Laser beam welding machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a welding machine (1) for welding at least two parts (2) to be welded, the welding machine being configured to move along said parts (2) to be welded, the welding machine (1) extending in a main longitudinal direction of extension (L) and comprising at least one pair of drive wheels (26) for moving said welding machine (1) relative to the parts (2) to be welded, the welding machine (1) comprises at least one welding apparatus (30) for welding at least two parts (2) to be welded, the welding apparatus (30) comprising at least one device (32) for guiding a laser beam suitable for welding the parts (2) to be welded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a welding machine for welding together the components of, for example, a tank for transporting liquefied gas. Background Art

[0002] Today's welding machines include a drive wheel and a drive member, which is suitable for driving at least the drive wheel to rotate along the parts to be welded. Welding machines usually include a welding wheel to weld the parts to be welded. During the movement of the welding machine, the welding wheel is supplied with current by a current unit to weld the parts to be welded. Welding with the welding wheel is particularly suitable for welding of Invar steel. TM An effective method for welding the prepared parts to be welded.

[0003] Inwa TM In particular, it has advantageous strength properties in tanks, for example, for transporting liquefied gas, and can in particular ensure optimal transport of the liquefied gas. TM Provides good performance, but due to TM is expensive, so Invar TM The use of Invar creates high production costs for manufacturers. Therefore, new alloys are preferred to replace Invar. TM For example, alloys with high manganese content can replace Invar in cans TM The expansion coefficient of alloys with high manganese content is between Invar TM The expansion coefficient of the alloy is between that of stainless steel, but at a lower cost. However, this alloy with a high manganese content is complicated to weld with today's welding machines.

[0004] Therefore, alloys with very high manganese content are used instead of Invar. TM Appropriate welding machines need to be developed and used. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a welding machine capable of welding alloys with a high manganese content while remaining compact.

[0006] The present invention therefore relates to a welding machine for laser beam welding of at least two parts to be welded, the welding machine being configured to move along the parts to be welded, the welding machine extending in a longitudinal main extension direction and comprising at least one pair of drive wheels for moving the welding machine relative to the parts to be welded, the welding machine comprising at least one welding device for laser beam welding of at least two parts to be welded, the at least one welding device comprising at least one device for guiding a laser beam suitable for welding the parts to be welded.

[0007] The welding machine according to the present invention can be used, for example, to weld two raised edges together and / or to weld two raised edges to an anchoring flange of a sealing film component of the wall of a tank for storing and / or transporting cryogenic products, such as liquefied natural gas. For example, the welding machine can weld the raised edges of two adjacent components, i.e., a first component to be welded and a second component to be welded, to form a sealing film of the wall of a tank for storing and / or transporting cryogenic products. Alternatively, the welding machine can weld at least one of the raised edges to the anchoring flange, thereby forming a third component to be welded, which is arranged between the two raised edges of the two adjacent components. Therefore, it is obvious that the component to be welded can be one of the raised edges and the anchoring flange.

[0008] To this end, the welding machine comprises at least one pair of drive wheels, which are used to move the welding machine along the parts to be welded along a linear welding direction (also referred to as the forward movement direction of the welding machine) by means of a drive member. The drive member can be, for example, an electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical drive member. In the context of the present invention, preferably, the drive member is an electric motor.

[0009] The use of a laser beam to weld the parts to be welded is advantageous because alloys (such as alloys with a high manganese content) can be welded using a laser beam. Therefore, the present invention provides a compact welding machine that can weld more types of alloys together and can also weld different types of alloys together.

[0010] According to one feature of the invention, the welding machine comprises at least one drive member adapted to drive in rotation at least one of the drive wheels.

[0011] According to one feature of the invention, the device for guiding the laser beam comprises at least a focusing lens, a reflecting member and a flow conduit surrounding the laser beam.

