A workstation for automatic welding of wingd rack gusset assembly

Abstract

This invention relates to a workstation for automated welding of triangular plate assemblies for WINGD machine frames. The workstation consists of three parts: a traveling mechanism, a welding system, and mounting fixtures. It can accommodate the welding of the spacer plates for triangular plate assemblies on all WINGD machine models. The specific operation process involves fixing the triangular plate assembly to be welded onto the mounting fixture, adjusting the spacer plate of the triangular plate assembly to a horizontal position using the cylinder push rod of the mounting fixture, adjusting the position of the welding torch using the traveling mechanism, and then welding the spacer plate of the triangular plate assembly using the welding system. This workstation has multiple mounting fixtures, each capable of holding one triangular plate assembly. While welding triangular plate assemblies, other triangular plate assemblies can be assembled and fixed on empty fixtures. The entire process is automated, effectively ensuring the welding quality and efficiency of the triangular plate assemblies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine diesel engine manufacturing technology, specifically to a workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies, particularly suitable for automated welding operations of the spacer plate welds in the triangular plate assemblies of large low-speed marine diesel engine frames. Background Technology

[0002] The triangular plate assembly is a core structural component of the WINGD frame crossbeam. It consists of a spacer plate and a double-layered triangular plate structure. The triangular plate is a triangular part, while the central partition is a rectangular part. Two triangular plates are connected to three spacer strips via a spacer plate. The weld connecting the spacer plate and the triangular plates is typically over 3 meters long and is the main weld in the triangular plate assembly. From the X52 to the X92 models, each spacer plate weld in the triangular plate assembly is 3-5 meters long, and each assembly has two such welds. The welds are single-sided "V" bevels, requiring high welding precision.

[0003] In the existing welding process for triangular plate assemblies, manual welding is the primary method, which presents several problems. Firstly, due to the long weld seam and complex bevel design of the spacer plate, welders cannot complete the entire weld seam continuously in one go, inevitably requiring pauses. These pauses easily lead to welding defects at the joint, severely impacting the overall manufacturing quality of the diesel engine. Secondly, to achieve good welding quality, the spacer plate weld seam must be welded horizontally. This necessitates tilting the triangular plate assembly and manually adjusting its position repeatedly using a crane to bring the weld seam to a flat welding position. After leveling, the maximum height of the triangular plate assembly can reach 2 meters, requiring welders to use ladders to climb and perform the welding operation. This is not only labor-intensive and time-consuming but also poses safety risks.

[0004] In summary, existing welding processes for triangular plate components generally suffer from problems such as low welding efficiency, difficulty in ensuring stable welding quality, cumbersome and labor-intensive manual leveling operations, and safety hazards caused by working at heights. There is an urgent need for a welding solution that can achieve automation, high quality, high efficiency, and safety and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to solve the following technical problems existing in the welding process of existing WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies: manual welding cannot be continuously performed due to the excessive length of the weld seam, leading to welding defects at the joint and difficulty in consistently controlling the welding quality; before welding, the workpiece needs to be repeatedly hoisted and leveled by a crane, which is cumbersome and time-consuming; after leveling, the height of the workpiece can reach 2 meters, requiring welders to work at height, posing a risk of fall and increasing labor intensity. To address these problems, this invention provides a workstation capable of automating the welding of the spacer plate weld seam of triangular plate assemblies, replacing manual operation and fundamentally improving welding quality, efficiency, and operational safety.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: This invention provides a workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies, comprising a traveling mechanism, a welding system, and at least two mounting jigs working together. Its core concept lies in: enabling parallel welding operations and workpiece clamping and leveling through multiple independent mounting jigs, eliminating welding waiting time; automatically adjusting the weld seam of the spacer plate of any type of triangular plate assembly to a horizontal position via a drive device built into the mounting jig, replacing manual hoisting and leveling; and automating welding by moving at least two independently operable welding torches in three-dimensional space via the traveling mechanism.

