Automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gate

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of welding equipment, in particular to automatic welding equipment for a large-span flap gate. The equipment comprises a track, a trolley, a depth camera, a preheating assembly, a welding assembly, a flaw detection assembly and an upper computer, the upper computer serves as a control center of other components. Wherein the trolley is mounted on the track; the depth camera is used for collecting environment information in the moving direction of the trolley and recognizing a target needing to be welded so as to plan a welding operation path. The preheating assembly is used for conducting welding tongs preheating on a welding area through a flame heating method. The welding assembly is used for welding the target area. And the flaw detection assembly is used for detecting the quality of a welding seam after welding is completed. According to the equipment, a segmented continuous process similar to an assembly line is adopted for rapidly welding a welding area, and then the problems that the operation difficulty is large, the working efficiency is low and the safety risk is prominent when a large-span flap gate is manually welded are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of welding equipment, in particular to automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates. Background Art

[0002] In the construction of water conservancy facilities, river control gates are used to regulate water levels, reduce river flow velocity, reduce slope scour, and ensure the stability of the embankment foot and slope. In some wider rivers, control gates are usually used as follows: Figure 1 The large-span, large-section, bottom-axle-driven flap gate shown in the figure. This type of gate has a large single-span length, making it impossible to form and install it all at once. Therefore, the gate leaf is typically designed and processed into multiple pieces, assembled on-site, and then welded together in one go. The quality of the leaf assembly and welding is a key factor in ensuring the gate's effective water-stopping effect. Furthermore, the leaf welding process directly affects the leaf's stress release and deformation, impacting the gate's durability.

[0003] Under current technical conditions, gate panel welding is typically performed manually. To ensure project progress, construction teams often need to simultaneously deploy multiple technicians to perform welding work in different areas. On the one hand, the overall welding quality of subcontracted work on such a large project is difficult to guarantee due to the varying skill levels of the individual operators. Furthermore, the overall welding efficiency of the project is also affected by the efficiency of individual operators. To ensure completion before the flood season, workers may be required to work long hours and experience heavy workloads.

[0004] The gate panel welding process typically requires preheating and welding at a specified welding temperature. This special operating temperature not only increases the difficulty of the welding process, but also adds insulation requirements during the welding process. In winter, when temperatures are low or rainy or snowy, engineers often need to build an insulated shed for the area to be welded and perform welding operations inside the shed. Considering that the ventilation effect in the insulation shed is far worse than that in the open air, gas combustion is required for preheating the workpiece, and the welding process usually requires the use of welding equipment such as carbon dioxide shielded welding, these complex process conditions result in a very difficult welding environment for workers, even posing risks to their lives and health. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the problems of great difficulty, low work efficiency and prominent safety risks in manual welding of large-span flap gates, the present invention provides an automatic welding device for large-span flap gates.

[0006] The technical solutions provided by the present invention are as follows:

[0007] An automatic welding device for a large-span flap gate comprises a track, a trolley, a depth camera, a preheating assembly, a welding assembly, a flaw detection assembly and a host computer. The track is used for horizontal installation along the extension direction of the weld of the workpiece to be welded. The trolley comprises a carrier and its driving mechanism. The carrier is mounted on the track, and the driving mechanism is used to drive the carrier to reciprocate along the track. The carrier comprises a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber which are adjacently distributed in sequence along the extension direction of the track; the three chambers are of the same size and the bottoms of the positions corresponding to the three chambers in the carrier are open. The depth camera is mounted on the side of the front of the carrier close to the first cavity, and is used to obtain a depth image directly below the direction of travel of the trolley.

[0008] The preheating assembly includes a fuel tank, a pipeline, a flamethrower, and a first slide. The flamethrower is mounted within a first chamber of the platform via the first slide; the flamethrower is connected to the fuel tank via the pipeline. The first slide is used to drive the flamethrower in reciprocating motion parallel to the track.

[0009] The welding assembly includes a welding gun, a welding machine, a shielding gas tank, a wire feeder, and a first three-dimensional adjustment platform. The welding gun is mounted within the second cavity of the carrier via the first three-dimensional adjustment platform; the first three-dimensional adjustment platform is used to drive the welding gun to freely move within the second cavity. The welding machine is electrically connected to the welding gun; the shielding gas tank and wire feeder are used to supply shielding gas and welding wire to the welding gun, respectively, during the welding process.

[0010] The flaw detection assembly includes a probe, an analyzer, and a second three-dimensional adjustment platform; the probe and the analyzer are electrically connected via a cable. The second three-dimensional adjustment platform is used to drive the probe to move freely in the third cavity.

[0011] The host computer is electrically connected to the trolley, depth camera, heat treatment component, welding component, and flaw detection component; the host computer uses a segmented continuous working strategy to automatically weld and inspect the target. Specifically, the host computer is used to:

[0012] A. Obtain the detection image of the depth camera, identify the target position to be welded, and draw the trajectory information of the welding target.

[0013] B. Generate a heat treatment area containing the welding target, and drive the preheating component to start in time to heat the heat treatment area to the specified temperature.

