A laser cladding welding device for metal pipe machining

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of metal pipe fusion welding and discloses a laser fusion welding equipment for metal pipe processing, which comprises a guide rail base, a metal pipe arranged above the guide rail base, a welding mechanism and a clamping driving mechanism. The clamping driving mechanism is used for driving the metal pipe to move along the length direction of the guide rail base and driving the metal pipe to rotate around its own axis, and comprises a second fixed plate arranged on the first fixed plate and close to the feeding side of the metal pipe. A fixed ring is fixedly connected to the second fixed plate, the axis of the fixed ring is parallel to the axis of the metal pipe, and two driving rollers are arranged on the bottom and the top of the fixed ring. The metal pipe is driven to rotate around its own axis and continuously fed along the axial direction through the driving rollers, so that the metal pipe can travel through the equipment from the inside, and the processable length of the metal pipe is no longer limited by the effective stroke of the bed rail.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal pipe fusion welding technology, specifically a laser fusion welding device for metal pipe processing. Background Technology

[0002] Laser cladding welding is a surface engineering and additive repair technology that uses a high-energy heat source to melt filler metal and deposit it onto the surface of a workpiece to form a metal coating that is metallurgically bonded to the base material. It is widely used in industrial fields such as surface strengthening of metal pipes, preparation of wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings, and repair of localized damage. In existing technologies, laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipes typically employs a horizontal machine tool structure. Its workpiece clamping device is usually a three-jaw or four-jaw chuck, located at the headstock and tailstock ends of the machine. The chuck clamps the outer surfaces of both ends of the metal pipe to achieve circumferential positioning and axial fixation of the workpiece. During the welding process, the spindle drive device rotates the chuck and metal pipe around its axis, while the laser cladding head moves linearly parallel to the pipe's axis, thus forming a spiral or axial strip-shaped cladding coating on the outer surface of the pipe. Some equipment is also equipped with auxiliary support devices such as a center rest or follower rest to reduce radial runout of pipes with large length-to-diameter ratios during rotation.

[0003] However, the aforementioned existing technical solutions have significant limitations in practical applications. Because the metal pipe is clamped and fixed at both ends by a headstock chuck and a tailstock chuck respectively, the effective axial section for welding is limited to the area between the two chucks. Furthermore, the axial position of the tailstock chuck on the machine bed is typically constrained by the predetermined length of the machine bed guide rails, resulting in a strict limitation on the maximum pipe length that the equipment can process. When the length of the metal pipe to be processed exceeds the effective travel of the machine bed guide rails or the maximum adjustment range of the tailstock chuck, existing equipment cannot complete the welding process along the entire length of the pipe, or requires manual intervention methods such as segmented clamping and secondary positioning. This not only significantly reduces production efficiency but also easily introduces positioning errors due to repeated clamping, affecting the continuity and dimensional accuracy of the weld coating. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a laser welding equipment that can flexibly adapt to the welding needs of metal pipes of different lengths, especially longer pipes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing includes a guide rail base and a metal pipe disposed above the guide rail base, and also includes a welding mechanism and a clamping drive mechanism.

[0007] The welding mechanism includes a first fixing plate fixedly disposed in the middle of the guide rail base, a fixing frame disposed in the middle of the first fixing plate, and a welding head disposed above the fixing frame for performing cladding welding on the metal pipe.