[0012] It is obvious that the focusing lens enables a laser beam transmitted along a path (for example, a laser beam transmitted along a path by an optical fiber) to be focused. In addition, the circulation duct enables the circulation trajectory of the laser beam to be protected so that the laser beam is not disturbed by the external environment. In particular, the reflective member enables the laser beam to be reflected without changing the focus of the laser beam. Such an optical fiber can be a component of a welding machine because such an optical fiber transmits the laser beam to the focusing lens. According to one embodiment, the optical fiber is a dual-core optical fiber. Such an optical fiber has an optical fiber core (also referred to as an inner optical fiber) that guides a high-power laser beam and an optical fiber (also referred to as an outer optical fiber) at the periphery of the optical fiber core, and the outer optical fiber surrounds the inner optical fiber. The laser beam is guided in the outer optical fiber, and the rated power of the laser beam is lower than the power transmitted by the inner optical fiber.

[0013] Note that the opposite configuration is also possible, that is, the outer fiber guides a high power laser beam, while the fiber core or inner fiber guides a laser beam of lower power than the power transmitted by the outer fiber.

[0014] The laser beam according to the invention is characterized in that the laser beam comprises a beam core and a ring surrounding the beam core. In a first embodiment, the beam core guides a beam portion having a higher rated power than another beam portion guided by the ring. In a second embodiment, the beam core guides a beam portion having a lower rated power than another beam portion guided by the ring.

[0015] Such a laser beam with a beam core and annulus makes it possible to limit spatter near the weld. A second advantage of such a beam is that it makes it possible to obtain a wider finished weld without having to oscillate the laser beam, which tends to increase spatter.

[0016] According to an optional aspect of the invention, the one or more reflective members consist, for example, of mirrors. Advantageously, the welding machine comprises means for adjusting the position of the reflective members, which enables adjustment of the position of the laser beam on the parts to be welded.

[0017] In one example, the reflective member comprises at least one material that resists the heat of the laser beam, one such material being quartz. Alternatively or additionally, the reflective member may comprise a cooling system configured to maintain the temperature of the reflective member below a temperature threshold. These arrangements make it possible to prevent any deformation that would result in a degradation of the quality and / or position of the beam.

[0018] According to one feature of the invention, the flow duct of the laser beam extends from the focusing lens to at least one area in which the parts to be welded are welded.

[0019] It is obvious that the welding area corresponds to the area of ​​the parts to be welded which is intended to receive the laser beam. It is also obvious that the welding area changes as the welding machine moves forward along the parts to be welded.

[0020] According to one feature of the invention, the reflective member is arranged in the flow duct between the focusing lens and the welding area.

[0021] According to an optional feature of the invention, the means for directing the laser beam comprises a plurality of reflective members, in particular three reflective members.

[0022] In case of three reflective members, each reflective member is for example arranged to direct the laser beam in an exit direction which is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the entry direction of the laser beam, the entry direction being the direction in which the laser beam extends before striking the reflective member.

[0023] According to an optional feature of the invention, the welding machine is configured such that the focusing lens is arranged vertically above the weld to be produced by the laser beam welding device.

[0024] In the case of a tank comprising at least two parts to be welded, each of which has an edge raised at 90°, the laser beam emitted directly from the focusing member extends in a plane inscribed in at least one of the raised edges. Thanks to the three mirrors, the invention enables such a laser beam to be directed so that it impinges on the raised edge in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least the plane inscribed in the raised edge.

[0025] Such an organization of the reflecting member and / or the focusing lens enables a more compact welding machine with improved ergonomics to be obtained.Such an organization enables the production of a welding machine with a lower height and a smaller width than known machines.

[0026] According to one feature of the present invention, the flow conduit is curved to form an angle portion of the flow conduit, and the reflective member is arranged in the angle portion of the flow conduit. Therefore, it is obvious that the reflective member is configured to change the trajectory of the laser beam in the flow conduit so that the trajectory of the laser beam corresponds to the shape of the flow conduit.

[0027] According to one feature of the invention, the welding device comprises at least one housing forming a chamber around the welding zone, the housing being arranged at the end of the flow-through duct opposite the focusing lens.