[0007] The traveling mechanism employs a three-layer, serially connected modular motion unit structure to move the welding torch in three-dimensional space. Specifically, traveling unit one includes a grounding rail fixed to the ground and a gantry frame sliding along the rail, providing movement in the first horizontal direction; traveling unit two is mounted on the crossbeam rail of the gantry frame and can reciprocate along the crossbeam, providing movement in the second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction; traveling unit three is mounted on traveling unit two and can rise and fall vertically, providing movement in the vertical direction. A rotating shaft is located at the end of traveling unit three, to which the welding torch is connected. The rotating shaft drives the welding torch to rotate in a circular motion to adjust the welding angle. Through the linkage of traveling units one, two, three, and the rotating shaft, the welding torch can be precisely delivered to any welding position within the workstation's spatial range, meeting the spatial positional requirements of weld seams in different models of triangular plate assemblies.

[0008] The welding system includes at least two welding torches carried by a traveling mechanism, each operable independently. Each torch has an integrated laser sensor at its end for automatically identifying the workpiece's assembly status, bevel shape, and gap condition before welding. The system also includes a control computer with a built-in welding process parameter database. Based on the laser sensor's identification results, the computer adaptively matches and retrieves corresponding welding parameters from the database, achieving intelligent adaptive control of the welding process. The weld trajectory is determined by the operator controlling the traveling mechanism to move the torches using a three-point positioning method. The torches move along this trajectory to complete fully automated continuous welding. The independent dual-torch design allows for simultaneous or alternating operation of the two torches, improving welding station utilization.

[0009] Mounting jigs: The workstation is equipped with at least two independently arranged mounting jigs, both set within the travel range of the traveling mechanism. Each mounting jig includes a mounting panel, a drive unit, a limit baffle, and a clamping mechanism. The mounting panel is used to fix the workpiece to be welded; the limit baffle is fixedly set at one end of the mounting panel for axial positioning of the workpiece during clamping; the clamping mechanism is set on both sides of the mounting panel for clamping and fixing the workpiece from both sides; the drive unit is a cylinder push rod, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the mounting panel, and drives the mounting panel to rotate around the rotation axis through telescopic movement to adjust the angle between the mounting panel and the horizontal plane, thereby adjusting the weld seam of the workpiece to a horizontal position.

[0010] With the above structural configuration, the workstation can achieve parallel operation of welding and clamping: when the traveling mechanism carries one or more welding guns to weld a workpiece on a mounting jig, the operator can simultaneously perform hoisting, fixing and leveling operations on other workpieces on the remaining empty mounting jigs, so that the welding operation and clamping preparation are seamlessly connected, and the welding waiting time is greatly reduced.

[0011] A workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies is characterized by the cooperative arrangement of a traveling mechanism and a mounting fixture. The traveling mechanism carries the welding torch to a designated position, while the mounting fixture adjusts the spacer plate of any type of triangular plate assembly to a horizontal position for convenient subsequent welding. The specific steps are as follows: Step 1, Install the triangular plate assembly: Hover the triangular plate assembly from the side onto the assembly panel of the assembly jig, align the end of the triangular plate assembly with the limiting baffle of the assembly jig, and then adjust the clamping mechanism to completely fix the triangular plate assembly.

[0012] Step 2, Leveling the Triangular Plate Assembly: Slowly raise and lower the cylinder push rod of the mounting bracket to adjust the angle of the triangular plate assembly until the weld seam of the triangular plate and the spacer plate are level.

[0013] Step 3, Welding trajectory positioning: Move the welding torch position and adjust the welding torch angle using the traveling mechanism. Three-point positioning determines the initial trajectory line of the weld.

[0014] Step 4, Welding the Triangular Plate Assembly: After determining the weld seam trajectory line, move the welding torch to the starting point of the weld seam on the workpiece and start welding. During the welding process, the welder can adjust another welding torch to weld other weld seams.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: First, it completely eliminates the safety risks of working at heights. Welders no longer need to climb to the top of a workpiece 2 meters high to weld; their working posture changes from high-altitude welding to ground-based monitoring and operation, significantly reducing labor intensity and fundamentally improving operational safety.