[0008] A clamping drive mechanism is used to drive a metal tube to move along the length of the guide rail base and to drive the metal tube to rotate around its own axis. It includes a second fixed plate disposed on the side of the first fixed plate near the metal tube feeding side. A fixed ring is fixedly connected to the second fixed plate. The axis of the fixed ring is parallel to the axis of the metal tube. Two drive rollers are disposed on both the bottom and top sides of the fixed ring. The rotation axes of the two drive rollers located on the same side of the fixed ring are perpendicular and parallel to the axis of the metal tube, respectively. The distance between the drive roller at the bottom of the fixed ring and the center of the fixed ring is fixed. A synchronous extrusion assembly is disposed on the top of the fixed ring. The synchronous extrusion assembly is used to drive the drive roller located on the top of the fixed ring to move simultaneously toward or away from the center of the fixed ring.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a T-shaped frame is provided in the middle of the second fixing plate and is fixedly connected to the fixing ring. The two ends of the T-shaped frame are respectively rotatably connected to the two corresponding driving rollers. A clamping driving device is provided on the side of the T-shaped frame for driving the two driving rollers to rotate around their respective rotation axes. Anti-slip strips extending along the axial direction are provided on the outer peripheral wall of the driving rollers.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the synchronous extrusion assembly includes a transverse frame fixedly connected to both sides of the top of the fixed ring. Each transverse frame has two guide posts slidably connected to it, arranged radially along the fixed ring. The end of the guide post near the center of the fixed ring is connected to the corresponding drive roller. The ends of the two guide posts on the same transverse frame away from the center of the fixed ring are fixedly connected to a fixed rod. A fixed plate is provided on the top of the fixed ring. An auxiliary block that slides circumferentially along the fixed ring is provided between the fixed plate and the transverse frame. A rotating screw is rotatably connected to the middle of the fixed plate. Extension rods are fixedly connected to both sides of the rotating screw. The end of the extension rod is hinged to one end of a first connecting rod. The other end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the side of the auxiliary block near the fixed plate. One end of a second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the side of the auxiliary block near the transverse frame. The other end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the fixed rod. A locking nut for limiting the rotation of the rotating screw is threadedly connected to the middle of the rotating screw.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a placement frame is provided in the middle of the fixed frame, and a transverse positioning rod is provided on the placement frame along the length direction of the metal tube. A transverse seat is slidably connected to the middle of the transverse positioning rod, and the top of the transverse seat is connected to the welding head. A reciprocating transverse assembly is provided on the side of the fixed frame to drive the transverse seat to move back and forth along the transverse positioning rod.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reciprocating transverse component includes a fixed column disposed on the side of the fixed frame, the end of the fixed column being rotatably connected to the end of the deflection plate, and a third slider being rotatably connected to the bottom of the transverse seat and slidably connected to the deflection plate.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rotary drive device is provided between the fixed column and the placement frame. The output shaft of the rotary drive device is fixedly connected to a drive shaft, and the end of the drive shaft is fixedly connected to a swing plate. A first slider with an adjustable position along the length direction of the swing plate is provided on the swing plate. A second slider is rotatably connected to the side of the first slider, and the middle part of the second slider is slidably connected to the middle part of the deflection plate.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a height adjustment component for adjusting the height position of the welding head is provided in the middle of the first fixing plate.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the height fine-tuning component includes a lifting tube fixedly connected to the middle of the first fixed plate, a lifting screw threadedly connected to the lifting tube, and the end of the lifting screw away from the first fixed plate rotatably connected to the fixed frame. Limiting rods slidably connected to the fixed frame are provided on both sides of the first fixed plate, and a limiting plate is provided at the end of the limiting rod. A limiting spring is provided between the limiting plate and the fixed frame to drive the fixed frame to move toward the first fixed plate. A fixing nut is fixedly connected to the end of the lifting screw away from the lifting tube, and a locking nut for limiting the extension length of the lifting screw is provided in the middle of the lifting screw.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the clamping drive mechanism further includes an auxiliary clamping assembly for assisting in clamping the metal tube. The auxiliary clamping assembly includes a third fixed plate disposed on the first fixed plate away from the feeding end of the metal tube. A fixed tube is fixedly connected to the middle of the third fixed plate. Rotary seats are disposed on the bottom and upper sides of the fixed tube. A clamping wheel is disposed on the side of the rotating seat near the center of the fixed tube. The rotation axis of the clamping wheel relative to the rotating seat is arranged radially along the metal tube. The rotation axis of the clamping wheel itself is arranged axially along the metal tube. A lifting frame is fixedly connected to the bottom of the fixed tube. The rotating seat near the bottom of the fixed tube is fixedly connected to the lifting frame. Sliding rods arranged radially along the metal tube are slidably connected to the two sides above the fixed tube. The end of the sliding rod near the center of the fixed tube is connected to the corresponding rotating seat. A tightening spring is sleeved on the outside of the sliding rod to drive the sliding rod to move toward the center of the fixed tube.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one end of the deflection frame is connected, and the other end of the deflection frame is rotatably connected to a lifting rod that cooperates with the metal tube.

[0018] The present invention has the following advantages:

[0019] 1. The roller friction drive structure replaces the traditional chuck clamping and fixing method. By driving the roller, the metal tube is simultaneously rotated in the circumferential direction and continuously fed in the axial direction. The metal tube can continuously travel through the equipment along the axial direction. The processing length is not physically constrained by the travel of the machine bed, so it can be adapted to metal pipes of any length. It is especially suitable for continuous laser cladding welding of ultra-long pipes such as long oil and gas pipelines and long hydraulic cylinder barrels.