[0028] According to one feature of the invention, the inert gas is distributed in the chamber formed by the housing at least at the welding zone.

[0029] According to one feature of the invention, the welding device comprises at least one pair of pressure rollers for pressing the parts to be welded against each other at the welding zone.

[0030] The pressure roller is used to press the parts to be welded together, with a maximum gap of 0.2 mm between the plates. Furthermore, the pressure roller is arranged in a chamber defined by the housing.

[0031] A pair of pressure rollers refers to two pressure rollers arranged at respective opposite sides of the parts to be welded along a straight line perpendicular to the plane of the parts to be welded. Optionally, the pressure rollers may be cooled.

[0032] According to one feature of the invention, the laser beam is inscribed in a plane containing the axes of rotation of at least two pressure rollers.

[0033] According to one feature of the present invention, the welding device comprises a receiving element for receiving the laser beam, the receiving element being arranged in the housing and being configured to be cooled. The receiving element for receiving the laser beam can absorb the residual light energy of the laser beam, and the receiving element for receiving the laser beam is connected to a cooling circuit to cool the receiving element.

[0034] Furthermore, the parts to be welded are arranged between the reflective member and the receiving element along the trajectory of the laser beam. Obviously, once the laser beam has passed through the welding area, the receiving element absorbs the remaining light energy of the laser beam.

[0035] According to an example of the present invention, the receiving element is made of metal or ceramic.

[0036] According to one feature of the invention, the receiving element for receiving the laser beam is configured to absorb the remaining portion of the laser beam after the laser beam has passed through the parts to be welded.

[0037] According to one example of the present invention, the welding device comprises another pair of pressure rollers at the other side of the welding area, and the laser beam is inscribed in a plane containing the rotation axes of at least two pairs of pressure rollers.

[0038] According to one feature of the invention, the focusing lens of the welding device is connected to a light energy source outside the welding machine, in particular via an optical fiber.

[0039] According to one feature of the present invention, the power of the laser beam is between 1200W and 6000W.

[0040] According to one example of the invention, for alloys with a manganese content of at least 25%, the power of the laser beam is between 1250 W and 6000 W. For alloys with a nickel content of at least 36%, the power of the laser beam is between 1250 W and 2500 W.

[0041] According to one feature of the invention, the drive wheel is configured to move the welding machine along the parts to be welded at a speed between 2 m / min and 8 m / min.

[0042] According to an example of the present invention, for alloys with a manganese content of at least 25%, the forward movement speed of the welding machine is between 2m / min and 5.5m / min. For alloys with a nickel content of at least 36%, the forward movement speed of the welding machine is between 2m / min and 4.8m / min.

[0043] According to one feature of the invention, the drive wheels each extend in a plane intersecting the plane of the parts to be welded, the plane intersecting at least one of the drive wheels being different from the plane perpendicular to the plane of the parts to be welded.

[0044] According to one feature of the invention, at least two pairs of driving wheels are arranged on respective opposite sides of a housing of the welding device along a longitudinal direction of the welding machine.

[0045] According to an example of the present invention, the rotations of the two pairs of driving wheels are not synchronized. In other words, the two pairs of driving wheels are adapted to be driven to rotate at different speeds by the driving member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description given by way of illustration and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] [ Figure 1 ] is an overall perspective view of a welding machine suitable for welding parts to be welded according to the present invention;

[0048] [ Figure 2 ] is from Figure 1 A close-up view of the welding equipment of the welding machine;

[0049] [ Figure 3 ] is a close-up view of another embodiment of a device for directing a laser beam;

[0050] [ Figure 4 ]yes Figure 2 A close-up view of the housing of the welding equipment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] First of all, it should be noted that although the drawings disclose the invention in detail so that the invention can be used, these drawings can of course be used to better define the invention if necessary. It should also be noted that these drawings only disclose examples of embodiments of the invention. Finally, in all drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

[0052] Figure 1 A welding machine 1 is shown which is configured to move along at least two parts to be welded 2. More precisely, the parts to be welded 2 are, for example, strips and are components of a sealing membrane 6 of a wall 8 of a tank for storing and / or transporting products which remain liquid at temperatures below -100° C. at atmospheric pressure, such as liquefied natural gas.

