A welding apparatus and method for a housing assembly

Abstract

The application discloses a welding device and method for a shell assembly, which comprises a rack, a driving device on the rack, the driving device being used for driving a turnover main assembly to turn over; a shell fixing and positioning device, an adjusting device assembly, a shell support plate and a head welding tool being arranged on the turnover main assembly; the adjusting device assembly comprising a first adjusting part, a second adjusting part and a connecting part; the first adjusting part and the second adjusting part respectively corresponding to adjusting a shell A and a shell B; the first adjusting part and the second adjusting part extending along the longitudinal direction of the turnover main assembly, and each of the first adjusting part and the second adjusting part comprising two, which are respectively arranged on the two sides of the turnover main assembly; the first adjusting part and the second adjusting part being capable of approaching or moving away from each other, and the angle between the first adjusting part, the second adjusting part and the turnover main assembly being adjustable; and the head welding tool being arranged at the two ends of the turnover main assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of welding technology, and specifically relates to a welding apparatus and method for a housing assembly. Background Technology

[0002] The new fuel transport container is a specialized piece of equipment used for transporting nuclear fuel in nuclear power plants. Its manufacturing quality is crucial to the safety and reliability of nuclear fuel transportation. However, due to its complex structure, high dimensional accuracy of each component, and susceptibility to deformation during welding, the manufacturing quality requirements are extremely stringent. This is especially true for the outer shell assembly, which is mainly composed of a thin 304 stainless steel outer shell, pad, inner partition, and flat end cap. Furthermore, there are two symmetrical straight weld lines, each 5.5 meters long, between the outer shell and the inner partition. These weld lines are extremely prone to significant deformation during welding. Therefore, controlling post-weld deformation is a major challenge in the manufacture of the outer shell assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a welding method and apparatus for housing components, enabling the welding of various parts of the housing component, such as the housing, pad, inner partition, and flat end cap, on the same general-purpose tooling. At the same time, it solves the problem that the welding of thin-walled parts and the 5.5-meter-long weld bead between the housing and the inner partition is prone to significant deformation, thereby achieving the goal of ensuring product quality and improving production efficiency and stability.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a welding apparatus for a housing assembly, including a stand, a driving device, a flipping main assembly, a pad welding fixture, and a partition welding fixture on the stand, wherein the driving device is used to drive the flipping main assembly to flip. An adjustment device assembly and a head welding fixture are provided on the flipping main body assembly; The adjustment device assembly includes a first adjustment component assembly, a second adjustment component assembly, and a connecting component; the first adjustment component assembly and the second adjustment component assembly respectively adjust the outer shell A and the outer shell B; the first adjustment component assembly and the second adjustment component assembly extend longitudinally along the flipping main body assembly, and each of the first adjustment component assembly and the second adjustment component assembly includes two, respectively disposed on both sides of the flipping main body assembly; the first adjustment component assembly and the second adjustment component assembly can move closer to or further away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the flipping main body assembly, and the angle between the first adjustment component assembly, the second adjustment component assembly and the flipping main body assembly is adjustable; The aforementioned head welding fixture is installed at both ends of the flipping main body assembly; The aforementioned backing plate welding fixture is used for welding backing plates; The aforementioned partition welding fixture is used for welding partitions.

[0005] As a further technical solution, the first adjusting assembly and the second adjusting assembly each include an adjusting plate, a first hinge, a bolt, a hinge seat, and a second hinge; a vertical elongated hole is provided on the first hinge, and a horizontal elongated hole is provided on the second hinge, both of which are connected to the adjusting plate by bolts; a predetermined gap is reserved between the first hinge and its corresponding hinge seat, so that the first hinge can move longitudinally, while the second hinge cannot move longitudinally, and the hinge seat is welded to the adjusting device base plate, which is fixedly mounted on the surface of the tilting table.

[0006] As a further technical solution, the pad welding fixture includes a pad positioning body, a square tube, a clamping screw, and a baffle. The top of the pad positioning body is an arc shape that matches the inner wall of the outer shell; a second layer of arc platform is machined downward from the arc top of the pad positioning body at a set distance from the arc top height. The width of the second layer of arc platform is half the width of the pad, and the two ends of the bottom arc are not milled through in the circumferential direction to ensure the positioning of the pad in the circumferential direction; a groove for spot welding is also provided on the pad positioning body; a square tube is provided on the top of the pad positioning body, and baffles and connectors are provided at both ends of the square tube; threaded holes evenly distributed in the circumference are also opened on the circumferential surface of the pad positioning body for installing clamping screws.

[0007] As a further technical solution, the head welding fixture includes a head positioning body, a right-angle positioning device, and C-clamps; the lower part of the head positioning body is connected to the flipping main body assembly through the right-angle positioning device, and multiple C-clamps are fixed on the head positioning body.

[0008] As a further technical solution, a number of V-shaped blocks are provided in the middle of the rotating main body assembly along its longitudinal direction, and V-shaped block pads are installed on the V-shaped blocks.

[0009] As a further technical solution, the partition welding fixture includes a partition clamping fixture, a partition deformation limiting frame, and a partition pressing frame; the partition clamping fixture clamps the partition from the width direction, and the partition deformation limiting frame has an outer shape that matches the inner cavity of the inner partition; the partition pressing frame is arranged along the length direction of the partition and presses it from the top of the partition.

[0010] As a further technical solution, the partition clamping fixture also includes a left-hand screw, a screw sleeve, a round bar, and a right-hand screw. The screw sleeve has left-hand threads and right-hand threads machined at both ends, which are respectively connected to the left-hand screw and the right-hand screw. By rotating the round bar, the screw sleeve is rotated, causing the left and right screws to extend and retract, thereby achieving the purpose of clamping the workpiece.

[0011] As a further technical solution, a platform strip is provided on the aforementioned flipping main body assembly.