[0020] 2. Clamping and driving mechanisms are set on the left and right sides of the welding station, which together form a dual-support positioning system. Radial constraints are applied to the feed side and discharge side of the metal tube in the welding area at the same time, thereby effectively suppressing the radial runout of the metal tube in the welding section and significantly improving the positioning accuracy and coating uniformity of the weld bead.

[0021] 3. The spatial positions of the bottom drive roller and the bottom clamping roller are fixed, so that the bottom reference height of the metal tube remains constant during the processing. Only the height of the welding head needs to be adjusted once before processing according to the diameter of the metal tube. There is no need to repeatedly adjust the height of the welding head throughout the processing, which reduces the accuracy requirements of the equipment height adjustment system and simplifies the operation process.

[0022] 4. The fixed height of the bottom drive roller and the bottom clamping roller ensures the stability of the bottom generatrix height of the metal tube, allowing the welding head to swing back and forth along the axis of the metal tube while maintaining the preset decoking amount. This enables wide-width deposition in single-pass welding, increases the width of single-pass deposition, reduces the number of weld overlaps, and improves processing efficiency.

[0023] 5. The synchronous extrusion assembly adopts a completely symmetrical linkage transmission structure. The rotating screw drives the two extension rods on both sides to deflect synchronously. Through the sequential transmission of the first linkage, auxiliary block and second linkage, the drive rollers on both sides of the top are synchronously and equally fed or retracted radially, thereby realizing automatic centering and clamping of the metal tube. This avoids the operation of manually adjusting the centering position repeatedly, and improves clamping efficiency and repeatability accuracy.

[0024] 6. The auxiliary clamping assembly adopts an elastic clamping structure formed by the combination of a top clamping spring and a sliding rod, which enables the clamping wheel to adaptively conform to the outer surface of the metal tube. It can rotate with the rotation of the metal tube without causing sliding friction damage, and can automatically compensate for the slight change in the outer diameter of the metal tube by the deformation of the spring, avoiding scratches on the tube wall surface caused by rigid clamping.

[0025] 7. The height fine-tuning component is equipped with a limiting spring sleeved on the outside of the limiting rod. This limiting spring always applies an elastic tension to the fixed frame in the direction of the first fixed plate, thereby eliminating the fit clearance between the lifting screw and the internal thread of the lifting tube, preventing the fixed frame and welding head from moving up and down due to vibration during processing, thus ensuring the long-term stability of the laser defocusing amount.

[0026] 8. The equipment adopts a modular layout. The welding mechanism, clamping drive mechanism, auxiliary clamping components and lifting support components are all independently installed on the guide rail base. When processing metal pipes of different diameters, it is only necessary to adjust the clamping diameter of the drive roller by rotating the screw and adjust the height of the welding head with the height fine adjustment component to complete the specification change. No tooling parts need to be replaced. The equipment has strong versatility and high changeover efficiency.

[0027] 9. Multiple sets of lifting support components are arranged at intervals along the entire length of the guide rail base. Through the synergistic effect of the deflection frame and the lifting rod, continuous rolling support is provided to the metal pipe along the path, effectively offsetting the self-weight deflection deformation of the pipe with a large length-to-diameter ratio, and ensuring the straightness and the consistency of the cladding thickness along the entire pipe length. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a front view of a laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the welding mechanism in a laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing.

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The right view.

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping and driving mechanism in a laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing.

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The right view.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the T-shaped frame in a laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the synchronous extrusion component in a laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary clamping component in a laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting rod in a laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing.

[0039] In the diagram: 1. Guide rail base; 2. Welding mechanism; 3. Clamping drive mechanism; 4. First fixing plate; 5. Fixing frame; 6. Limiting plate; 7. Limiting spring; 8. Limiting rod; 9. Fixing nut; 10. Locking nut; 11. Lifting tube; 12. Lifting screw; 13. Height fine adjustment assembly; 14. Rotation drive device; 15. Fixing column; 16. Deflection plate; 17. Drive shaft; 18. Swing plate; 19. First slider; 20. Second slider; 21. Third slider; 22. Reciprocating transverse movement assembly; 23. Placement frame; 24. Transverse positioning rod; 25. Transverse seat; 26. Welding head; 27. Second fixing plate 28. Fixing ring; 29. ​​Drive roller; 30. Clamping drive device; 31. T-shaped frame; 32. Synchronous extrusion assembly; 33. Fixing plate; 34. Locking nut; 35. Rotating screw; 36. Extending rod; 37. First connecting rod; 38. Auxiliary block; 39. Second connecting rod; 40. Transverse frame; 41. Guide column; 42. Third fixing plate; 43. Fixing tube; 44. Lifting frame; 45. Rotating seat; 46. Clamping wheel; 47. Sliding rod; 48. Top spring; 49. Auxiliary clamping assembly; 50. Fourth fixing plate; 51. Deflection frame; 52. Lifting rod; 53. Metal tube; 54. Fixing rod. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all 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.