[0053] For example, the welding machine 1 can enable the first raised edge 4 and the second raised edge 4 of the adjacent first to-be-welded part 2a and the second to-be-welded part 2b to be directly welded to each other. In another example of the present invention, the welding machine can weld at least one of the raised edges 4 of the first to-be-welded part 2a and / or the second to-be-welded part 2b to the anchor flange 12, and the anchor flange 12 is formed as shown in FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 4In the third component to be welded shown, the anchoring flange 12 is arranged between two adjacent raised edges.

[0054] More specifically, Figure 2 and Figure 4 The anchor flange 12 shown is anchored to the insulating portion of the tank wall and is arranged between two adjacent raised edges. Figures 2 to 4 As shown, such welding of at least two parts to be welded 2a, 2b forms a weld 14 extending along the welding axis S at least on the first raised edge 4 and / or the second raised edge. In particular, the weld 14 formed between at least two parts to be welded 2 is able to ensure the seal between the parts to be welded 2 and thus participate in sealing the constituent membrane 6 of the wall 8 of the tank for storing and / or transporting cryogenic products.

[0055] Figure 1 The welding machine 1 shown comprises at least one body 16, which has a substantially parallelepiped shape and extends in a main extension direction parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the welding machine 1. The body 16 of the welding machine 1 has in particular a front end 18 and a rear end 20 opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction L of the welding machine 1. Moreover, it is clear that the concept of front / rear of the body 16 of the welding machine 1 refers to the direction A in which the welding machine 1 moves forward along the part 2 to be welded, which direction A is parallel to the welding axis S and to the longitudinal direction L of the welding machine 1. Moreover, the body 16 of the welding machine 1 comprises an upper surface 22 and a lower surface 24 opposite to each other in the vertical direction V of the welding machine 1, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the welding machine 1, and the lower surface 24 is the surface of the body 16 of the welding machine 1 facing the part 2 to be welded.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the welding machine 1 according to the present invention comprises at least one pair of driving wheels 26 and at least one driving member, wherein the at least one pair of driving wheels 26 is used to drive the welding machine 1 to move relative to the part 2 to be welded, and the at least one driving member is invisible and is suitable for driving the at least one pair of driving wheels 26 to rotate.

[0057] More specifically, at least one pair of driving wheels 26 is arranged at the lower surface 24 of the body 16 of the welding machine 1, so that the at least one pair of driving wheels 26 is in contact with at least one of the parts to be welded 2. Therefore, the rotation of the at least one pair of driving wheels 26 driven by the driving member enables the pair of driving wheels 26 in contact with the parts to be welded 2 to drive the welding machine 1 to move along the parts to be welded 2 in a linear translation parallel to the forward movement direction A of the welding machine 1.

[0058] More precisely, each of the wheels of a pair of drive wheels 26 is in contact with one of the parts to be welded 2. In the example of the invention shown, the welding machine 1 comprises a first pair of drive wheels 26a and a second pair of drive wheels 26b, which are arranged at the front end 18 and the rear end 20 of the body 16 of the welding machine 1, respectively. Moreover, it is clear that the drive wheels 26 of each pair of drive wheels 26a, 26b are opposite to each other in a transverse direction T of the welding machine 1, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the vertical direction V. Therefore, the drive wheels 26 of the same pair of drive wheels extend on respective opposite sides of the parts to be welded 2.

[0059] In another example of the invention, the drive wheels each extend in a plane intersecting the plane of the parts to be welded 2, the plane in which at least one of the drive wheels extends being perpendicular to the plane of one of the raised edges 4. This feature in particular enables the welding machine to hold itself against the side wall or upper wall of the tank while it is being moved.

[0060] As mentioned above, the welding machine 1 comprises at least one driving member for driving the driving wheel 26 to rotate, and the at least one driving member can take the form of an electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical driving member. According to the present invention, preferably, the driving member is an electric motor.