[0012] As a further technical solution, it also includes an angle iron positioning assembly, a cantilever clamp, and a right-angle positioning assembly, with the cantilever clamp mounted on the angle iron positioning assembly; the right-angle positioning assembly is independently set along the longitudinal direction of the flipping main body assembly.

[0013] Secondly, the present invention provides a welding method, as follows: The first and second adjusting assemblies adjust the positions of outer shell A and outer shell B respectively, and then fix outer shell A and outer shell B. After fixing, outer shell A and outer shell B are flipped over, and the backing plate is welded using a backing plate welding fixture. After the backing plate welding is completed, the outer shells are flipped back to their original positions. After confirming that the solidified position of the outer shells has not changed, the welding gun is aligned, and the drive device drives the outer shells to rotate at the required welding speed for welding. After the two outer shells are butt-welded, the weld and deformation are inspected and found to be qualified. Then, the end caps are welded using a head welding fixture. After the workpiece welding is completed and inspected and qualified, the end caps are then welded. After flipping the workpiece and removing the outer shell support, place the welded outer shell face up on the V-block of the flipping platform. After the outer shell is installed and adjusted, install the inner partition and adjust the fit and positional relationship between the inner partition, the end cap, and the inner wall of the outer shell. After adjustment, install the partition clamping frame, the partition clamping fixture, and the partition deformation limiting frame in sequence. Weld the inner partition. After the inner partition is welded, due to the rigid top resisting deformation, the partition deformation limiting frame will be clamped in the middle of the inner partition. The partition clamping fixture needs to clamp the inner edges of the inner partition at both ends. Remove the partition deformation limiting frame and remove the qualified outer shell assembly at the same time.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention integrates the welding processes of parts such as the outer shell, pad, inner partition, and flat end cap into a single universal welding flipping platform, saving significant turnaround time and improving production efficiency. In workpiece fabrication, the method of pre-reserving anti-deformation allowance in the first and second adjustment assemblies overcomes the deformation problem of the circumferential weld seam on the thin-walled outer shell. The method of using a deformation limit frame and angle iron positioning components to form a rigid constraint overcomes the inward and outward deformation problem caused by welding the 5-meter-long weld seam between the outer shell and the inner partition. The method of using a flipping platform that can rotate and stop at any angle solves the problem of welding at different positions on the workpiece. Furthermore, this welding device is assembled from platform slats to form a three-dimensional flexible welding platform. Its grid hole system is machined with high precision, ensuring stable positioning accuracy even after multiple disassembly and reassembly of the tooling, improving welding consistency. Simultaneously, the supporting standardized positioning and clamping elements, such as right-angle positioning, angle iron positioning, and cantilever clamps, can be flexibly combined to adapt to the special characteristics of the welded workpiece, eliminating the need for separately customized special tooling, significantly shortening the tooling design and manufacturing cycle, and reducing production preparation time. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1This is the main view of a general-purpose welding flipping platform; Figure 2 This is the main view of a general-purpose welding flipping platform; Figure 3 This is an isometric view of a general-purpose welding tilting platform; Figure 4 This is a top view of the flipped main assembly; Figure 5 This is the main view of the regulating device assembly; Figure 6 This is a side view of the regulating device assembly; Figure 7(a) is a front view of the first adjusting component assembly; Figure 7(b) is a three-dimensional view of the first adjusting assembly; Figure 8 This is the main view of the welding fixture for the backing plate; Figure 9(a) is a front view of the welding fixture for the head; Figure 9(b) shows the three-dimensional view of the head welding fixture when clamping the head. Figure 1 ; Figure 9(c) shows the three-dimensional view of the head welding fixture when clamping the head. Figure 2 ; Figure 10 This is the left view of the welding fixture for the end cap; Figure 11 This is the main view of the partition clamping fixture; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the partition clamping frame; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a partition deformation limiting frame; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the welding of the outer shell and the end cap; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the backing plate welding process; Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the welding of the inner partition; In the diagram: 1. Stand; 2. Motor and reducer assembly; 6. Flexible coupling; 7. Key; 11. Bearing with seat; 12. Bearing stop; 16. Tilting table body; 17. Angle iron positioning assembly; 18. Cantilever clamp; 19. Partition clamping fixture; 20. Adjusting device assembly; 21. Housing support; 22. Deformation limit frame; 23. Right angle positioning assembly; 24. Adjusting device base plate; 25. First platform slat; 26. Second platform slat; 27. Third platform slat; 28. Fourth platform slat; 29. ​​Slotted set screw; 30. Screw; 33. V-block; 34. V-block pad; 37. Head welding fixture; 38. Pad welding fixture; 39. Partition clamping frame; 1601. Drive shaft; 1602. Bolt; 1603. Tilting table; 1604. Driven shaft; 2001. First adjusting assembly; 2002. Second adjusting assembly; 2003. Locating pin; 2004. Anti-loosening bolt; 20011. Adjusting plate; 20012. First hinge; 20013. Bolt; 20014. Hinge seat; 20015. Pin; 20016. Second hinge; 3801. Pad positioning body; 3802. Square tube; 3803. Clamping screw; 3804. Baffle; 3701. Head positioning body; 3702. Right-angle positioning; 3703. C-clamp; 3704. Bolt; 3705. Nut; 3706. Washer; 1901. Left-hand screw; 1902. Screw sleeve; 1903. Round bar; 1904. Right-hand screw; Detailed Implementation The core of this invention is to provide a welding method and apparatus for outer shell assemblies, used for welding the outer shell assembly. The outer shell assembly can be the outer shell assembly of a new nuclear fuel transport container, or it can be the outer shell assembly of other pressure vessels.