[0041] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 A laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing includes a guide rail base 1 extending horizontally, with a metal pipe 53 to be processed supported on top of the guide rail base 1. The metal pipe 53 is inserted into the device from the right side (i.e., the loading end) of the guide rail base 1 and continuously moves towards the left side (i.e., the unloading end) to complete the welding process. A welding mechanism 2 is fixedly installed in the middle of the guide rail base 1, and clamping drive mechanisms 3 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the welding mechanism 2. The main body of the clamping drive mechanism 3 is located on the right side (loading side) of the welding mechanism 2, while the auxiliary clamping assembly 49 included in the clamping drive mechanism 3 is located on the left side (unloading side) of the welding mechanism 2. In addition, several sets of lifting support assemblies are arranged at intervals along the length of the guide rail base 1 to provide auxiliary support along the path of the metal pipe 53.

[0042] When the equipment is in operation, the clamping drive mechanism 3 simultaneously drives the metal tube 53 to rotate uniformly around its own axis and feed it uniformly towards the discharge end along the axial direction through friction transmission; the welding head 26 of the welding mechanism 2 is held in a fixed position and performs laser cladding welding on the outer surface of the moving metal tube 53, thereby forming a continuous spiral cladding coating on the outer wall of the metal tube 53. Since the metal tube 53 can continuously travel through the welding station along the axial direction, its processable length is not limited by the structural dimensions of the equipment itself. Only a corresponding number of supporting components need to be arranged according to the actual length of the metal tube 53 to be processed, so as to realize the full-length continuous cladding welding processing of ultra-long pipes.

[0043] In one instance of this embodiment, please refer to Figures 1-4 The welding mechanism 2 includes a first fixing plate 4 arranged along the front-to-back direction and fixedly installed in the middle of the guide rail base 1. The middle of the first fixing plate 4 is connected to the fixing frame 5 through a height fine-tuning component 13. The fixing frame 5 is a rectangular frame structure arranged along the front-to-back direction, and a placement frame 23 is horizontally fixed on its upper surface. The placement frame 23 is arranged along the left-to-right direction, and a transverse positioning rod 24 parallel to the axis of the metal tube 53 is fixedly installed on its upper part. A transverse seat 25 is slidably sleeved on the transverse positioning rod 24, and a welding head 26 is fixedly installed on the top of the transverse seat 25.

[0044] In this embodiment, the welding head 26 is preferably a coaxial powder feeding laser welding head, which is externally connected to a fiber laser, a precision powder feeder and a protective gas pipeline. It can simultaneously output a high-power laser beam, alloy powder and inert protective gas, thereby forming a stable and non-oxidized molten pool on the surface of the metal tube 53, ensuring the metallurgical quality of the welded coating.

[0045] The height adjustment component 13 is used to precisely adjust the height position of the welding head 26 relative to the surface of the metal tube 53, thereby accurately controlling the laser defocusing amount. It is the core adjustment mechanism to ensure the quality of the weld. The height adjustment component 13 includes a lifting tube 11 vertically fixed to the middle of the first fixed plate 4. The inner wall of the lifting tube 11 is machined with precision internal threads, and a lifting screw 12 is connected to the internal threads. The upper end of the lifting screw 12 is rotatably connected to the top of the inner wall of the fixed frame 5 through a thrust bearing seat, so that the lifting screw 12 can rotate freely relative to the fixed frame 5 without axial movement. A fixing nut 9 is fixedly connected to the upper part of the lifting screw 12. The operator can rotate the lifting screw 12 by rotating the fixing nut 9. The rotational motion is converted into the overall lifting motion of the fixed frame 5 in the vertical direction by the threaded pair between the lifting screw 12 and the lifting tube 11, thereby realizing the continuous stepless adjustment of the height of the welding head 26. To allow relative displacement between the lifting tube 11 and the bottom of the fixed frame 5 during the lifting and lowering process, a through hole is provided at the center of the bottom of the fixed frame 5 for the lifting tube 11 to pass through.