[0014] C. Start the welding assembly according to the preset welding parameters, and automatically weld the welding target according to the preset trajectory information.

[0015] D. Perform flaw detection on the welds after welding according to the preset trajectory information, and generate a welding quality report based on the test results.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the segmented continuous working strategy adopted by the host computer in the automatic welding equipment is:

[0017] Divide the target area to be welded into n consecutive segments according to a preset distance;

[0018] Before the start of each task cycle, the trolley moves forward a preset distance, and the depth camera completes the mapping task of the corresponding segment. After the movement is completed, the preheating component, welding component, and flaw detection component will work in parallel, and then perform preheating, welding, and quality inspection on the targets in their respective segments within one task cycle.

[0019] When entering the next cycle, the above process is repeated, and the welding task of the area with n segments can be completed within n+2 task cycles.

[0020] As a further improvement of the present invention, the track includes at least two mutually parallel optical axes. The platform is a three-compartment square box, comprising four-way side panels and partitions between adjacent cavities. Multiple connecting ears are provided on the side panels along both sides of the track. Each of the connecting ears has a through hole matching the outer diameter of the optical axis. The platform is secured to the optical axis via the connecting ear sleeves.

[0021] As a further improvement of the present invention, the fuel tank is connected to the pipeline via a main solenoid valve; the main solenoid valve is used to control the on / off and opening degree of the fuel supply in the flamethrower.

[0022] As a further improvement of the present invention, the flamethrower includes multiple horizontally distributed nozzles, each uniformly arranged in a direction perpendicular to the track. Each nozzle is activated by an independent electronic igniter. Each electronic igniter is electrically connected to a PLC controller. The PLC controller is electrically connected to a host computer and is used to adjust the on / off state of each nozzle based on control codes issued by the host computer.

[0023] As a further improvement of the present invention, the preheating assembly further comprises a plurality of temperature sensors which are electrically connected to the host computer and which are installed around the welding target to achieve real-time measurement of the temperature of the welding target.

[0024] As a further improvement of the present invention, the temperature sensor adopts a thermocouple temperature sensor.

[0025] As a further improvement of the present invention, the depth camera adopts a depth camera based on structured light or Tof technology.

[0026] As a further improvement of the present invention, the welding assembly adopts a carbon dioxide shielded welder or an argon arc welder.

[0027] As a further improvement of the present invention, the host computer automatically generates the motion trajectory of the welding gun in the welding process of the current task cycle according to the trajectory information of the welding target before the start of each task cycle; and generates the welding current and welding speed corresponding to each process interval in the welding motion trajectory according to the material and working conditions of the welding target.

[0028] During the welding process, the host computer controls the operation of the first three-dimensional adjustment platform according to the preset welding speed and motion trajectory, and adjusts the operating states of the welder and wire feeder according to the preset welding current and welding speed.

[0029] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first three-dimensional adjustment platform or the second three-dimensional adjustment platform includes an X-axis module, a Y-axis module and a Z-axis module. Both the Y-axis module and the Z-axis module adopt linear slides; the linear slides include linear guide rails and sliding seats thereon. The X-axis module includes a carrier plate and at least two ball screws; the two ball screws in the X-axis module are symmetrically mounted on two side plates in the carrier plate parallel to the direction of the track. The carrier plate is vertically mounted in the cavity of the carrier plate, and both sides of the carrier plate are fixedly connected to the nut seats of the ball screws. The linear guide rails in the Y-axis module are horizontally arranged and fixed on the surface of the carrier plate. The linear guide rails in the Z-axis module are arranged in the vertical direction and fixed to the surface of the sliding seat in the Y-axis module. The welding gun is fixedly connected to the sliding seat of the Z-axis module.

[0030] As a further improvement of the present invention, the trolley's drive mechanism includes cables, multiple pulleys, and at least one traction mechanism. The platform is fixedly connected to the cables. The pulleys are fixedly mounted at both ends of the track. The cables are fixed at both ends and then sleeved over rollers on both sides, maintaining tension. The traction mechanism is used to rotate the rollers on one side, thereby driving the platform on it to slide along the extension direction of the track via the cables.

[0031] As a further improvement of the present invention, the drive mechanism also includes a cable displacement sensor, which is used to detect the cable's travel distance in real time while the tractor is operating. The host computer obtains the sensor's detection results in real time and issues a brake command to the tractor when the detection results reach a target value.

[0032] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0033] The present invention provides an automatic welding device that installs a depth camera, preheating assembly, welding assembly, and flaw detection assembly on a single trolley. The trolley is then driven to move in sections across the surface of the workpiece to be welded. During each cycle, mapping, preheating, welding, and post-weld quality inspection are performed simultaneously on different sections. This device can replace manual welding of large-span flap gates using a process similar to assembly line processing, and can operate continuously for long periods of time, thereby significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing worker workload. Furthermore, the device is suitable for completing welding tasks in harsh working conditions such as rain and snow, preventing the damage to the lives and health of skilled workers caused by welding operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the large-span bottom-shaft driven flap gate introduced in the background technology.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the automatic welding equipment for the large-span flap gate provided in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 3 Welding principle diagram for a welding task consisting of five sections using automatic welding equipment.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the trolley portion in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the preheating component in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the welding assembly in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the flaw detection component in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 8 This is a module connection diagram of the control part of the automatic welding equipment in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 9 This is a flow chart of the steps of the automatic welding method for a large-span flap gate provided in Example 2 of the present invention.