[0016] Secondly, it fundamentally solves the problem of inconsistent welding quality in manual welding. The welding system uses laser sensors to identify the workpiece status and adaptively match welding parameters. Combined with the precise trajectory control of the walking mechanism, it achieves fully automated continuous welding of the weld seam, eliminating joint defects caused by interruptions in manual welding and significantly improving the consistency and reliability of weld quality.

[0017] Third, it fundamentally changes the way workpieces are leveled. It creatively replaces manual hoisting and leveling with a built-in cylinder rod in the mounting frame. By driving the assembly panel to rotate precisely, the weld seam of the spacer plate is quickly adjusted to a horizontal position. This solves the pain point of traditional operations that rely on repeated hoisting by crane and manual adjustment. It is convenient and labor-saving to operate, has high leveling accuracy, and is compatible with the entire WINGD series of machines.

[0018] Fourth, it breaks through the serial operation mode, achieving a leap in welding efficiency. Through the design of independent operation of dual welding guns and parallel operation of multiple mounting jigs, welding and clamping processes can overlap, effectively reducing non-welding auxiliary time, maximizing workstation utilization, and significantly improving overall welding efficiency. This workstation integrates functions such as automatic leveling, adaptive welding, and multi-station collaboration, providing a one-stop automated solution for the manufacturing of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a triangular plate assembly.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure for installing the jig.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall layout of the welding workstation.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the triangular plate assembly in the welding workstation.

[0023] In the diagram: 1-walking mechanism, 2-welding system, 3-mounting jig, 4-triangular plate, 5-distance plate, 6-weld seam to be welded, 7-workpiece to be welded; 21-Assembly panel, 22-Clamping mechanism, 23-Limit baffle, 24-Cylinder push rod, 25-Rotating shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but these should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] This embodiment takes the welding of the spacer plate of the 7X62DF diesel engine frame triangular plate assembly as an example to explain in detail the structural composition, working principle and operation method of the workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies described in this invention.

[0026] The workstation mainly consists of three parts: a walking mechanism 1, a welding system 2, and a mounting frame 3.

[0027] The traveling mechanism 1 adopts a three-layer series motion unit structure. Traveling unit one consists of two 10-meter-long grounding rails and a 5-meter-span gantry frame. The grounding rails are fixed to the workshop floor, and the gantry frame moves reciprocally along the X-axis via a drive device. A guide rail is located above the gantry frame beam, and traveling unit two is mounted on this rail, allowing it to move along the Y-axis of the gantry frame beam. Traveling unit two also has a vertical guide rail, and traveling unit three is mounted on this rail, allowing it to move up and down along the Z-axis. A rotating shaft is located at the end of traveling unit three, connected to the welding torch, driving the torch to rotate 360° to adjust the welding angle relative to the weld seam. Through the coordination of the X, Y, and Z-axis linear motion and the angle adjustment of the rotating shaft, the welding torch can be precisely delivered to any position within the workstation's coverage area, meeting the weld seam spatial position requirements of different machine models and specifications of triangular plate assemblies.

[0028] The welding system consists of two welding power sources, two wire feeding mechanisms, two welding torches, and a central control computer, forming two independently operable welding units. Each welding torch has a laser sensor integrated at its tip. The central control computer has a pre-set welding process parameter database, which stores multiple sets of welding process parameters, including welding current, arc voltage, welding speed, and wire feed speed, suitable for different machine models, different bevel gaps, and different workpiece assembly states. During welding, the laser sensors scan the weld bevel morphology and assembly gap. The control system automatically identifies the workpiece condition based on the sensor feedback data and matches and calls the optimal welding parameters from the process database to achieve adaptive welding control.