[0046] A limiting rod 8, arranged vertically, is fixedly connected to each of the front and rear sides of the first fixed plate 4. The middle part of the limiting rod 8 slides with the front and rear sides of the fixed frame 5, and the upper end of the limiting rod 8 is fixedly connected to the limiting plate 6. Each limiting rod 8 is fitted with a limiting spring 7, and the two ends of the limiting spring 7 abut against the lower surface of the limiting plate 6 and the upper surface of the fixed frame 5, respectively, thereby always applying a vertically downward elastic force to the fixed frame 5. The function of this elastic force is to eliminate the fit gap between the external thread of the lifting screw 12 and the internal thread of the lifting tube 11, thereby preventing the fixed frame 5 from moving up and down due to equipment vibration during processing, and ensuring the long-term stability of the height position of the welding head 26. A locking nut 10 is also threadedly connected to the middle part of the lifting screw 12. After the height of the welding head 26 is adjusted to the preset position, the locking nut 10 is tightened so that its lower end face abuts against the upper end face of the lifting tube 11, thereby locking the axial displacement of the lifting screw 12 and preventing the height setting value from shifting due to vibration during processing.

[0047] A reciprocating transverse component 22 is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the fixed frame 5. This component is used to drive the transverse seat 25 to make high-speed left and right reciprocating linear motion along the transverse positioning rod 24, thereby driving the welding head 26 to swing back and forth along the axial direction of the metal tube 53 to achieve wide-channel fusion welding.

[0048] The reciprocating lateral movement assembly 22 includes a fixed post 15 horizontally fixed to the front end of the upper surface of the fixed frame 5. The upper end of the fixed post 15 is rotatably connected to the front end of the deflection plate 16, which can swing left and right in the horizontal plane around the vertical axis of the fixed post 15. The bottom of the lateral movement seat 25 is rotatably connected to a third slider 21, which is embedded in a straight groove opened on the rear side of the deflection plate 16 and can slide freely along the length direction of the deflection plate 16.

[0049] A rotary drive device 14 is fixedly installed on the front side of the placement frame 23. In this embodiment, the rotary drive device 14 is preferably a servo geared motor, with a drive shaft 17 fixedly connected to the end of its output shaft, and a swing plate 18 fixedly connected to the end of the drive shaft 17. The swing plate 18 has an adjustment groove extending along its length, and an adjustable first slider 19 is installed in the adjustment groove. The first slider 19 can slide along the adjustment groove to any position and is fixed by a locking bolt. A second slider 20 is rotatably connected to the side of the first slider 19. The second slider 20 is embedded in a straight groove in the middle of the deflection plate 16 and can slide freely along the length of the deflection plate 16.

[0050] When the reciprocating transverse component 22 is working, the rotary drive device 14 drives the swing plate 18 to rotate uniformly around the axis of the drive shaft 17. The first slider 19 rotates with the swing plate 18 and transmits the rotational motion to the deflection plate 16 through the second slider 20, driving the deflection plate 16 to reciprocate around the fixed column 15. The swinging motion of the deflection plate 16 then pulls the transverse seat 25 to reciprocate linearly along the transverse positioning rod 24 through the third slider 21, ultimately realizing the reciprocating swing of the welding head 26 along the axial direction of the metal tube 53. By adjusting the eccentric distance of the first slider 19 in the adjustment groove of the swing plate 18, the swing amplitude of the deflection plate 16 can be steplessly adjusted, thereby continuously changing the stroke of the reciprocating swing of the welding head 26, thus flexibly adjusting the single-pass deposition width to adapt to different deposition process requirements and weld overlap design.

[0051] In one instance of this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The clamping drive mechanism 3 is the core power source of the equipment, providing driving force for the rotational and axial feed motion of the metal tube 53. The clamping drive mechanism 3 includes a second fixed plate 27 arranged along the front-rear direction and fixedly installed on the right side of the first fixed plate 4 (i.e., the feeding side). The front and rear ends of the second fixed plate 27 are fixedly connected to the front and rear beams of the guide rail base 1, respectively. A T-shaped frame 31 is fixedly connected to the center of the upper surface of the second fixed plate 27, and fixing rings 28 are fixedly connected to both sides of the center of the T-shaped frame 31. Both fixing rings 28 are circular rings and arranged parallel to each other, with their axes parallel to the axis of the metal tube 53. The metal tube 53 passes through the interior of the two fixing rings 28.

