure. In some embodiments, the slide table 72 includes a fixed part and a movable part. The fixed part is fixedly connected to the rotating platform 73, and the movable part is fixedly connected to the welding torch holder 71. The movable part has degrees of freedom of movement in the X and Y directions relative to the fixed part. By adjusting the X-axis adjustment knob and the Y-axis adjustment knob on the slide table 72, the movable part can be driven to move relative to the fixed part in the XY plane, thereby driving the welding torch holder 71 and the laser welding torch 1 to move as a whole, thus precisely adjusting the alignment position of the welding wire tip with the center of the circumferential weld. This structure is a prior art and will not be described in detail; other prior art methods can also be used to achieve the same result.

[0055] When the tooling is installed on a large component, manual positioning is difficult to achieve the centering accuracy required for laser filler wire welding. The precise fine adjustment of the slide table 72 can compensate for installation errors and ensure the precise alignment of the laser spot, welding wire and weld during the welding process. This helps to ensure uniform penetration and consistent forming of the circumferential weld.

[0056] To ensure the stability and positioning accuracy of the rotating base 7 during rotation, in some preferred embodiments, the rotating base 7 further includes a bearing bracket 74 and a bearing base 77. A thrust bearing 75 and a rolling bearing 76 are disposed between the bearing bracket 74 and the bearing base 77.

[0057] Specifically, the thrust bearing 75 is installed between the lower end face of the bearing bracket 74 and the upper end face of the bearing base 77 to bear the axial load transmitted by the rotating base 7. The rolling bearing 76 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the output shaft of the rotating mechanism 2 and housed between the bearing bracket 74 and the bearing base 77 to bear the radial load and precisely position the rotation center.

[0058] This configuration, through the combination of thrust bearing 75 and rolling bearing 76, eliminates axial movement and radial runout during rotation, reduces frictional resistance, and enables the rotating base 7 to drive the laser welding gun 1 to rotate with extremely low vibration and stable linear speed, thereby ensuring the consistency of welding quality throughout the circumference of the circumferential weld.

[0059] As a further improvement to the above embodiments, in some other embodiments, the thrust bearing 75 and the rolling bearing 76 can also be integrated into an angular contact ball bearing or a tapered roller bearing, as long as it can simultaneously withstand axial and radial loads and position the rotation center.

[0060] To achieve precise alignment between the rotation center and the center of the circumferential weld, in some embodiments, the rotation system further includes a rotation bracket 4. The rotation bracket 4 is fixedly connected to the base housing 78. In use, the rotation bracket 4 is placed across the workpiece 8 to be welded, and the overall center of the rotating base 7 is spatially aligned with the center of the circumferential weld of the workpiece 8 to be welded.

[0061] When the rotating mechanism 2 drives the laser welding gun 1 to rotate, the rotation center of the rotating base 7 coincides with the center of the annular weld in space. That is, the circular trajectory formed by the laser spot at the end of the laser welding gun 1 and the exit point of the welding wire coincides exactly with the annular weld trajectory on the workpiece, so that the entire circle welding can be completed without manual intervention.

[0062] In some specific embodiments, the control system includes a programmable logic controller or a microcontroller. The control system is connected to the laser welding torch 1 and the rotation system via signals.

[0063] Preferably, the control system is used for at least the following control functions: controlling the start and stop of laser welding; controlling the start and stop of the rotation system; setting and adjusting the rotation speed, for example, from 0.5 r / min to 20 r / min; setting and adjusting the number of rotations, for example, 1 rotation, 2 rotations or more rotations; setting and adjusting the rotation direction, for example, clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0064] More importantly, the control system can achieve coordinated control of the laser welding process and the rotation system's motion. Specifically, it can control the laser to start rotating first, reach a stable speed, and then emit light; or emit light first, delay, and then start rotating; or after welding completes a preset number of revolutions, stop the laser first, delay, and then stop rotating, etc. This setting can effectively avoid weld defects at the welding start and end points, such as arc craters and lack of fusion, and helps to ensure the quality of the lap joint at the beginning and end of the circumferential weld.