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] In this embodiment, the outer shell is divided into two segments along the axial direction; that is, the outer shell comprises two outer shell segments arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The cross-section of both outer shell segments is arc-shaped. In this embodiment, the outer shell refers to the upper or lower outer shell of the nuclear fuel transport container. Figure 14 As shown, the welding method and apparatus in this application utilize adjusting fixtures to adjust the pre-deformation amount when the two outer shells are welded into a shell in sections, thereby offsetting the post-weld deformation and ensuring that the deformation amount of the welded shell meets the product requirements.

[0018] In this embodiment, the end caps involved are the semi-circular end caps at both ends of the aforementioned outer shell, with the central portion forming a symmetrical V-shape. For example... Figure 14 As shown, the welding method and apparatus in this application use a tooling positioning and clamping method to accurately perform welding, while the tooling is rigid to resist deformation and ensures that it meets product requirements.

[0019] In this embodiment, the inner partition is a V-shaped bent profile with a top flange extending longitudinally for 5.5 meters. Its V-shape corresponds to the V-shape of the end cap mentioned in 020 above. The top flanges on both sides form two parallel weld beads, each 5.5 meters long, with the outer shell mentioned above. The welding method and apparatus in this application use V-shaped blocks for positioning to ensure the straightness of the weld beads along the welding platform and to ensure the welding torch moves in a straight line without deviating from its intended path. Simultaneously, a combination of tooling and angle iron positioning rigidly restricts inward and outward deformation, ensuring that the weld meets product requirements.

[0020] In this embodiment, as shown Figure 14 As shown, the two outer shell segments are correspondingly engaged with two adjustment components. Each adjustment component can move longitudinally relative to the platform, and the outer end of each adjustment component can be raised and lowered vertically to tilt the adjustment component. The two adjustment components can move closer to or further away from each other, causing the two outer shell segments to move closer to or further away, thereby adjusting the splicing gap between them. Furthermore, the outer ends of the adjustment components can be raised and lowered to adjust the height of the outer ends of the outer shell segments, thereby adjusting the splicing angle between the two outer shell segments. This allows for adjustment of the pre-deformation amount during the welding of the two outer shell segments, ensuring that the deformation of the resulting outer shell meets product requirements after welding.

[0021] This welding method and apparatus integrates the welding processes of the outer shell, backing plate, inner partition plate, and flat end cap into one process. Figure 1 The welding of the outer shell assembly is completed on a universal flipping platform. On this platform, the deformation caused by the circumferential weld of the outer shell is offset by adjusting the tooling 20 to allow for anti-deformation. The inward and outward deformation caused by the welding of the 5.5-meter-long weld between the outer shell and the inner partition is controlled by the combination of the deformation limiting frame 22 and the angle iron positioning assembly 17 to form a rigid constraint. The specific welding method and device structure will be described in detail in this technical solution and specific implementation.

[0022] This universal rotating platform for welding housing components uses a variable frequency motor and reducer for smooth stepless speed regulation, meeting the welding speed requirements of 0~7.6r / min; the platform can rotate continuously within a 360° range and stop at any time within 0°-90° for operation; both the motor and reducer have self-locking function, realizing double-layer self-locking safety protection.

[0023] This universal tilting platform for welding housing components includes a frame 1, which serves as the support for the entire tooling. Figure 1 As shown, it is installed at the bottom of the platform and is mainly composed of square tubes welded together. A motor base plate and a bearing base plate are welded on top. The motor reducer assembly 2 is fixed to the motor base plate of the platform 1 by bolts, washers, and spring washers. Two mounted bearings 11 are fixed to the bearing base plate of the platform by bolts, washers, and spring washers, respectively.

[0024] This universal flipping platform for welding housing components also includes a flipping body assembly 16, such as Figure 1 As shown. The main body assembly of the tilting mechanism consists of a drive shaft 1601, a tilting table 1603, and a driven shaft 1604, as follows. Figure 4 As shown, the drive shaft 1601 and driven shaft 1604 are fixedly installed at both ends of the tilting table by bolts 1602. Two bearing seats 11 support the tilting main body assembly 16 above the frame 1 via the drive shaft 1601 and driven shaft 1604, respectively. The reducer output shaft is connected to the drive shaft 1601 of the tilting main body assembly 16 via a flexible coupling 6 and a key 7 to drive the tilting table assembly to rotate. To prevent the two bearing seats from loosening during operation and affecting the platform's accuracy, a bearing stop 12 is installed on each side of the two bearing seats to fix the bearing seats in place. The bearing stop 12 is fixed to the bearing seat plate of the frame by screws, washers, and spring washers. The tilting table 1603 is mainly constructed from welded square tubing. The upper surface is welded with strips required for installing subsequent parts. After welding, it undergoes aging stress relief treatment, and then a gantry CNC milling machine mills the surface and processes the slots and threaded holes required for installing V-blocks, platform strips, and other subsequent parts, ensuring the flatness of the table surface and the accuracy of the installation position. Simultaneously considering the need for spot welding pads on the inner sides of the two outer shells before welding, and to ensure sufficient construction space for the spot welding pads after the platform is flipped, the middle part of the 1603 flipping table is designed as follows: Figure 4 The structure shown provides sufficient operational space.

[0025] In this embodiment, the mesh holes on the platform surface are an important part of this application. The mesh holes on the platform surface are mainly assembled from the first platform slats 25, the second platform slats 26, the third platform slats 27, and the fourth platform slats 28. Figure 2 As shown, the universal flipping platform for welding this housing assembly also includes a first platform strip 25, a second platform strip 26, a third platform strip 27, and a fourth platform strip 28, as follows: Figure 2 As shown. As mentioned above, steel plates are welded to corresponding positions on the upper surface of the tilting table 1602. Figure 4 As shown, the flatness of the tilting table surface is ensured by milling the plane flat using a gantry CNC milling machine. Simultaneously, the CNC milling machine machines threaded mounting holes corresponding to each platform strip at appropriate positions. The first platform strip 25, the second platform strip 26, the third platform strip 27, and the fourth platform strip 28 are respectively fixed to the tilting table surface using slotted set screws 29. Figure 2The diagram shows a three-dimensional flexible platform. The grid holes and standard positioning pins on the platform surface are machined with high precision, ensuring stable positioning accuracy even after multiple disassembly and assembly of the tooling or replacement of the workpiece, thus improving welding consistency. The supporting standardized positioning and clamping elements, such as right-angle positioning, angle iron positioning, and cantilever clamps, can be flexibly combined to adapt to the special characteristics of the welded workpieces, eliminating the need for custom-made tooling, significantly shortening the tooling design and manufacturing cycle, and reducing production preparation time. In addition, the platform slats are made of high-strength steel and have undergone aging treatment to eliminate internal stress, exhibiting strong resistance to deformation and impact, and can withstand the loads and high temperatures of welding operations for a long time.