[0052] The bottom of the fixed ring 28 is provided with a set of two drive rollers 29, both of which are rotatably mounted on the left and right ends of the T-shaped frame 31 support arm. The drive roller 29 on the right has its rotation axis parallel to the axis of the metal tube 53, and its function is a circumferential drive wheel. When it rotates, it drives the metal tube 53 to rotate around its own axis by the friction between the outer circumferential wall of the roller and the outer wall of the metal tube 53. The drive roller 29 on the left has its rotation axis perpendicular to the axis of the metal tube 53, and its function is an axial drive wheel. When it rotates, it drives the metal tube 53 to continuously feed axially towards the discharge end by the friction.

[0053] A clamping drive device 30 is fixedly installed on the side of the T-shaped frame 31. In this embodiment, the clamping drive device 30 preferably adopts two independent servo geared motors, which are respectively connected to the two drive rollers 29 through couplings. It can independently adjust the circumferential rotation speed and axial feed speed of the metal tube 53, thereby flexibly adjusting the pitch and weld overlap rate of the fusion welding, and adapting to the fusion process requirements of metal tubes 53 with different materials and wall thicknesses.

[0054] The outer peripheral wall of the drive roller 29 is provided with anti-slip strips extending along its own axial direction. The anti-slip strips are long, strip-shaped metal protrusions. This structure has a dual beneficial effect: on the one hand, the anti-slip strips can effectively transmit the rotational driving force of the drive roller 29 to the surface of the metal tube 53, ensuring that the metal tube 53 does not slip during rotation and axial movement, thus achieving stable transmission; on the other hand, since the surface of the anti-slip strips is a smooth arc surface, when the metal tube 53 moves relative to it in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the anti-slip strips, the anti-slip strips will not significantly hinder this movement. That is, the anti-slip strips on the circumferential drive wheel extend along the axial direction of the metal tube 53 and will not interfere with the axial feed movement of the metal tube 53, while the anti-slip strips on the axial drive wheel extend circumferentially along the metal tube 53 and will not interfere with the rotational movement of the metal tube 53. Thus, the two drive rollers 29 independently drive the rotation and axial feed of the metal tube 53, and the two movements do not interfere with each other. The drive roller 29 is preferably made of high-hardness alloy steel, and its surface is hardened to improve its wear resistance. It and the anti-slip strip can be an integral structure or a separate structure connected by fasteners.

[0055] A set of drive rollers 29 is provided on each of the front and rear sides above the fixed ring 28. Each set also includes two drive rollers 29 with their rotation axes perpendicular to each other. The two sets of drive rollers 29 at the top and the one set at the bottom are arranged in a triangular pattern in space, clamping the outer peripheral wall of the metal tube 53 from three directions, providing sufficient positive pressure for friction transmission and ensuring the reliability of the transmission process. The two sets of drive rollers 29 at the top are driven by the synchronous pressing assembly 32 and can move synchronously inward or outward along the radial direction of the fixed ring 28 to achieve clamping and releasing operations.

[0056] The synchronous extrusion assembly 32 is the core structure for automatically centering and clamping the metal tube 53. It includes transverse frames 40 symmetrically fixedly installed on the front and rear sides of the top of the fixed ring 28. Each transverse frame 40 has a guide post 41 slidably passing through its left and right ends, arranged radially along the fixed ring 28. The lower end of the guide post 41 is fixedly connected to the roller mounting seat of the corresponding drive roller 29. The guide post 41 provides precise guidance for the radial movement of the drive roller 29, ensuring that the drive roller 29 feeds linearly along the radial direction of the fixed ring 28 without deviation. The upper ends of the two guide posts 41 on the same transverse frame 40 are jointly fixedly connected to a fixed rod 54 arranged in the left-right direction. The fixed rod 54 connects the two guide posts 41 on the same transverse frame 40 into a whole, enabling them to move forward and backward synchronously.

[0057] A fixing plate 33 is fixedly installed at the top center of the fixing ring 28. An auxiliary block 38 is provided between the fixing plate 33 and the two side transverse frames 40. The bottom of the auxiliary block 38 is embedded in an arc-shaped sliding groove opened on the top surface of the fixing ring 28, and can slide smoothly along the circumference of the fixing ring 28. A rotating screw 35 is rotatably connected to the middle of the fixing plate 33 through a bearing. Two extension rods 36 are symmetrically fixed to both sides of the rotating screw 35. The two extension rods 36 extend in opposite directions along the radial direction of the rotating screw 35, forming a symmetrical swing arm structure. The end of each extension rod 36 is hinged to one end of a first connecting rod 37. The other end of the first connecting rod 37 is hinged to the side of the corresponding auxiliary block 38 near the fixing plate 33. Each auxiliary block 38 is hinged to one end of a second connecting rod 39 on the side facing the transverse frame 40. The other end of the second connecting rod 39 is hinged to the corresponding fixing rod 54. The upper end of the rotating screw 35 is threaded with a locking nut 34.