[0043] The following are marked in the figure:

[0044] 1. Track; 3. Depth camera; 4. Preheating assembly; 5. Welding assembly; 6. NDT assembly; 21. Carrier; 22. Drive mechanism; 41. Flame retardant; 42. First slide; 51. Welding gun; 52. First three-dimensional adjustment platform; 53. Wire feeder; 54. Air valve; 55. Welding machine; 61. Probe; 62. Second three-dimensional adjustment platform; 63. Analyzer; 100. Host computer; 210. Connecting ear; 221. Cable; 222. Pulley; 223. Tractor; 224. Wire-pull displacement sensor; 400. Ignitor; 410. Main solenoid valve; 411. Nozzle; 412. PLC controller; 413. Temperature sensor; 520. Carrier; 521. X-axis module; 522. Z-axis module; 523. Y-axis module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] This embodiment provides an automatic welding device for large-span flap gates. This device is primarily used to replace manual welding of large steel structure components, such as flap gates, and thereby address the issues of heavy workload, low welding efficiency, and safety risks associated with manual welding under certain working conditions.

[0049] like Figure 2As shown, the automatic welding equipment in this embodiment includes a track 1, a trolley, a depth camera 3, a preheating component 4, a welding component 5, a flaw detection component 6 and a host computer 100. The host computer 100 is electrically connected to the trolley, the depth camera 3, the heat treatment component, the welding component 5 and the flaw detection component 6. The trolley is installed on the track 1, and the depth camera 3, the preheating component 4, the welding component 5 and the flaw detection component 6 are installed on the trolley in sequence according to the direction of movement. The depth camera 3 is used to collect environmental information in the direction of movement of the trolley, and then identify the target to be welded in order to plan the path of the welding operation. The preheating component 4 is used to preheat the welding clamp in the welding area using a flame heating method to improve the mechanical properties of the welded joint. The welding component 5 uses a carbon dioxide shielded welder 55 and is used to weld the target area. The flaw detection component 6 is used to inspect the quality of the weld after welding is completed.

[0050] In the product provided in this embodiment, the host computer 100 serves as the control center of the trolley, the depth camera 3, the preheating component 4, the welding component 5, and the flaw detection component 6, and is used to control the equipment to automatically complete the welding operation tasks of large equipment. The design principle of the equipment provided in this embodiment is to decompose the complete operation process of the welding task performed by the automatic welding equipment into four processes: surveying, preheating, welding, and quality inspection. The corresponding processes are then performed by the depth camera 3, the preheating component 4, the welding component 5, and the flaw detection component 6 to complete the welding task. Among them, the depth camera 3, the preheating component 4, the welding component 5, and the flaw detection component 6 are installed in sequence on different sections of the trolley, supporting the use of a segmented continuous process similar to an assembly line to quickly weld the welding area.

[0051] Specifically, the process strategy adopted by the automatic welding equipment of this embodiment is:

[0052] The trolley equipped with the depth camera 3, preheating assembly 4, welding assembly 5, and flaw detection assembly 6 is installed on the track 1. The track 1 is installed horizontally along the extension direction of the weld seam of the workpiece to be welded. Then the target area to be welded is divided into n consecutive segments according to the preset length (assuming M meters). Each segment is recorded as L1, L2, ..., L n-1 、L n .

[0053] Before each task cycle begins, the trolley moves forward M meters on track 1. During this movement, depth camera 3 completes the mapping task for the corresponding segment. When the trolley reaches the starting point of the next segment, preheating assembly 4, welding assembly 5, and flaw detection assembly 6 work in parallel, preheating, welding, and quality inspection of the welding targets in their respective segments within a single task cycle.

[0054] When entering the next cycle, the equipment will repeat the above process. Under this operation strategy, for the preheating equipment, each new segment it arrives at has already been mapped; for the welding equipment, each new segment it arrives at has already been mapped and preheated; and for the inspection equipment, each new segment it arrives at has already been mapped, preheated, and welded.

[0055] That is, before each task cycle begins, when the host computer 100 uses the depth camera 3 to i After the welding target is identified and mapped in the segment; in this task cycle, the preheating component 4 can i The welding assembly 5 can complete the preheating of the first L i-1 The L section is welded; and the flaw detection component 6 can be used to weld the L section that has been welded. i-3 Therefore, based on this process strategy, the automatic welding equipment provided in this embodiment can complete the task of welding a target area with n segments within a maximum of n+2 task cycles.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown in the figure, assuming there is a welding task consisting of 5 segments (denoted as L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5), it takes 7 task cycles for the equipment to complete the welding task of all segments. The process is as follows:

[0057] During the first mission cycle, the equipment can map and warm up the L1 segment.