[0026] This universal tilting platform for welding housing components also includes an angle iron positioning assembly 17, a cantilever clamping device 18, and a right-angle positioning assembly 23, such as Figure 1 As shown. These components are all standard procurement modules. The mesh holes on the platform surface are used to quickly position and tighten the welding of the outer shell and the inner partition. There is no need to design special tooling, which saves a lot of tooling preparation time and cost. The angle iron positioning component 17 is equipped with a cantilever clamping device 18. Along the length of the tilting table 1603, a row of angle iron positioning components 17 and right angle positioning components 23 are set on the front side of the tilting table 1603, and a row of angle iron positioning components 17 and right angle positioning components 23 are set on the rear side of the tilting table 1603.

[0027] This universal tilting platform for welding housing components also includes an adjustment device assembly 20, a housing support plate 21, and an adjustment device base plate 24, such as Figure 1 As shown; the adjustment device assembly 20 is a key tooling for welding the outer shell, as shown. Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the anti-deformation amount corresponding to the welding deformation is set by adjusting the tilt of the adjusting plate 20011, thereby offsetting the deformation generated by welding. The adjusting device assembly 20 includes a first adjusting component assembly 2001, a second adjusting component assembly 2002, a positioning pin 2003, and an anti-loosening nut 2004. The first adjusting component assembly 2001 and the second adjusting component assembly 2002 respectively adjust the outer shell A and the outer shell B. The two have the same principle and structure. The two adjusting components extend longitudinally and are respectively located on both sides of the tilting table. Figure 1As shown, the two adjustment components are mounted on the upper surface of the platform by welding the hinge seat 20014 to the adjustment device base plate 24. The adjustment device base plate 24 has four mounting holes and is fixed to the surface of the tilting table by screws 30. Each adjustment component can rotate relative to the top of the base, thereby adjusting the included angle between the first adjustment assembly 2001 and the second adjustment assembly 2002 and the base to accommodate shells of different arc lengths, so as to realize the welding operation of the upper and lower shells of the nuclear fuel transport container. The two adjustment components can move closer or further away from each other, thereby moving the two shell segments closer or further away from each other to adjust the splicing gap between them. The outer ends of the adjustment components can be raised and lowered to adjust the height of the outer ends of the shell segments, thereby adjusting the splicing angle between the two shell segments.

[0028] This embodiment only describes the first adjusting component assembly. The first adjusting component assembly 2001 includes an adjusting plate 20011, a first hinge 20012, a bolt 20013, a hinge seat 20014, a pin 20015, and a second hinge 20016. As shown in Figure 7, the adjusting plate 20011 has threaded holes that correspond to the elongated holes on the first hinge 20012 and the second hinge 20016 to achieve adjustment. In order to enable the two adjusting components to move closer or further apart, in this embodiment, a vertical elongated hole is provided on the first hinge 20012 and a horizontal elongated hole is provided on the second hinge 20016. A gap of 0-10mm is reserved between the first hinge 20012 and its corresponding hinge seat, allowing the first hinge 20012 to move. A gap of 0-0.2mm is reserved between the second hinge 20016 and its corresponding hinge seat, preventing the second hinge from moving longitudinally. When the first hinge 20012 moves longitudinally, it causes the adjusting plate 20011 to make a fine adjustment relative to the second hinge. In addition, the two sides of the adjusting plate 20011 are also machined with round holes corresponding to the outer shell. After the two outer shells are hoisted into the tooling, the two round holes are respectively inserted into the positioning pins to ensure that the outer shell and the adjusting plate are connected together. Thus, adjusting the position of the adjusting plate can drive the outer shell to adjust accordingly.

[0029] In this embodiment, after multiple experimental adjustments and measurements of the pre-deformation amount, and verification of the pre-deformation amount through subsequent processes to determine the optimal pre-deformation amount, the positions of the first adjusting assembly 2001 and the second adjusting assembly 2002 are adjusted to allow for a certain amount of deformation. Finally, the bolts 20013 on each adjusting component are tightened, and multiple right-angle positioning devices 23 are used on both sides of the shell, pressing against the outer wall of the shell in the longitudinal direction to fix the shell and thus solidify the pre-deformation amount. Once this value is determined and solidified, no further adjustments are needed for subsequent workpieces.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, the adjustment device assembly 20 is mounted on the upper surface of the platform by welding the hinge seat 20014 to the adjustment device base plate 24. The adjustment device base plate 24 has four mounting holes and is fixed to the surface of the tilting table by screws 30. The welding of the adjustment device assembly 20 to the adjustment device base plate 24 requires determining the optimal position using the first-piece adjustment method of outer shell A and outer shell B before welding and fixing. The outer shell support plate 21 serves as an auxiliary mounting plate, providing auxiliary support for the outer shell during installation. It is fixed in the groove machined on the upper surface of the tilting table 1602 by screws and washers.