[0058] During the clamping operation, the operator rotates the rotating screw 35, which drives the two extension rods 36 to deflect synchronously. This deflection, via the first connecting rod 37, pushes the auxiliary blocks 38 on both sides to slide synchronously inward along the circumferential arc-shaped groove of the fixed ring 28. The circumferential sliding of the auxiliary blocks 38 then pulls the fixed rod 54 and the guide post 41 fixed to it along the radial direction of the fixed ring 28 via the second connecting rod 39, thereby driving the drive rollers 29 on both sides of the top to clamp the metal tube 53 synchronously. Because the entire linkage transmission structure is completely symmetrical, the radial feed of the drive rollers 29 on both sides is always strictly equal. Therefore, the metal tube 53 can automatically complete the centering and positioning during the clamping process, ensuring that its axis is always directly above the bottom drive roller 29, without the need for repeated manual adjustment of the centering position. After the clamping operation is completed, tightening the locking nut 34 so that its lower end face abuts against the upper surface of the fixed plate 33 locks the rotational freedom of the rotating screw 35, preventing the clamping force from weakening or loosening due to equipment vibration during processing. Reverse rotation of the screw 35 causes the two drive rollers 29 to move radially backward in sync, releasing the clamp on the metal tube 53 and quickly completing the unloading operation.

[0059] The clamping drive mechanism 3 also includes an auxiliary clamping component 49, which is located on the left "discharge side" of the welding mechanism 2. Together with the main structure of the clamping drive mechanism 3 located on the right side of the welding mechanism 2, it forms a dual-support positioning system to constrain the radial runout of the metal tube 53 in the welding section and ensure the stability of the molten area during the welding process.

[0060] The auxiliary clamping assembly 49 includes a third fixing plate 42 fixedly mounted on the guide rail base 1 in the front-to-back direction, and a fixing tube 43 fixedly connected to the middle of the third fixing plate 42. The fixing tube 43 and the fixing ring 28 are arranged strictly coaxially, and the metal tube 53 passes through the center of the fixing tube 43.

[0061] A support frame 44 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the fixed tube 43, and a rotating seat 45 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the support frame 44. A clamping wheel 46 is rotatably connected to the rotating seat 45. A sliding rod 47 is slidably inserted on each of the front and rear sides of the top of the fixed tube 43, and is arranged radially along the fixed tube 43. The inner end of each sliding rod 47 is fixedly connected to the rotating seat 45, and a clamping wheel 46 is also rotatably connected to each rotating seat 45. Thus, the three clamping wheels 46 are arranged in an isosceles triangle in space, supporting and clamping the metal tube 53 from three directions.

[0062] Each clamping wheel 46 has its own axis of rotation arranged along the axial direction of the metal tube 53. Therefore, the clamping wheel 46 can rotate freely and passively as the metal tube 53 rotates, without generating sliding friction on the tube wall surface. At the same time, each clamping wheel 46 can be slightly deflected about the radial direction of the metal tube 53 through the rotating seat 45 on which it is mounted, so that it can adaptively conform to the outer circumferential surface of the metal tube 53. As the metal tube 53 rotates and moves axially, the clamping wheel 46 can adaptively follow the rotation, ensuring the stability of the clamping support.

[0063] Each sliding rod 47 is fitted with a tensioning spring 48. The two ends of the tensioning spring 48 abut against the outer wall of the fixed tube 43 and the end plate at the outer end of the sliding rod 47, respectively, constantly applying an elastic thrust towards the center of the fixed tube 43 to the sliding rod 47. This allows the two top clamping wheels 46 to press against the outer wall of the metal tube 53 in an elastic pre-tightening manner, forming an elastic self-centering support. The advantage of this elastic support structure is that it ensures the radial positioning accuracy of the metal tube 53 while avoiding scratches or indentations on the tube wall surface caused by rigid clamping.

[0064] In one instance of this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 10Multiple fourth fixing plates 50 are fixedly installed at intervals along the length of the guide rail base 1 on both the left and right sides. The lower end of a deflection frame 51 is hinged to the upper part of each fourth fixing plate 50, allowing the deflection frame 51 to rotate in a vertical plane around its lower hinge axis. A lifting rod 52 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the deflection frame 51. The axis of the lifting rod 52 is perpendicular to the axis of the metal tube 53, supporting the bottom of the metal tube 53. The lifting rod 52 can be made of high-strength nylon, or, depending on the surface hardness of the processed tube, polyurethane or copper alloy can be selected to ensure support rigidity while avoiding damage to the tube wall.