[0061] The welding machine 1 according to the invention comprises a Figure 1 At least one welding device 30 is shown for welding at least two parts 2 to be welded. The welding device 30 particularly comprises at least one device 32 for guiding a laser beam 34 to weld the parts 2 to be welded.

[0062] Now refer to Figures 2 to 4 The welding device 30 is described in more detail.

[0063] As previously mentioned, the welding device 30 comprises a device 32 for guiding a laser beam 34, the device 32 being composed of at least a focusing lens 36, a reflecting member 38 and at least one circulation duct 40 surrounding the laser beam 34. In particular, the focusing lens 36 enables the focusing of the laser beam 34, which is transmitted, for example by an optical fiber 51, from a laser source external to the welding machine 1 in a path which is invisible to the device for guiding the laser beam 34. It is therefore clear that the laser beam 34 coming from the focusing lens 36 is surrounded by the circulation duct 40, so that the circulation duct 40 protects the user of the welding machine 1 from the laser beam 34 and at the same time protects the laser beam 34 itself from the external environment which is liable to disturb the trajectory of the laser beam. To this end, the circulation duct 40 for the laser beam 34 extends from the focusing lens 36 to at least one zone 44 for welding the parts 2 to be welded. The welding zone 44 refers to a portion of the parts 2 to be welded where the above-mentioned weld seam must be formed.

[0064] As in Figure 2 As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4 , the flow duct 40 is curved to form an angular portion 46 of the flow duct 40. This structure of the flow duct 40 makes it possible in particular to optimize the size of the welding machine 1 by limiting the overall size of said flow duct 40 for the laser beam 34. The reflective member 38 is arranged in the angular portion 46 of the flow duct 40. In other words, the reflective member 38 is arranged in the flow duct 40 between the focusing lens 36 and the welding area 44. It is clear that the function of the reflective member 38 is to deflect the rectilinear trajectory of the laser beam 34 when the laser beam 34 leaves the focusing lens 36. In the example of the invention shown, the angular portion 46 of the flow duct 40 is substantially at right angles to the flow duct 40, and the reflective member 38 is arranged in the angular portion 46 of the flow duct 40 so that the reflective member 38 deflects the laser beam 34 by 90° to follow the trajectory of the flow duct 40. In one example of the invention, the reflective member 38 is a mirror.

[0065] According to the invention, the welding device 30 comprises at least one housing 48 delimiting a chamber 50 around the welding area 44, the housing 48 being arranged at the end of the flow duct 40 opposite the focusing lens 36. Figure 2 and Figure 4 As can be seen in FIG. 4 , the housing 48 includes an opening 52 , which is configured to allow the component 2 to be welded to pass through the housing 48 .

[0066] Furthermore, in one example of the present invention, the housing may include a device for spraying an inert gas toward the welding area to prevent oxidation of the weld caused by welding with the laser beam. The device for spraying the inert gas is at least partially positioned in the chamber 50 .

[0067] Figure 3 An embodiment of a welding machine comprising an optical fiber 51 is shown. The optical fiber 51 extends mainly in a direction inscribed in a plane of one of the raised edges 4. In other words, the laser beam arrives from above the area to be welded. Therefore, the focusing lens 36 is located vertically above the welding area 44.

[0068] When the weld seam 14 passes through the raised edge 4 , the means 32 for directing the laser beam 34 comprises means for directing the laser beam to impact perpendicularly on the surface of the raised edge 4 .

[0069] The device 32 for directing the laser beam 34 thus comprises three reflecting members 38a, 38b and 38c. The first reflecting member 38a is immediately downstream of the focusing lens and directs the laser beam 34 in an exit direction perpendicular to the incident direction after it strikes the first reflecting member 38a.

[0070] The laser beam 34 then strikes the surface of the second reflecting member 38b, which deflects the laser beam 34 in an outgoing direction perpendicular to the incident direction. The direction of this middle portion of the beam is then parallel or substantially parallel to the plane in which the raised edge 4 is inscribed.