[0031] This universal flipping platform for welding housing components also includes a backing plate welding fixture 38, such as Figure 3 As shown above, after the positions of outer shells A and B are determined by the adjustment device, the right-angle positioning assembly 17 is used to position outer shells A and B sequentially along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the platform, as follows. Figure 15 As shown, after positioning is completed, the rotating platform performs spot welding to fix the joint between outer shell A and outer shell B. After spot welding is completed, the flipping platform is rotated 180º, and the spot welding process of the pad plate is carried out using the pad plate welding fixture 38.

[0032] like Figure 8 As shown, the pad welding fixture 38 in this embodiment includes a pad positioning body 3801, a square tube 3802, a clamping screw 3803, and a baffle 3804. The pad positioning body 3801 is the core component of the fixture, used for accurate positioning of the pad. Its top is machined to form an arc shape that matches the inner wall of the outer shell, allowing for circumferential positioning via the inner and outer walls. Simultaneously, to ensure accurate positioning of the pad, a second arc platform is machined downwards from the arc apex of the pad positioning body 3801, with a height of 1-2 mm from the arc apex. The width of this platform is half the width of the pad, and the two ends of the bottom arc are not milled through in the circumferential direction to ensure circumferential positioning of the pad. In addition, to ensure smooth spot welding on the side of the backing plate that is not exposed, a 40mm wide and 10mm deep groove is milled along the circumference of the backing plate at the corresponding spot welding position on the side that is not exposed, so that the welding gun can spot weld at the spot welding position. The circumferential surface of the backing plate positioning body also has evenly distributed threaded holes for installing clamping screws 3803 to clamp the positioned backing plate. The square tube 3802 of the backing plate is mainly used for limiting the circumferential rotation of the tooling and facilitating tooling gripping. Limiting plates 3804 are welded to both ends of the square tube 3802, and threaded holes are opened on the limiting plates to install clamping screws 3803. After the tooling is installed into the inner wall of the outer shell and positioned, the clamping screws on both sides are tightened to lock the tooling position, and welding can begin.

[0033] This universal flipping platform for welding housing components also includes a head welding fixture 37. The head welding fixture 37 is used for positioning and welding the head end caps at both ends of the housing component, as shown in Figure 9. Figure 10As shown, it mainly includes a head positioning body 3701, a right-angle positioning body 3702, a C-clamp 3703, a bolt 3704, a nut 3705, and a washer 3706; The bottom of the end cap positioning body 3701 is connected to the right angle positioning 3702 by bolts 3704, nuts 3705, and washers 3706. A C-shaped clamp 3703 is provided on the end cap positioning body 3701. The head positioning body 3701, as the main component for head positioning, has a positioning body milled on its upper surface that matches the inner end of the head for positioning the two ends of the head. Simultaneously, two through holes are provided below the positioning body according to the aforementioned platform slat grid hole spacing for installing bolts 3704, washers 3706, and nuts 3705 to fix the positioning body at a right angle. After the tack welding of the pads as described above is completed, the motor is started to rotate the platform 180º again, with the outer shell facing upwards. After confirming that the outer shell is normal, the motor is started to complete the welding of the two outer shells at the required speed and angle. After the outer shell welding is completed, the end cap is placed on the end cap positioning body 3701 of the end cap welding fixture 37. The end cap is pushed into the inner cavity of the outer shell. Using the end of the aforementioned adjusting plate 20011 as longitudinal positioning, the outer end face of the end cap is positioned 8mm away from the end face of the outer shell. At the same time, the up, down, left, and right positions of the end cap are adjusted using the elongated hole on the right-angle positioning 3702 and the gap between the bolt and the hole. After adjustment, the lock nut is tightened to fix the position, and the C-clamp 3703 is used to clamp the end cap to prevent deformation during welding. After the first piece is adjusted and locked in position, subsequent workpieces do not require further adjustment.

[0034] This universal flipping platform for welding housing components also includes V-blocks 33 and V-block pads 34, such as Figure 3 As shown. The V-block, serving as a positioning component for the welding partition, is machined and formed. Its two sides and front and rear sides are precisely fitted with the slots CNC-machined by the aforementioned flipping table 1602 and arranged longitudinally along the tooling. After the end cap welding is completed as described above, the outer shell is flipped and positioned on the V-block 33. Since the slots for mounting the V-blocks on the aforementioned flipping table 1602 are machined in one go by a gantry CNC milling machine, and the V-blocks are also high-precision machined, the longitudinally arranged V-blocks are on the same straight line, thus ensuring that the weld seam between the outer shell and the partition is on the same straight line and avoiding weld misalignment. To prevent the V-block from directly contacting the outer surface of the outer shell and damaging the outer shell surface, threaded holes are machined on the V-shaped surface of the V-block, and a nylon plate V-block pad 34 is used as a protective measure. The surface of the V-block pad 34 is machined with cross countersunk holes and is fixedly installed on the V-shaped surface of the V-block by cross countersunk screws 36.

[0035] This universal tilting platform for welding housing components also includes a partition clamping fixture 19, a partition deformation limiting bracket 22, and a partition pressing bracket 39, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3As shown. The partition clamping fixture 19 also includes a left-hand screw 1901, a screw sleeve 1902, a round bar 1903, and a right-hand screw 1904, as shown. Figure 11 As shown, the screw sleeve has left-hand threads and right-hand threads at both ends, which are connected to the left-hand screw 1901 and the right-hand screw 1904 respectively. By rotating the round bar 1903, the screw sleeve is rotated, which causes the left and right screws to extend and retract, thereby achieving the purpose of tightening the workpiece.