[0058] During the second mission cycle, the equipment can map and preheat the L2 segment and weld the L1 segment.

[0059] During the third mission cycle, the equipment can map and preheat the L3 segment, weld the L2 segment, and perform quality inspection on the L1 segment.

[0060] During the fourth mission cycle, the equipment can map and preheat the L4 segment, weld the L3 segment, and perform quality inspection on the L2 segment.

[0061] During the fifth mission cycle, the equipment can map and preheat the L5 segment, weld the L4 segment, and perform quality inspection on the L3 segment.

[0062] During the sixth task cycle, the equipment can weld the L5 section and perform quality inspection on the L4 section.

[0063] During the seventh mission cycle, the equipment can perform quality inspection on section L5; at this point, all sections have completed the four processes of surveying, preheating, welding and quality inspection, and the welding mission has been successfully completed.

[0064] In combination with the workflow of the automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates described above, the hardware structure and control logic of the solution of this embodiment are described in detail below.

[0065] In a typical solution provided in this embodiment, the trolley includes a platform 21 and a driving mechanism 22. The platform 21 is installed on the track 1, and the function of the track 1 is to limit the movement direction of the trolley. The driving mechanism 22 is used to drive the platform 21 to reciprocate along the track 1. Figure 4 As shown, the carrier 21 of this embodiment can adopt a three-section box; each section of the box has no cover on the top and no bottom, and is composed of four-way side panels and partitions between adjacent cavities. Of course, in other embodiments, the carrier 21 can also adopt an integrated structure. The carrier 21 of this embodiment includes a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber distributed in sequence along the extension direction of the track 1; the three chambers are of the same size and the bottoms of the positions corresponding to the three chambers in the carrier 21 are open. Among them, in this embodiment, a plurality of connecting ears 210 are provided on the side panel surfaces on both sides of the track 1 in the carrier 21, and the installation position of each connecting ear 210 is along the length direction of the carrier 21. Accordingly, the track 1 of this embodiment can adopt two mutually parallel optical axes, and a through hole matching the outer diameter of the optical axis is provided in each connecting ear 210, so that the carrier 21 can be sleeved on the optical axis through the connecting ear 210. In this assembly mode, the platform 21 can translate along the track 1 , and the connecting ears 210 can limit the movement of the platform 21 in directions other than the extension direction of the track 1 , thereby preventing the platform 21 from derailing.

[0066] like Figure 2 As shown, the trolley in this embodiment uses a drive mechanism similar to a cable car. The drive mechanism 22 includes a cable 221, multiple pulleys 222, and at least one traction mechanism 223. The platform 21 is fixed to the cable 221. The pulleys 222 are fixed at both ends of the track 1. The cable 221 is fixed at both ends and then looped over rollers on both sides, maintaining tension. The traction mechanism 223 is used to rotate the rollers on one side, which in turn, through the cable 221, drives the platform 21 on top of it to slide along the extension direction of the track 1. Unlike a cable car that requires reciprocating motion, the trolley in this embodiment only requires reciprocating motion along the track 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rollers can be mounted vertically at both ends of the platform 21, and the cable 221 between the two rollers forms a belt drive-like structure. In this case, the box of each section of the platform 21 is suspended from the lower cable 221. When the rollers rotate in the forward direction, the platform 21 moves forward; conversely, when the rollers rotate in the reverse direction, the platform 21 moves backward.

[0067] In practical applications, a set of rollers, cables 221 and motors can be used to achieve the drive; and the drive mechanism 22 is connected to the middle of the platform 21. In a more optimized solution, it can also be as follows Figure 2 As shown, two sets of rollers and cables 221 are symmetrically arranged and driven along both sides of the platform 21 to ensure smoother movement of the platform 21 on the track 1. In particular, although this embodiment uses two sets of rollers and cables 221, this solution fixes the two rollers located at the front and rear ends of the platform 21 respectively via a rotating shaft, so that the rollers and cables 221 on both sides can be driven by the same traction machine 223 to achieve synchronous operation.

[0068] In the solution of this embodiment, the host computer 100 needs to control the trolley to move a specified distance in each round of welding tasks. Therefore, in order to achieve precise control, each of the drive mechanisms 22 provided in this embodiment also includes a pull-wire displacement sensor 224. The pull-wire displacement sensor 224 is electrically connected to the host computer 100. Therefore, when the traction machine 223 is running, the host computer 100 can detect the moving length of the cable 221 in real time through the pull-wire displacement sensor 224, and then determine the movement distance of the trolley. Under this condition, before the start of each welding cycle, the host computer 100 obtains the detection result of the pull-wire displacement sensor 224 in real time, and applies a brake to the traction machine 223 when the detection result reaches the target value; thereby, the trolley is controlled to move a specified distance on the track 1.