[0029] Multiple mounting jigs are configured at each workstation, arranged independently. Each mounting jig 2 consists of an assembly panel 21, a clamping mechanism 22, a limit baffle 23, a cylinder push rod 24, and a rotating shaft 25, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the assembly panel is a rectangular load-bearing platform, 0.44 meters wide, used to support the triangular plate assembly to be welded. Clamping mechanisms are located on both sides of the assembly panel, with a single-sided clamping stroke of 0.1 meters, used to clamp and fix the workpiece from both sides. A limiting baffle is fixedly installed at one end of the assembly panel for axial positioning of the workpiece during installation. A cylinder push rod is connected to the bottom of the assembly panel; the cylinder's extension and retraction drive the assembly panel to rotate around a rotation axis, thereby changing the angle between the assembly panel and the horizontal plane, adjusting the workpiece's spacer plate weld to a horizontal state.

[0030] The specific steps are as follows: Step 1, Install the triangle plate assembly: The 7X62DF diesel engine frame triangular plate assembly to be welded is hoisted into a side-standing position onto the assembly panel of one of the unoccupied mounting jigs. During hoisting, the end of the triangular plate assembly is aligned with the limiting baffle on the assembly panel to initially position the workpiece in the longitudinal direction. After confirming that the workpiece position is correct, the clamping mechanism is activated. The clamping mechanism retracts from both sides towards the middle, clamping the main body of the triangular plate assembly and reliably fixing the workpiece to the assembly panel, thus completing the workpiece clamping.

[0031] Step 2, Level the triangle assembly: The operator controls the cylinder push rod to slowly rise and fall. In this embodiment, the designed included angle between the triangular plate and the spacer plate of the 7X62DF diesel engine triangular plate assembly is 16.7°. As the cylinder push rod extends and retracts, the assembly panel rotates around its axis of rotation, and its included angle with the horizontal plane gradually changes. The operator continues to adjust until the included angle between the assembly panel and the horizontal plane reaches 16.7°. At this point, the triangular plate assembly installed on the assembly panel rotates synchronously, and the connecting weld between the spacer plate and the triangular plate is exactly in a horizontal position, meeting the process requirements for flat welding and completing the automatic leveling of the workpiece weld.

[0032] Step 3, Welding trajectory positioning: The welding torch is moved to the weld area via a traveling mechanism. The operator manually controls the movement of traveling units one, two, and three, sequentially moving the tip of the welding torch to the three characteristic positions of the weld's start, midpoint, and end. Using this three-point positioning method, the control system automatically calculates and generates the complete spatial trajectory of the weld. In this embodiment, the weld length between the triangular plate and the spacer plate on the 7X62DF model is 4.4 meters. Each triangular plate assembly has two such welds, requiring separate trajectory positioning. After the trajectory is determined, the welding torch angle is adjusted via the rotation axis at the end of traveling unit three to maintain the optimal welding posture between the welding torch and the weld bevel.

[0033] Step 4, Weld the triangular plate assembly: Once the weld seam trajectory is determined, the operator moves the welding torch to the weld seam starting position and starts the welding system. At the start of welding, the laser sensor at the tip of the welding torch first scans the weld bevel morphology, identifying the actual workpiece condition such as bevel gap and assembly deviations. Based on the sensor feedback data, the control system automatically retrieves the most suitable welding process parameters from the process parameter database and sets the welding current, arc voltage, and wire feed speed. Subsequently, the system starts the welding power supply, the wire feeder begins feeding wire, and the welding torch moves at a constant speed along the determined trajectory, completing the fully automated continuous welding of the spaced plate weld.

[0034] During the welding of the first weld seam, if the other welding torch in the workstation is idle, the operator can move it to the weld seam position of the same triangular plate assembly or another clamped workpiece, complete the trajectory positioning and parameter setting, and start welding to achieve simultaneous operation of two welding torches, further improving welding efficiency.