[0036] The partition deformation limiting bracket 22 is mainly composed of square tubes welded together, and its shape matches the inner cavity of the inner partition. In this embodiment, it is a trapezoidal structure, such as... Figure 12 As shown. The partition clamping frame 39 is also made of square tubing welded together, as... Figure 13 As shown; after the outer shell is welded as described above, it is flipped over and installed on the V-shaped block for welding of the inner partition. Figure 16 As shown. After the inner partition is installed and adjusted, to ensure full contact between the inner partition and the end caps of the outer shell, the inner partition is pressed together using the partition clamping frame 39 and the aforementioned cantilever clamping device 18. Considering the long length of the inner partition and to prevent bulging in the middle, multiple partition clamping frames are arranged longitudinally. Furthermore, since a tight contact between the inner wall of the outer shell and the inner partition is impossible without external force, two partition clamping fixtures 19 are used to press the outer shell and the inner partition together. Simultaneously, a partition deformation limiting frame 22 is installed to fix the position of the inner partition. After the partition deformation limiting frame 22 is installed, the aforementioned angle iron positioning components 17 are placed longitudinally on both sides of the outer shell. Their upper ends abut against the outer wall of the outer shell, and their lower ends are locked to the upper surface of the flipping platform through the aforementioned platform strip mesh holes using standard locking components. When welding two long weld beads, the partition deformation limiting frame 22 rigidly controls the inward deformation of the inner partition and the outer shell; the angle iron positioning components 17 arranged longitudinally on both sides of the outer shell restrict the outward deformation of the inner partition and the outer shell, thereby controlling the deformation caused by welding long weld beads.

[0037] In this embodiment, the inner partition is a V-shaped bent profile with a top flange extending longitudinally for 5.5 meters. Its V-shape corresponds to the V-shape of the end cap mentioned in 020 above. The top flanges on both sides form two parallel weld beads, each 5.5 meters long, with the outer shell mentioned above. The welding method and apparatus in this application use V-shaped blocks for positioning to ensure the straightness of the weld beads along the welding platform and to ensure the welding torch moves in a straight line without deviating from its intended path. Simultaneously, a combination of tooling and angle iron positioning rigidly restricts inward and outward deformation, ensuring that the weld meets product requirements.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown Figure 14As shown, the two outer shell segments are correspondingly engaged with two adjustment components. Each adjustment component can move longitudinally relative to the platform, and the outer end of each adjustment component can be raised and lowered vertically to tilt the adjustment component. The two adjustment components can move closer to or further away from each other, causing the two outer shell segments to move closer to or further away, thereby adjusting the splicing gap between them. Furthermore, the outer ends of the adjustment components can be raised and lowered to adjust the height of the outer ends of the outer shell segments, thereby adjusting the splicing angle between the two outer shell segments. This allows for adjustment of the pre-deformation amount during the welding of the two outer shell segments, ensuring that the deformation of the resulting outer shell meets product requirements after welding.

[0039] The overall welding process is as follows: The first adjusting assembly 2001 and the second adjusting assembly 2002 adjust the positions of outer shell A and outer shell B respectively, and fix outer shell A and outer shell B. After fixing, outer shell A and outer shell B are flipped over to weld the backing plate. After the backing plate welding is completed, the motor is started again, and the outer shells are flipped back to their original positions. After confirming that the solidification position of the outer shells has not changed, the welding gun is aligned, the motor is started, and the outer shells are rotated at the required welding speed for welding. After the two outer shells are butt-welded, the weld and deformation are inspected and found to be qualified. Then, the end caps are welded using the end cap welding fixture 37. After the workpiece welding is completed and inspected and qualified, the end caps are then welded. After the workpiece is flipped over and the outer shell support 21 is removed, the welded outer shell is placed face up on the V-block of the flipping platform. After the outer shell is installed and adjusted, the inner partition is installed, and the fit and positional relationship between the inner partition, the end cap, and the inner wall of the outer shell are adjusted. After the adjustment is completed, the partition clamping frame 39, the tooling partition clamping tool 19, and the partition deformation limiting frame 22 are installed in sequence. The inner partition is welded. After the inner partition is welded, due to the rigid top resisting deformation, the partition deformation limiting frame 22 will be clamped in the middle of the inner partition. The partition clamping tool 19 needs to clamp the inner edges of the inner partition at both ends. The partition deformation limiting frame 22 is removed, and the qualified outer shell assembly is removed at the same time.

[0040] The specific welding process is as follows: The first adjusting assembly 2001 and the second adjusting assembly 2002 respectively adjust housing A and housing B. The two adjusting assemblies extend longitudinally and are respectively located on both sides of the tilting table; Figure 1 As shown, the two adjustment components are mounted on the upper surface of the platform by welding the hinge seat 20014 to the adjustment device base plate 24; the adjustment device base plate 24 has four mounting holes and is fixed to the surface of the tilting table by screws 30. Each adjustment component can rotate relative to the top of the base, thereby adjusting the included angle between the first adjustment component assembly 2001 and the second adjustment component assembly 2002 and the base to adapt to shells of different arc lengths, so as to realize the welding operation of the upper and lower shells of the nuclear fuel transport container.

[0041] The adjusting plate 20011 has threaded holes that correspond to the elongated holes on the first and second hinges to achieve adjustment. Additionally, the adjusting plate 20011 has circular holes on both sides corresponding to the outer shell. After the two outer shells are installed into the fixture, positioning pins are inserted into the two circular holes to ensure the outer shell and the adjusting plate are connected. Thus, the two adjusting components can move closer or further apart, causing the two outer shell segments to move closer or further apart, thereby adjusting the splicing gap between them. The outer ends of the adjusting components can be raised and lowered to adjust the height of the outer ends of the outer shell segments, thereby adjusting the splicing angle between the two outer shell segments.

[0042] After multiple experiments and adjustments to the outer shell, and by measuring the pre-deformation amount each time, the optimal pre-deformation amount was determined through subsequent process verification. The value was then finalized, and the bolts 20013 on each adjustment component were tightened. Simultaneously, multiple right-angle positioning devices 23 were used on both sides of the outer shell, pressing against the outer wall in the longitudinal direction to fix the shell and solidify the pre-deformation amount. Once this value is determined and solidified, no further adjustments are needed for subsequent workpieces.