[0069] As the platform 21 moves along the track 1, this embodiment uses a depth camera 3 to scan the welding area below, obtaining point cloud data of the target area, thereby achieving target identification and mapping. Specifically, the depth camera 3 is installed on the side of the front of the platform 21 near the first cavity and is used to obtain a depth image directly below the platform along the direction of travel. In actual applications, the depth camera 3 can be a depth camera 3 based on structured light or ToF technology. When the platform 21 reaches the end point of a segment of any welding area from the starting point, it can capture a depth image of the entire segment. The captured depth image includes both the color information of each pixel in the target area and the depth information of each pixel. After the host computer 100 obtains this depth image, it can model the welding area and then identify a series of spatial information such as the location, shape, and width of the gap to be welded based on the modeling results. Then, based on the corresponding spatial information, the spatial distribution of the gap area to be welded is mapped. The collected spatial distribution information of the area to be welded will provide guidance for subsequent tasks such as preheating, welding, and quality inspection.

[0070] Among them, on the one hand, the host computer 100 needs to determine the preheating range (usually the area of ​​specified width on both sides of the gap) according to the area to be welded, and then drive the preheating component 4 to heat the corresponding area. On the other hand, it is necessary to generate the movement trajectory and welding parameters of the welding gun 51 during the welding process according to the spatial distribution of the area to be welded. For example, when the gap between the welding workpieces is narrow, it can be welded along the gap in one go; when the gap is wide, a specific welding method needs to be adopted and repeated welding is performed according to a specified path. In addition to the movement trajectory of the welding gun 51, the host computer 100 also needs to combine the preset welding standards to generate corresponding welding parameters for different situations, including: current size, welding speed, posture of the welding gun 51, etc. Thirdly, the host computer 100 also needs to generate a flaw detection scanning area according to the spatial distribution of the weld after welding, and then drive the probe 61 in the flaw detection component 6 to scan and detect in the corresponding area.

[0071] In the solution of this embodiment, the preheating component 4 adopts a flame heater, which includes a fuel tank, a pipeline, a flame spray gun 41 and a first slide 42. Figure 5 As shown, a flamethrower 41 is mounted within the first chamber of the platform 21 via a first slide 42. The flamethrower 41 is connected to the fuel tank via a pipe. In this embodiment, the first slide 42 is arranged along the extension of the track 1 and mounted on top of the corresponding cavity in the platform 21. The flamethrower 41 is suspended below the first slide 42, with the flame spraying downward. During the preheating operation during each welding cycle, the first slide 42 drives the flamethrower 41 in a reciprocating motion parallel to the track 1, thereby heat-treating the weld area below.

[0072] In this embodiment, to reduce the load on the trolley during operation, the flamethrower 41 is mounted only on the trolley. The more massive fuel tank is located outside the trolley and connected to the flamethrower 41 via a pipeline. The fuel tank is connected to the pipeline via a main solenoid valve 410; this controls the on / off flow and opening of the fuel supply to the flamethrower 41. In this embodiment, the main solenoid valve 410 is electrically connected to the host computer 100. The host computer 100 opens the main solenoid valve 410 each time a preheating task is required and closes it after the task is completed.

[0073] To accommodate the varying widths of the preheating zone in different welding tasks, the flame torch 41 of this embodiment includes multiple horizontally distributed nozzles 411, evenly arranged perpendicular to the track 1. Each nozzle 411 is activated by an independent electronic igniter 400. Each electronic igniter 400 is electrically connected to a PLC controller 412. The PLC controller 412 is electrically connected to the host computer 100 and is used to adjust the on / off state of each nozzle 411 based on control codes issued by the host computer 100.

[0074] During the actual preheating process, if the width of the area to be heat treated is relatively narrow, the host computer 100, through the PLC controller 412, opens a smaller number of nozzles 411 and reduces the opening of the main solenoid valve 410. Conversely, if the width of the area to be heat treated is relatively wide, a larger number of nozzles 411 are opened and the opening of the main solenoid valve 410 is increased.

[0075] During the preheating process before welding, components made of different materials have different hot spots and therefore require different heating times. Furthermore, even under the same heat treatment temperature, components of different thicknesses require different heating times. To address this issue, in order to precisely control the heat treatment temperature of the components before welding, the preheating assembly 4 of this embodiment also includes several temperature sensors 413. In practical applications, the temperature sensors 413 are preferably thermocouple-type temperature sensors 413 with a measurement temperature range of -200°C to 1300°C. In this embodiment, the temperature sensors 413 are installed around the welding target and on the back side of the component relative to the heating surface. The temperature sensors 413 are electrically connected to the host computer 100. When the host computer 100 activates the flamethrower 41 to heat the target area, the temperature of the target area can be measured in real time via the temperature sensors 413. When the temperature on the back side of the target component reaches a preset value, the preheating assembly 4 is shut down. It should be noted that in practical applications, the preheating operation can be performed at an appropriate time during each task cycle to ensure that the corresponding area is at the target temperature suitable for welding when the next task cycle begins.