[0065] This invention also provides an automated welding method for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds using any of the above-mentioned tooling. This method is particularly suitable for batch welding of multiple tube sheet circumferential welds on large components, such as marine engineering components and large radiators.

[0066] Taking the circumferential weld between a stainless steel pipe with a diameter of 80 mm and a wall thickness of 5 mm and a steel plate as an example, the specific steps include:

[0067] Step S1: Workpiece pretreatment and fixing;

[0068] Insert the stainless steel pipe to be welded vertically into the corresponding hole on the steel plate and adjust its relative position to the design dimensions. Temporarily fix the stainless steel pipe to the steel plate at 3 to 4 points in the circumferential direction using spot welding to prevent displacement during welding.

[0069] Step S2: Fixture installation and welding gun fixation;

[0070] Move the automated welding fixture to the welding position. Fix the laser welding gun 1 onto the welding gun bracket 71 of the rotating base 7. Adjust the wire feeding mechanism 6 so that the angle between the welding wire and the laser spot is 30 to 60 degrees, preferably 45 degrees, and the end of the welding wire is located 1 to 2 millimeters in front of the laser spot.

[0071] Step S3: Centering adjustment;

[0072] Initially align the center of the rotating base 7 with the center of the annular weld seam using visual inspection or an auxiliary centering tool, such as a crosshair laser. Then, operate the X-axis and Y-axis adjustment knobs on the slide 72 to drive the moving part to make slight movements relative to the fixed part until the laser spot, the welding wire tip, and the annular weld seam are precisely aligned. This step ensures that the welding wire tip remains aligned with the weld seam center throughout the entire rotary welding process.

[0073] Step S4: Setting process parameters;

[0074] The following process parameters are set through the control system's interactive interface, such as a touchscreen or knob. It should be noted that these parameters are for illustrative purposes only and can be adjusted appropriately based on the workpiece's material, wall thickness, and weld requirements in actual production.

[0075] In some wide-ranging embodiments, the process parameters include: laser power of 1,000 watts to 3,000 watts, wire feed speed of 3 meters per minute to 15 meters per minute, and rotation speed of 1 revolution per minute to 10 revolutions per minute.

[0076] In this embodiment, for a stainless steel tube with a diameter of 80 mm and a wall thickness of 5 mm, the preferred process parameters are: laser power of 1500 watts, wire feeding speed of 6 meters per minute, rotation speed of 2.5 revolutions per minute, and rotation direction of clockwise. To avoid defects in the arc initiation and termination positions, the number of rotations can be set to 1.2 revolutions to ensure that the arc initiation and termination overlap by approximately 72 degrees.

[0077] Step S5: Start welding and automatic operation;

[0078] Press the "Start" button on the control system. The control system will automatically execute the following actions according to the preset timing and coordination logic:

[0079] First, the motor mechanism 3 is started, causing the rotating mechanism 2 to drive the laser welding gun 1 to rotate at the set speed. After a 0.5-second delay to allow the speed to stabilize, the laser output and wire feeding mechanism 6 are simultaneously activated to begin wire feeding and welding. Once the rotating mechanism 2 has completed the preset number of rotations, the control system first shuts off the laser output and wire feeding mechanism 6. After a 0.5-second delay, the motor mechanism 3 is stopped, and rotation ceases.

[0080] At this point, the automated welding of a circumferential weld seam was completed automatically.

[0081] Step S6: Batch repeatable welding;

[0082] After the current circumferential weld is completed, the entire fixture is lifted and moved to the position of the next circumferential weld to be welded, such as another pipe joint on a large radiator. Repeating steps S2 to S5 above can achieve automated welding with batch processing, high efficiency, and consistency.