[0043] like Figure 15 As shown, after the two outer shells are solidified, the motor rotates the platform to flip the shells over for backing plate welding. The backing plate welding fixture 38 then performs the spot welding process. The backing plate positioning body 3801 is the core component of the fixture, used for accurate positioning of the backing plate. Its top is machined to conform to the inner wall of the outer shell for circumferential positioning via the inner and outer walls. To ensure accurate positioning, a second arc-shaped platform, 1mm-2mm above the arc apex, is machined downwards from the arc apex of the positioning body 3801. This platform is half the width of the backing plate, and the bottom arc ends are not milled through circumferentially to ensure circumferential positioning. Furthermore, to ensure spot welding can be performed smoothly on the side of the backing plate that is not exposed, a 40mm wide and 10mm deep groove is milled along the circumferential direction at the corresponding spot welding position on the side of the backing plate that is not exposed, allowing the welding torch to spot weld the position. The circumferential surface of the positioning body also has evenly distributed threaded holes for installing clamping screws 3803 to clamp the positioned backing plate. The square tube 3802 is mainly used for limiting the circumferential rotation of the tooling and facilitating tooling gripping. Limiting plates 3804 are welded on both sides of the plate, and threaded holes are opened on the limiting plates to install clamping screws 3803. After the tooling is installed into the inner wall of the outer shell and positioned, the clamping screws on both sides are tightened to lock the position of the tooling, and welding can begin.

[0044] In this embodiment, as Figure 14 As shown, after the backing plate is welded, the motor is restarted, and the outer casing flips back to its original position. After confirming that the casing's solidified position has not changed, the welding gun is aligned, the motor is started, and the casing rotates at the required welding speed for welding.

[0045] like Figure 14As shown, after the two outer shells are butt-welded, and the weld and deformation are inspected and found to be acceptable, the end caps are welded using the end cap welding fixture 37. The end cap positioning body 3701 serves as the main part for end cap positioning; its upper surface positioning body is used to position the end caps on both sides. Simultaneously, two through holes are provided below the positioning body according to the grid hole spacing of the platform slats to fix the positioning body at a right angle. At the same time, the end of the adjusting plate 20011 in the aforementioned adjusting assembly is used for longitudinal positioning, positioning the outer end face of the end cap 8mm from the end face of the outer shell. The elongated holes on the right-angle positioning 3702 and the gap between the bolts and the holes are used to adjust the up, down, left, and right positions of the end cap. After adjustment, the locking nut is tightened to fix the position. Simultaneously, the three-dimensional platform quick-locking component uses the grid holes of the platform slats to quickly lock the right-angle positioning 3702, and the C-clamp 3703 is used to clamp the end cap to prevent welding deformation. The welding torch is aligned, the motor is started, and the platform rotates at the required welding speed to weld the end caps at both ends. After welding is complete, remove the C-clamp 3703 and quick-locking components, exit the fixture, and subsequent workpieces can be directly installed onto the fixture without further adjustments. refer to Figure 16 After the aforementioned workpieces have passed inspection and welding, they are flipped over, the outer shell support 21 is removed, and the welded outer shell is placed face up on the V-block of the flipping platform. The V-block, serving as the positioning part for the welding partition, is machined to a high precision fit with the slots CNC machined on the flipping table 1602. The slots for mounting the V-blocks on the flipping table 1602 are machined in one go using a gantry CNC milling machine, ensuring the accuracy of each slot and the symmetry relative to the center of the flipping platform. The V-blocks are also high-precision machined, so the centers of the longitudinally arranged V-blocks are on the same straight line, thus ensuring that the weld seam between the outer shell and the partition is on the same straight line and avoiding welding misalignment. To prevent the V-block from directly contacting the outer surface of the outer shell and damaging the outer shell surface, threaded holes are machined on the V-shaped surface of the V-block, and a nylon plate V-block pad 34 is used as a protective measure. The surface of the V-block pad 34 is machined with cross-head countersunk holes, and it is fixedly installed on the V-shaped surface of the V-block using cross-head countersunk screws 36.

[0046] In this embodiment, as Figure 16 As shown, after the outer shell is installed and adjusted, the inner partition is installed, and the fit and positional relationship between the inner partition and the end cap and the inner wall of the outer shell are adjusted. After the adjustment is completed, the partition clamping bracket 39, the tooling partition clamping tool 19, and the partition deformation limiting bracket 22 are installed in sequence. refer to Figure 16 After the inner partition is installed and adjusted to the correct position, to ensure full contact between the inner partition and the end caps of the outer shell, the inner partition is pressed together using the partition clamping bracket 39 and the cantilever clamping device 18. Considering the issue of the cantilever clamping device 18 being too high and affecting strength, it is fixed within the positioning grid holes of the angle iron. Figure 16As shown. To prevent bulging in the middle of the long inner partition, multiple partition clamping frames 39 are arranged longitudinally. Simultaneously, considering that a tight contact between the inner wall of the outer shell and the inner partition is impossible without external force, two partition clamping fixtures 19 are used to press the outer shell and inner partition together, while a partition deformation limiting frame 22 is installed to fix the position of the inner partition. After the partition deformation limiting frame 22 is installed, angle iron positioning components 17 are placed on both sides of the outer shell along the longitudinal direction. Their upper ends abut against the outer wall of the outer shell, and their lower ends are locked to the upper surface of the flipping platform through the mesh holes of the platform strips mentioned above using standard locking components. When welding two long weld beads, the partition deformation limiting frame 22 rigidly controls the inward deformation of the inner partition and the outer shell; the angle iron positioning components 17 arranged longitudinally on both sides of the outer shell restrict the outward deformation of the inner partition and the outer shell, thereby controlling the deformation caused by welding long weld beads.