[0076] In this embodiment, the welding assembly 5 can adopt a carbon dioxide shielded welder 55 or an argon arc welder 55. The welding assembly 5 specifically includes a welding gun 51, a welding machine 55, a shielding gas tank, a wire feeder 53 and a first three-dimensional adjustment table 52. Among them, the welding gun 51, the welding machine 55, the shielding gas tank, and the wire feeder 53 are all supporting components of the traditional carbon dioxide shielded welder 55. The welding machine 55 is electrically connected to the welding gun 51; the shielding gas tank and the wire feeder 53 are respectively used to deliver shielding gas and welding wire to the welding gun 51 during the welding process. Like the preheating assembly 4, in order to reduce the load of the trolley, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, a welding gun 51 is mounted within the second cavity of the carrier 21 via a first three-dimensional adjustment platform 52, while the larger welder 55, shielding gas tank, and wire feeder 53 are located outside the carriage. The welder 55 is electrically connected to the welding gun 51 via a cable; the shielding gas tank is connected to the welding gun 51 mounted on the carriage via a gas valve 54 and a gas pipe. The welding wire fed by the wire feeder 53 extends to the welding gun 51. The first three-dimensional adjustment platform 52 of this embodiment can drive the welding gun 51 to freely move along a specified trajectory within the second cavity.

[0077] Specifically, combined with Figure 6 It can be seen that the first three-dimensional adjustment platform 52 includes an X-axis module 521, a Y-axis module 523 and a Z-axis module 522. Among them, the Y-axis module 523 and the Z-axis module 522 both use linear slides; the linear slides include linear guide rails and sliding seats thereon. The X-axis module 521 includes a carrier plate 520 and at least two ball screws; the two ball screws in the X-axis module 521 are symmetrically mounted on the two side plates of the carrier plate 21 along the direction parallel to the track 1. The carrier plate 520 is vertically mounted in the cavity of the carrier plate 21, and both sides of the carrier plate 520 are fixedly connected to the nut seats of the ball screws. The linear guide rails in the Y-axis module 523 are horizontally arranged and fixed on the surface of the carrier plate 520. The linear guide rails in the Z-axis module 522 are arranged in the vertical direction and fixed on the surface of the sliding seat in the Y-axis module 523. The welding gun 51 is fixedly connected to the sliding seat of the Z-axis module 522.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first three-dimensional adjustment stage 52 is electrically connected to the host computer 100. When the welding gun 51 needs to be moved from the starting position S0 (x1, y1, z1) in the second cavity to the end position E0 (x2, y2, z2), the host computer 100 first calculates the position offset between the two positions along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions based on the spatial coordinates of the two positions. Then, based on the position offset, the host computer 100 issues instructions to the X-axis module 521, the Y-axis module 523, and the Z-axis module 522. Each module executes the position instruction in its respective direction, thereby moving the welding gun 51 to the target position. During the welding process, when the welding gun 51 needs to move along a preset trajectory, the corresponding trajectory can be decomposed into a series of motion intervals. The host computer 100 then generates a corresponding displacement instruction containing three sets of offsets and speeds for each motion interval and issues the displacement instruction to the X-axis module 521, the Y-axis module 523, and the Z-axis module 522.

[0079] In a further optimized solution of this embodiment, the welding gun 51 can also be connected to the sliding seat of the Y-axis module 523 via a pitch adjustment platform; the pitch adjustment platform is electrically connected to the host computer 100. In actual application, the host computer 100 can adjust the spatial posture of the welding gun 51 via the pitch adjustment platform according to different working conditions, thereby changing the penetration angle of the welding gun 51 relative to the underlying weldment, thereby further improving the welding quality of the welding assembly 5.

[0080] In the automatic welding equipment provided in this embodiment, the flaw detection component 6 can be an ultrasonic flaw detector, an eddy current flaw detector, or a radiographic flaw detector. Taking the ultrasonic flaw detector as an example, it includes a probe 61, an analyzer 63, and a second three-dimensional adjustment platform 62. The probe 61 integrates an ultrasonic generator and a signal receiver. The ultrasonic waves emitted by the probe 61, when propagating through a medium, exhibit different reflection characteristics at different interfaces. In practical applications, when the flaw detector performs weld quality inspection, if a weld defect is encountered and its size is equal to or greater than the ultrasonic wavelength, the ultrasonic wave will reflect back from the defect. If the defect is even smaller than the wavelength, the sound wave will bypass the radiographic flaw and not be reflected. The probe 61 transmits the detection signal to the back-end analyzer 63, which integrates corresponding data processing equipment and a display. The analyzer 63 processes the echo signal received by the probe 61 through the data processing equipment to identify the presence of weld defects, slag inclusions, hollows, and other welding quality defects in the weld, and visualizes them on a display.

[0081] As with the preheating assembly 4 and the welding assembly 5, Figure 7 As shown, the automatic welding equipment of this embodiment selects to install only the smaller probe 61 of the flaw detection component 6 in the third cavity of the carrier 21 via the second three-dimensional adjustment platform, and installs the analyzer 63 and other components outside the trolley, and the two are electrically connected by cables. Considering that the flaw detection component 6 needs to perform a comprehensive scan of the completed weld in actual application, the second three-dimensional adjustment platform 62 in the flaw detection component 6 and the first three-dimensional adjustment platform 52 in the welding component 5 in this embodiment can use the same type of drive components. The second three-dimensional adjustment platform 62 also includes an X-axis module 521, a Y-axis module 523 and a Z-axis module 522, and the probe 61 is fixedly connected to the sliding seat in the Y-axis module 523. The second three-dimensional adjustment platform 62 can drive the probe 61 to move freely in the third cavity.