[0071] The third reflecting member 38c causes the laser beam 34 to hit the raised edge 4. The third reflecting member 38c deflects the laser beam 34 that has just hit the third reflecting member 38c in an outgoing direction perpendicular to the incident direction.

[0072] According to the present invention, the housing 48 of the welding device 30 is sized so that the housing 48 can accommodate at least one pair of pressure rollers 54 for pressing the parts 2 to be welded against each other at the welding area 44. In other words, the pressure rollers 54 of the at least one pair of pressure rollers 54 are arranged on respective opposite sides of the welding area 44 so that the pressure rollers 54 press the parts 2 to be welded against each other.

[0073] In one example of the invention, the parts 2 to be welded are pressed against each other so that the welding area 44 has a maximum spacing between the plates of 0.2 mm between the parts 2 to be welded. Furthermore, it is clear that the pressure roller 54 is connected to a system for applying pressure to the pressure roller 54 (the system is part of the welding machine) so as to press the pressure roller 54 against the parts 2 to be welded at the welding area 44.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the invention, the laser beam 34 is inscribed in a plane that contains the rotation axes R of at least two pressure rollers 54, such as Figure 4 The advantage of this feature is that it enables the laser beam 34 to pass through the welding area 44 where the parts 2 to be welded are in the greatest contact with each other.

[0075] In the example of the invention shown, the two pressure rollers 54 are referred to as a first pair of pressure rollers 54a of pressure rollers 54. In this example, the welding machine 1 comprises a second pair of pressure rollers 54b of pressure rollers 54. The first pair of pressure rollers 54a and the second pair of pressure rollers 54b of pressure rollers 54 are located on respective opposite sides of the laser beam 34. The pressure rollers 54 of the second pair of pressure rollers 54b each have an axis of rotation R, which is inscribed in a plane common to the axis of rotation R of the other pressure rollers 54 of the first pair of pressure rollers 54 and optionally to the laser beam 34. Obviously, in the vertical direction V of the welding machine 1, the pressure rollers 54 of the second pair of pressure rollers 54b are arranged on the other side of the welding area 44 with respect to the pressure rollers 54 of the first pair of pressure rollers 54a. This makes it possible to optimize the pressure on the parts 2 to be welded at the welding area 44.

[0076] According to one feature of the invention, the welding device 30 comprises a receiving element 56 for receiving the laser beam 34, which is arranged in the housing 48 and is configured to be cooled, for example, by means of a cooling circuit not shown. In other words, the receiving element 56 is configured to absorb the remaining part of the laser beam 34 after the laser beam 34 passes through the part 2 to be welded. Obviously, the part to be welded is arranged between the focusing lens 36 and the receiving element 56 along the trajectory of the laser beam 34. In one example of the invention, the receiving element 56 is made of metal (e.g. copper) or ceramic. However, it is obvious that the receiving member 56 can be made of any material suitable for being cooled.

[0077] The advantage of the welding machine 1 according to the present invention is that the use of the laser beam 34 to weld the parts 2 to be welded enables the same welding machine 1 to be used to weld different metals. TM The welding is performed on the parts to be welded 2 made of an alloy with a high manganese content. A high manganese content means a manganese content of at least 25%.

[0078] For example, for alloys containing at least 25% manganese, the power of the laser beam 34 is between 1250 W and 6000 W. For alloys containing at least 36% nickel, the power of the laser beam 34 is between 1250 W and 25000 W.

[0079] Depending on the type of metal to be welded, the speed of rotation of the drive wheel 26 will be adjusted to optimize the welding of the parts 2 to be welded. For example, for alloys containing at least 25% manganese, the speed of the forward movement of the welding machine 1 is between 2m / min and 8m / min, advantageously 5.5m / min. For alloys containing at least 36% nickel, the speed of the forward movement of the welding machine 1 is between 2m / min and 4.8m / min.