[0047] In this embodiment, after the inner partition is welded, due to the rigid top resisting deformation, the partition deformation limiting bracket 22 will be clamped in the middle of the inner partition. The partition clamping fixture 19 needs to clamp the inner edges of the inner partition at both ends, remove the partition deformation limiting bracket 22, and at the same time remove the qualified outer shell assembly.

[0048] The present invention discloses a welding method and apparatus for a housing assembly. All the installation, connection or setting methods of the components of the above-described methods and apparatus are common mechanical methods, and the specific structure, model and coefficient index of all its components are its own technologies. As long as they can achieve their beneficial effects, they can be implemented, so they will not be described in detail.

[0049] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the methods and principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded with the principles disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A welding apparatus for a housing assembly, characterized in that, The device includes a frame, a drive device, a tilting main assembly, a pad welding fixture, and a partition welding fixture on the frame. The drive device is used to drive the tilting main assembly to tilt. An adjustment device assembly and a head welding fixture are provided on the flipping main body assembly; The adjustment device assembly includes a first adjustment component, a second adjustment component, and a connecting component; the first adjustment component and the second adjustment component respectively adjust the outer shell A and the outer shell B; the first adjustment component and the second adjustment component extend along the longitudinal direction of the flipping main body assembly, and each of the first adjustment component and the second adjustment component includes two, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the flipping main body assembly; the first adjustment component and the second adjustment component can move closer to or further away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the flipping main body assembly, and the angle between the first adjustment component and the second adjustment component and the flipping main body assembly is adjustable; The aforementioned head welding fixture is installed at both ends of the flipping main body assembly; The aforementioned backing plate welding fixture is used for welding backing plates; The aforementioned partition welding fixture is used for welding partitions.

2. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second adjusting components each include an adjusting plate, a first hinge, a bolt, a hinge seat, and a second hinge. A vertical elongated hole is provided on the first hinge, and a horizontal elongated hole is provided on the second hinge. Both the vertical and horizontal elongated holes are connected to the adjusting plate by bolts. A predetermined gap is reserved between the first hinge and its corresponding hinge seat, allowing the first hinge to move longitudinally while the second hinge cannot move longitudinally. The hinge seat is welded to the adjusting device base plate, which is fixedly mounted on the surface of the tilting table.

3. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned pad welding fixture includes a pad positioning body, a square tube, a clamping screw, and a baffle. The top of the pad positioning body is an arc shape that conforms to the inner wall of the outer shell. A second-layer arc platform is machined downward from the arc top of the pad positioning body at a predetermined distance from the arc top. The width of the second-layer arc platform is half the width of the pad, and the two ends of the bottom arc are not milled through in the circumferential direction to ensure the circumferential positioning of the pad. A groove for spot welding is also provided on the pad positioning body. A square tube is provided on the top of the pad positioning body, and baffles and connectors are provided at both ends of the square tube. Threaded holes evenly distributed along the circumference are also opened on the circumferential surface of the pad positioning body for installing the clamping screw.

4. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The head welding fixture includes a head positioning body, a right-angle positioning device, and C-clamps; the lower part of the head positioning body is connected to the flipping main body assembly through the right-angle positioning device, and multiple C-clamps are fixed on the head positioning body; the upper surface of the head positioning body has a positioning body that is consistent with the inner end of the head, which is used to position the head on both sides.

5. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Along its longitudinal direction, a number of V-shaped blocks are provided in the middle of the aforementioned flipping main body assembly, and V-shaped block pads are installed on the V-shaped blocks.

6. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The partition welding fixture includes a partition clamping fixture, a partition deformation limiting frame, and a partition pressing frame; the partition clamping fixture clamps the partition from the width direction, and the partition deformation limiting frame has an outer shape that matches the inner cavity of the inner partition; the partition pressing frame is arranged along the length direction of the partition and presses it from the top of the partition.

7. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The aforementioned partition clamping fixture also includes a left-hand screw, a screw sleeve, a round bar, and a right-hand screw. The screw sleeve has left-hand threads and right-hand threads machined at both ends, which are respectively connected to the left-hand screw and the right-hand screw. By rotating the round bar, the screw sleeve is rotated, causing the left and right screws to extend and retract, thereby achieving the purpose of clamping the workpiece.

8. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned flip-up main body assembly is provided with a grid hole system assembled from platform strips.

9. The welding apparatus for the housing assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an angle iron positioning assembly, a cantilever screw clamp, and a right-angle positioning assembly. The cantilever screw clamp is mounted on the angle iron positioning assembly. The right-angle positioning assembly is independently positioned along the longitudinal direction of the flip-up main body assembly.

10. The welding method of the welding apparatus for the housing assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The first and second adjustment components adjust the positions of outer shell A and outer shell B respectively, and fix outer shell A and outer shell B. After fixing, outer shell A and outer shell B are flipped over, and the backing plate is welded using a backing plate welding fixture. After the backing plate is welded, the outer shell is flipped back to its original position. After confirming that the solidified position of the outer shell has not changed, the welding gun is aligned, and the drive device drives the outer shell to rotate at the required welding speed for welding. After the two outer shells are welded together, the weld and deformation are inspected and found to be qualified. Then, the end caps are welded using a head welding fixture. After the workpiece is welded and inspected and qualified, the workpiece is flipped over, the outer shell support is removed, and the qualified welded outer shell is placed face up on the V-block of the flipping platform. After the outer shell is installed and adjusted, install the inner partition and adjust the fit and positional relationship between the inner partition, the end cap, and the inner wall of the outer shell. After adjustment, install the partition clamping frame, the partition clamping fixture, and the partition deformation limiting frame in sequence. Weld the inner partition. After the inner partition is welded, due to the rigid resistance to deformation, the partition deformation limiting frame will be clamped in the middle of the inner partition. The partition clamping fixture needs to clamp the inner edges of the inner partition at both ends. Remove the partition deformation limiting frame and remove the qualified outer shell assembly at the same time.

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