[0082] Combined with the above and Figure 8 As shown, the host computer 100 is the control center of the entire automatic welding equipment. During the operation of the equipment, it is used to coordinate the operating status of the trolley, depth camera 3, preheating component 4, welding component 5, flaw detection component 6, etc. according to the preset operating parameters and the actual working conditions detected by the depth camera 3. This enables the automatic welding and post-weld quality inspection of the target area in the component using the aforementioned segmented continuous working strategy.

[0083] During the actual operation, in addition to the working sequence and beat control of each component, the tasks of the host computer 100 in the automatic welding equipment of this embodiment also include: (1) obtaining the detection image of the depth camera 3, identifying the target position to be welded therein and drawing the trajectory information of the welding target. This part of the task can be implemented using the point cloud acquisition and spatial modeling method based on the depth camera 3 described above, so it is necessary to integrate the corresponding functional modules in the host computer 100. (2) generating a heat treatment area containing the welding target and driving the preheating component 4 to start in time to heat the heat treatment area to a specified temperature. Under different welding objects and process conditions, the range of the heat treatment area around the welding object is different. The host computer 100 of this embodiment can query the corresponding process database according to the actual working conditions, and then obtain the optimal pre-weld heat treatment range and temperature under the current working conditions, and then generate relevant instructions for controlling the preheating component 4. Start the welding component 5 according to the preset welding parameters, and automatically weld the welding target according to the preset trajectory information. Perform flaw detection on the weld after welding according to the preset trajectory information, and generate a welding quality report based on the detection results. For example, before the start of each task cycle, the host computer 100 automatically generates the motion trajectory of the welding gun 51 during the current task cycle based on the spatial information of the welding target. It also generates welding parameters, such as the welding current and welding speed, for each process interval in the welding motion trajectory based on the material and working conditions of the welding target. During the welding process, the host computer 100 controls the operation of the first three-dimensional adjustment platform 52 according to the preset welding speed and motion trajectory, and adjusts the operating status of the welding machine 55 and wire feeder 53 according to the preset welding machine 55 current and welding speed.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] Based on the automatic welding equipment provided in Example 1, this embodiment further provides an automatic welding method for a large-span flap gate, such as Figure 9 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0086] S1: Install the automatic welding equipment for the large-span flap gate as described above on the workpiece to be welded, and the installed automatic welding equipment straddles the gap to be welded.

[0087] In actual application, construction workers can build a temporary construction frame at the work site, and then install the automatic welding equipment provided in this embodiment on the temporary construction frame. In seasons with low temperatures or prone to rain and snow, construction workers can also build a heat preservation shed at the construction site.

[0088] S2: Initialize the operating parameters of the automatic welding equipment, including: the number of task cycles N, the duration of the task cycle T, the welding length M of each task cycle, the width D of the welding target preheating area, the welding speed V, and the welding current I, and then start the automatic welding equipment.

[0089] In this embodiment, in addition to some parameters adaptively generated by the host computer 100 according to the on-site working conditions, other operating parameters of the automatic welding equipment can be pre-designed and calculated by technicians based on the construction drawings of the workpiece to be welded, and manually initialized before the equipment is operated.

[0090] S3: The automatic welding equipment uses a segmented continuous working strategy to automatically weld and inspect the target according to the preset operating parameters. The process includes:

[0091] Before the start of each task cycle, the host computer 100 controls the carrier 21 to move a distance corresponding to the welding length on the track 1 through the driving mechanism 22, and scans the welding target below through the depth camera 3 to identify the target position to be welded and draw the target trajectory information;

[0092] After each task cycle begins, the host computer 100 performs the following operations:

[0093] (1) determining whether there is a section in the first chamber that has been mapped but not preheated, and if so, performing preheating on the section;

[0094] (2) determining whether there is a section in the second chamber that has been preheated but not welded, and if so, welding it;

[0095] (3) determining whether there is a section in the third chamber that has been welded but not inspected, and if so, performing a weld quality inspection on the section;

[0096] Repeat the above process until the preset number of task cycles N is completed;

[0097] S4: Generate a welding quality report for the current welding task based on the weld quality inspection results of the corresponding intervals of each task cycle.