[0083] Step S7: Power off;

[0084] After all welding work is completed, turn off the laser source, turn off the main power supply of the control system, and clean up any spatter on the tooling surface.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the drive source for the rotating system is a motor mechanism 3. However, in other alternative embodiments, the motor mechanism 3 can be replaced with other types of drive sources, such as pneumatic motors, hydraulic motors, or servo motors. As long as the drive source can provide a stable torque output and drive the rotating mechanism 2 to rotate at a uniform speed, the purpose of the present invention can be achieved.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the slide table 72 is finely adjusted in both X and Y directions by a manual knob. To further improve the level of automation, in another optional embodiment, the moving part of the slide table 72 can also be driven by a micro stepper motor or an electric actuator and connected to the control system signal. The operator can perform electric centering adjustment via a remote control console, which is particularly advantageous in extremely confined spaces where it is inconvenient for personnel to enter.

[0087] Preferably, the laser power ranges from 1000 watts to 3000 watts. When the laser power is below 1000 watts, the penetration depth is insufficient for filler wire welding of common carbon steel and stainless steel (wall thickness greater than 3 mm), easily leading to incomplete fusion defects. When the laser power is above 3000 watts, the heat input is too large, and the welding deformation increases significantly, deviating from the original intention of "low deformation" of this invention. More preferably, a laser power of 1500 watts can achieve the best balance between penetration depth and heat input.

[0088] Preferably, the wire feed speed ranges from 3 meters per minute to 15 meters per minute. The technical significance of this is that the wire feed speed needs to be matched with the laser power. A power of 1000 watts corresponds to a relatively low wire feed speed of approximately 3 meters per minute, while a power of 3000 watts corresponds to a relatively high wire feed speed of approximately 15 meters per minute. Too low a wire feed speed will result in insufficient weld filling and undercut; too high a wire feed speed will cause the welding wire to lift the molten pool and result in poor weld formation.

[0089] Preferably, the rotation speed ranges from 1 revolution per minute to 10 revolutions per minute. Its technical significance lies in the fact that the rotation speed determines the welding line speed. For typical circumferential welds with diameters ranging from 50 mm to 200 mm, a line speed corresponding to 1 to 10 revolutions per minute is approximately 0.16 m / min to 6.28 m / min, covering the commonly used welding speed range for laser filler wire welding. If the speed is too low, below 1 revolution per minute, efficiency is low and heat input is too high; if the speed is too high, above 10 revolutions per minute, the shielding gas is dragged, the molten pool cannot spread in time, and porosity and humped weld beads are easily formed.

[0090] By employing the above structure and method, the present invention achieves the following beneficial effects:

[0091] First, it eliminates the need for robotic arms, overcoming spatial limitations. By integrating rotational motion into the handheld fixture, the welding torch rotates while the workpiece remains fixed, completely eliminating reliance on large industrial robots. Operators only need to place the fixture at the welding position to perform automated welding in the confined spaces of complex components such as ships and large radiators, solving the industry pain point of traditional automated welding being "unable to enter or reach" certain areas.

[0092] Secondly, it features low heat input and high-quality weld formation. Using laser wire filler welding as the heat source results in high energy density and a narrow heat-affected zone. Compared to traditional gas shielded welding, the welding deformation of this invention can be reduced by more than 60%. Combined with a precision rotating system, the weld formation is uniform, spatter-free, and requires almost no post-weld grinding.

[0093] Third, batch processing and one-click operation. Through the timing coordination and parameter pre-storage of the control system, when faced with multiple circumferential welds of the same specifications, the operator only needs to repeat two actions: "moving the tooling and pressing the start button". Taking an 80 mm diameter circumferential weld as an example, the welding time for a single weld can be shortened to less than 30 seconds, which is 5 to 10 times more efficient than manual welding, and the quality consistency is extremely high.

[0094] Fourth, it offers convenient centering and adjustment with strong fault tolerance. The XY bidirectional micro-adjustment structure of the slide table 72 allows coarse positioning errors during installation to be compensated for through precise micro-adjustments, greatly reducing the skill requirements for centering. Even inexperienced workers can weld high-quality products after simple training.