[0080] The welding machine of each embodiment just described can include a so-called "dual-core" optical fiber 51. Thus, the optical fiber includes an inner optical fiber forming the core of the optical fiber and an outer optical fiber surrounding the core. This organization makes it possible to focus the laser beam 34 circulating in the core by means of a focusing lens 36 to transmit a beam with a rated power close to 6000W, and the distance of the focusing lens 36 relative to the peripheral area of ​​the optical fiber 51 makes it possible to transmit a laser beam 34 with a rated power less than 6000W, which significantly limits the splashing of droplets on the sides of the weld 14.

[0081] This option also makes it possible to dispense with a device for oscillating the laser beam, since the width of the laser beam is in compliance with regulations. The welding machine 1 is therefore simpler and more compact.

[0082] According to one option, the welding machine can include an imaging system, such as a camera. Such a system enables the quality of the weld to be monitored. The imaging system can be directed directly at the welding area 44 to observe the creation of the weld. Alternatively, the imaging system can be directed at the rear of the welding machine to observe the weld after it leaves the welding machine.

[0083] However, the invention just described should not be limited to the devices and configurations described and shown, but is equally applicable to all equivalent devices or configurations and any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A welding machine (1) having a laser beam for welding at least two parts to be welded (2), the welding machine being configured to move along the parts to be welded (2), the welding machine (1) extending in a longitudinal main extension direction (L) and comprising at least one pair of drive wheels (26) for moving the welding machine (1) relative to the parts to be welded (2), the welding machine (1) comprising at least one welding device (30) having a laser beam for welding the at least two parts to be welded (2), the welding device (30) comprising at least one device (32) for guiding a laser beam (34) suitable for welding the parts to be welded (2).

2. The welding machine (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least one drive member, which is suitable for driving at least one of the drive wheels (26) in rotation.

3. The welding machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The device (32) for directing the laser beam (34) comprises at least a focusing lens (36), a reflecting member (38) and at least one flow conduit (40) surrounding the laser beam (34).

4. The welding machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein: The flow duct (40) for the laser beam (34) extends from the focusing lens (36) to at least one region (44) in which the components (2) to be welded are welded.

5. The welding machine (1) according to claim 4, wherein: The reflective member (38) is arranged in the flow duct (40) between the focusing lens (36) and the welding area (44).

6. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein: The means (32) for directing the laser beam (34) comprises a plurality of reflective members (38), in particular three reflective members (38).

7. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, which is configured such that the focusing lens (36) is arranged vertically above the weld seam (14) to be produced by the laser beam welding device (30).

8. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein: The welding device (30) comprises at least one housing (48) forming a chamber (50) around the welding area (44), the housing (48) being arranged at the end of the flow duct (40) opposite to the focusing lens (36).

9. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in combination with claim 4, wherein: The welding device (30) comprises at least one pair of pressure rollers (54) for pressing the parts to be welded (2) against each other at the welding area (44).

10. The welding machine (1) according to claim 9, wherein: The laser beam (34) is inscribed in a plane that contains the rotation axes (R) of at least two pressure rollers (54).

11. The welding machine (1) according to claim 8, wherein: The welding device (30) comprises a receiving element (56) for receiving the laser beam (34), the receiving element being arranged in the housing (48) and being configured to be cooled, the receiving element (56) for receiving the laser beam (34) being configured to absorb a remaining portion of the laser beam (34) after the laser beam passes through the component (2) to be welded.

12. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The power of the laser beam (34) is between 1200W and 6000W.

13. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: The driving wheel (26) is configured to move the welding machine (1) along the parts to be welded at a speed between 2 m / min and 8 m / min.

14. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The drive wheels (26) each extend in a plane intersecting the plane of the parts (2) to be welded, and the plane intersecting at least one of the drive wheels (26) is different from the plane perpendicular to the plane of the parts (2) to be welded.

15. The welding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14 in combination with claim 8, wherein: The welding machine comprises at least two pairs of drive wheels (26) which are arranged on respective opposite sides of the housing (48) of the welding device (30) along a longitudinal direction (L) of the welding machine (1).

Images