[0098] The above-described embodiment merely represents one embodiment of the present invention. While the description is relatively specific and detailed, it should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates, characterized in that: It includes: A track, which is used for horizontal installation along the extending direction of the weld of the workpiece to be welded; The trolley includes a carrier and a driving mechanism thereof; The driving mechanism is used to drive the trolley to reciprocate along the track; the platform includes a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber that are adjacently distributed in sequence along the extension direction of the track; A depth camera is mounted on the front side of the platform near the first cavity and is used to obtain a depth image directly below the platform in the direction of travel; A preheating assembly comprising a fuel tank, a pipeline, a flamethrower, and a first slide; the flamethrower is mounted in a first chamber of the carrier via the first slide; the first slide is used to drive the flamethrower to reciprocate in a direction parallel to the track; A welding assembly comprising a welding gun, a welding machine, a shielding gas tank, a wire feeder, and a first three-dimensional adjustment platform; the welding gun is mounted in a second cavity of the carrier via the first three-dimensional adjustment platform; the first three-dimensional adjustment platform is used to drive the welding gun to move freely in the second cavity; The flaw detection assembly includes a probe, an analyzer, and a second three-dimensional adjustment platform; the second three-dimensional adjustment platform is used to drive the probe to move freely in the third cavity; A host computer is electrically connected to the trolley, depth camera, heat treatment component, welding component and flaw detection component, and adopts a segmented continuous working strategy to automatically weld and quality inspect the target; the host computer is used to: obtain the detection image of the depth camera, identify the target position to be welded therein and draw the trajectory information of the welding target; generate a heat treatment area containing the welding target, drive the preheating component to start in time to heat the heat treatment area to a specified temperature; start the welding component according to preset welding parameters, and automatically weld the target to be welded according to the preset trajectory information; perform flaw detection on the weld after welding is completed according to the preset trajectory information, and generate a welding quality report according to the detection results.

2. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The segmented continuous working strategy is: Divide the target area to be welded into n consecutive segments according to a preset distance; Before the start of each task cycle, the trolley moves forward a preset distance, and the depth camera completes the mapping task of the corresponding segment. After the movement is completed, the preheating component, welding component, and flaw detection component will work in parallel, and then perform preheating, welding, and quality inspection on the areas in different segments within each task cycle. When entering the next cycle, the above process is repeated, and the welding tasks of the n segmented areas are completed after n+2 task cycles.

3. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The track includes at least two mutually parallel optical axes; The carrier is a three-grid square box, which includes four-way side panels and partitions between adjacent cavities; a plurality of connecting ears are provided on the surface of the side panels along both sides of the track of the carrier, and the connecting ears are provided with through holes matching the outer diameter of the optical axis, and the carrier is arranged on the optical axis through the connecting ear sleeves.

4. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The fuel tank is connected to the pipeline via a main solenoid valve; the main solenoid valve is used to control the on / off and opening degree of the fuel supply in the flamethrower; and / or The flamethrower includes multiple horizontally distributed nozzles, each nozzle is evenly arranged in a direction perpendicular to the track, and each nozzle is activated by an independent electronic igniter; each electronic igniter is electrically connected to a PLC controller; the PLC controller is electrically connected to a host computer and is used to adjust the switch state of each nozzle according to the control code issued by the host computer.

5. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The preheating assembly further includes a plurality of temperature sensors; the temperature sensors are electrically connected to the host computer; The temperature sensor is installed around the welding target to measure the temperature of the welding target in real time; and / or The temperature sensor is a thermocouple temperature sensor.

6. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The depth camera adopts a depth camera based on structured light or Tof technology; and / or The welding assembly adopts a carbon dioxide shielded welder or an argon arc welder.

7. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The host computer automatically generates the motion trajectory of the welding gun during the welding process of the current task cycle according to the trajectory information of the welding target before the start of each task cycle; and generates the welding current and welding speed corresponding to each process interval in the welding motion trajectory according to the material and working conditions of the welding target; During the welding process, the host computer controls the operation of the first three-dimensional adjustment platform according to the preset welding speed and motion trajectory, and adjusts the operating states of the welder and wire feeder according to the preset welding current and welding speed.

8. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The first three-dimensional adjustment platform or the second three-dimensional adjustment platform includes an X-axis module, a Y-axis module and a Z-axis module; the Y-axis module and the Z-axis module both adopt linear slides; the linear slide includes a linear guide rail and a sliding seat thereon; the X-axis module includes a carrier plate and at least two ball screws; the two ball screws in the X-axis module are symmetrically mounted on two side plates of the carrier plate parallel to the track direction; the carrier plate is vertically mounted in the cavity of the carrier plate, and both sides of the carrier plate are fixedly connected to the nut seats of the ball screws; the linear guide rail in the Y-axis module is horizontally arranged and fixed on the surface of the carrier plate; the linear guide rail in the Z-axis module is arranged in the vertical direction and fixed on the surface of the sliding seat in the Y-axis module; the welding gun is fixedly connected to the sliding seat of the Z-axis module.

9. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism of the trolley includes a cable, multiple pulleys and at least one traction machine; the carrier is fixedly connected to the cable; the pulleys are fixedly installed at both ends of the track; the cable is fixed at both ends and then sleeved on the rollers on both sides and kept tensioned; the traction machine is used to drive the roller on one side to rotate, and then drive the carrier on it to slide along the extension direction of the track through the cable.

10. The automatic welding equipment for large-span flap gates according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism further includes a cable displacement sensor, which is used to detect the moving distance of the cable in real time when the traction machine is running; The host computer obtains the detection result of the rope displacement sensor in real time, and issues a braking instruction to the traction machine when the detection result reaches the target value.

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