[0095] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated welding fixture for girth laser welding with filler wire, characterized in that, include: A laser welding torch, connected to a laser source and equipped with a wire feeding mechanism, is used to perform laser filler wire welding. A rotating system is used to drive the laser welding gun to rotate relative to the center of the annular weld seam. The control system is connected to both the laser welding gun and the rotating system to coordinate the control of the laser welding process and the motion parameters of the rotating system.

2. The automated welding fixture for girth laser welding with filler wire of claim 1, wherein, The rotating system includes a motor mechanism (3), a rotating mechanism (2), and a rotating base (7); the motor mechanism (3) drives the rotating mechanism (2) to rotate, and the rotating mechanism (2) drives the rotating base (7) to rotate synchronously. The rotating base (7) is used to fix the laser welding gun (1).

3. The automated welding fixture for girth laser welding with filler wire of claim 2, wherein, The rotating base (7) includes a welding torch bracket (71), a slide (72), a rotating platform (73), and a base housing (78); the welding torch bracket (71) is used to fix the laser welding torch (1), one end of the welding torch bracket (71) away from the laser welding torch (1) is connected to the slide (72), the slide (72) is connected to the rotating platform (73), and the rotating platform (73) is connected to the rotating mechanism (2).

4. The automated welding fixture for girth laser weld with filler wire welding of claim 3, wherein, The slide (72) includes a fixed part and a movable part. The fixed part is fixedly connected to the rotating platform (73), and the movable part is fixedly connected to the welding gun bracket (71). The movable part has a degree of freedom of movement in the XY direction relative to the fixed part, which is used to adjust the alignment position of the welding wire end and the center of the annular weld.

5. The automated welding fixture for girth laser weld with filler wire welding of claim 3, wherein, The rotating base (7) also includes a bearing bracket (74) and a bearing base (77), and a thrust bearing (75) and a rolling bearing (76) are provided between the bearing bracket (74) and the bearing base (77). The thrust bearing (75) is used to bear the axial load of the rotating base (7), and the rolling bearing (76) is used to bear the radial load and position the rotation center.

6. The automated welding fixture for girth laser weld with filler wire welding of claim 3, wherein, The rotation system also includes a rotation support (4); The rotating bracket (4) is fixedly connected to the base shell (78), and the rotating base (7) is aligned with the center of the annular weld of the workpiece (8) to be welded; When the rotating mechanism (2) drives the laser welding gun (1) to rotate, the rotation center of the rotating base (7) coincides with the center of the annular weld.

7. The automated welding fixture for girth laser weld with filler wire welding of claim 1, wherein, The control system is connected to the laser welding gun and the rotating system respectively, and is used to control the start and stop of laser welding, the start and stop of the rotating system, the rotation speed, the number of rotations and the rotation direction, and to realize the coordinated control of the laser welding process and the motion process of the rotating system.

8. An automated welding method for girth laser welding with filler wire, characterized in that, The automated welding fixture for laser filler wire welding of circumferential welds according to any one of claims 1 to 7 includes the following steps: Fix the laser welding gun onto the rotating system and adjust the wire feeding position and angle; By fine-tuning the slide, the rotating base is aligned with the center of the annular weld seam to ensure that the end of the welding wire remains in the same position as the weld seam during the rotation of the rotating system; The process parameters, such as laser power, wire feeding speed, rotation speed, and rotation direction, are set through the control system. Welding is initiated, and the control system coordinates the laser output and the rotation system movement to automatically complete the welding of the circumferential weld. After welding is completed, move the tooling to the next circumferential weld position and repeat the above steps for batch welding.

9. The automated welding method of ring weld laser filled wire welding according to claim 8, characterized in that, The process parameters include: laser power of 1000W~3000W, wire feeding speed of 3m / min~15m / min, and rotation speed of 1r / min~10r / min.

10. The automated welding method of ring weld laser wire-fed welding of claim 8, wherein, The control system automatically stops laser output and rotation after the rotating system completes the preset number of rotations.

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