[0035] While the welding system is performing welding operations, the operator can simultaneously hoist, fix, and level the next triangular plate assembly on other empty mounting jigs within the workstation, following the steps in steps one and two above. After the current set of workpieces is welded, the traveling mechanism can directly move to the next station that has been clamped and leveled to continue welding, achieving a seamless connection between welding operations and clamping preparation, and significantly reducing welding waiting time.

[0036] The above embodiments use the 7X62DF diesel engine triangular plate assembly as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this model. For other WINGD models such as X52, X72, X82, and X92, although the structural dimensions of the triangular plate assembly and the angle between the triangular plate and the spacer plate are different, the horizontal leveling of the spacer plate weld can be achieved by adjusting the stroke of the mounting bracket cylinder push rod and changing the tilt angle of the assembly panel. Simultaneously, the large stroke range of the traveling mechanism and the welding torch rotation angle adjustment function can adapt to welds in different positions and postures. The adaptive process parameter matching function of the welding system can also meet the welding requirements of different weld lengths and bevel conditions. Therefore, the present invention is applicable to the automated welding of spacer plates for triangular plate assemblies in all WINGD series models.

[0037] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the technical concept and spirit of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies, characterized in that, include: The traveling mechanism has motion units that can move in at least three mutually perpendicular directions for carrying the welding torch within a spatial range; A welding system, comprising at least two welding torches carried by the traveling mechanism, for welding workpieces; Multiple mounting jigs are arranged independently within the travel range of the traveling mechanism; each mounting jig includes a mounting panel and a drive device, the mounting panel is used to fix the workpiece to be welded, and the drive device is used to drive the mounting panel to rotate so as to adjust the weld seam of the workpiece to a horizontal position. While performing welding operations, the operator can simultaneously clamp and level other workpieces on an empty mounting jig, thus achieving parallel welding and clamping operations.

2. The workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking mechanism includes: The first traveling unit includes a grounding rail fixed to the ground and a gantry that slides along the grounding rail to provide movement in a first horizontal direction; The second traveling unit is installed on the crossbeam of the gantry frame and can move along the crossbeam to provide movement in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. Walking unit three, installed on walking unit two, can rise and fall in the vertical direction to provide vertical movement; The end of the walking unit three is provided with a rotating shaft, and the welding gun is connected to the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is used to drive the welding gun to make a circular rotation to adjust the welding angle. Through the linkage of the walking unit one, walking unit two, walking unit three and the rotating shaft, the welding gun can be delivered to any welding position within the space of the workstation.

3. The workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welding system includes two independently operable welding torches, each with a laser sensor integrated at its end. The welding system also includes a control computer storing a welding process parameter database. Before welding, the laser sensor is used to automatically identify the workpiece's assembly status, bevel shape, and gap condition. The control computer adaptively matches and calls the corresponding welding parameters from the process parameter database based on the identification results.

4. The workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies according to claim 3, characterized in that, The welding system uses a three-point positioning method to determine the weld seam trajectory by controlling the walking mechanism through an operator, and the welding torch moves along the weld seam trajectory to complete the welding.

5. The workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting frame also includes: A limiting baffle is fixedly installed at one end of the assembly panel for axial positioning of the workpiece; A clamping mechanism is provided on both sides of the assembly panel for clamping and fixing the workpiece from both sides; The driving device is a cylinder push rod, which drives the assembly panel to rotate around its rotation axis through telescopic movement, thereby adjusting the angle between the assembly panel and the horizontal plane.

6. The workstation for automated welding of WINGD frame triangular plate assemblies according to claim 1, characterized in that, The workpiece to be welded is a WINGD frame triangular plate assembly, and the weld to be welded is a single-sided "V" bevel connection weld between the spacer plate and the triangular plate.

7. The workstation for automated welding of WINGD rack triangular plate assemblies according to claim 5, characterized in that, The workpiece to be welded is a WINGD frame triangular plate assembly, and the weld to be welded is the connecting weld between the spacer plate and the triangular plate.

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