[0065] After the deflection frame 51 rotates to a suitable angle around its lower hinge axis, the deflection angle can be fixed by the locking bolt at the hinge, thereby adjusting and locking the support height of the lifting rod 52 and ensuring reliable contact between the lifting rod 52 and the bottom of the metal tube 53. The lifting rod 52 is preferably made of high-strength nylon, which can rotate freely with the rotation of the metal tube 53 without scratching the surface of the tube wall, and also has a low coefficient of friction and good wear resistance.

[0066] For metal tubes 53 with a large length-to-diameter ratio, multiple sets of lifting rods 52 arranged along the entire length of the guide rail base 1 can provide continuous rolling support for the metal tube 53 along the path, effectively offsetting the bending deformation of the metal tube 53 caused by its own weight, thereby ensuring the consistency of straightness and cladding thickness throughout the entire length of the tube.

[0067] In this embodiment, the complete working process of the equipment is as follows:

[0068] Step 1: Material Preparation

[0069] First, loosen the locking nut 34 at the upper end of the rotating screw 35, and rotate the rotating screw 35. This causes the drive rollers 29 on both the front and rear sides of the top to move radially outwards synchronously through the symmetrical linkage transmission mechanism of the synchronous pressing assembly 32, thereby expanding the central passage space of the fixing ring 28 and providing ample clearance for the insertion of the metal tube 53. Simultaneously, pull the sliding rod 47 of the auxiliary clamping assembly 49 outwards, compressing the top spring 48, causing the two top clamping wheels 46 to move radially outwards, further expanding the passage space for the fixing tube 43. Then, rotate the deflection frames 51 of each set of lifting and supporting assemblies upwards to an appropriate angle to facilitate subsequent lifting of the metal tube 53. This step is necessary because pre-opening the passage space of each clamping and supporting station ensures that the metal tube 53 can smoothly enter the equipment from right to left, avoiding interference or collision between the tube wall and other components.

[0070] Step 2: Pipe clamping and positioning

[0071] The metal tube 53 to be processed is placed above each set of lifting rods 52 on the right side, allowing it to move smoothly from right to left under the rolling support of the lifting rods 52, passing sequentially through the inner hole of the fixing ring 28, the inner cavity of the fixing frame 5 of the welding mechanism 2, and the inner hole of the fixing tube 43 of the auxiliary clamping assembly 49. Finally, the metal tube 53 is placed smoothly on the bottom drive roller 29 and the bottom clamping wheel 46. Since the spatial height of the bottom drive roller 29 and the bottom clamping wheel 46 is fixed, after the metal tube 53 is placed on them, its bottom generatrix height is a fixed constant value. The metal tube 53 can reliably contact the bottom drive roller 29 and the clamping wheel 46 simultaneously, completing the initial support and positioning of the tube.

[0072] Step 3: Clamp, center, and lock

[0073] After the initial positioning of the pipe is completed, the rotating screw 35 is rotated in the reverse direction. Through the symmetrical linkage of the synchronous extrusion assembly 32, the drive rollers 29 on both the front and rear sides of the top are driven to feed radially inward synchronously. Under the constraint of the symmetrical linkage mechanism, the radial feed of the drive rollers 29 on both sides is strictly equal, thereby applying clamping force to the metal pipe 53 from the top and both the front and rear sides simultaneously. The three-point synergy enables the metal pipe 53 to automatically complete the centering and positioning in the front-rear direction. After observing the contact state between the pipe wall and each drive roller 29 and confirming that the clamping is reliable, the locking nut 34 is tightened to press against the upper surface of the fixing plate 33, locking the rotational freedom of the rotating screw 35. Subsequently, the sliding rod 47 of the auxiliary clamping assembly 49 is released. Under the elastic restoring force of the top spring 48, the clamping wheels 46 on both sides of the top automatically and elastically press against the outer wall of the metal pipe 53, completing the elastic support positioning on the discharge side. At this point, the metal tube 53 has obtained reliable radial constraint on both the feed side and the discharge side, providing a stable positioning reference for subsequent high-precision fusion welding.

[0074] Step 4: Adjusting the welding head parameters 26

[0075] Rotating the fixing nut 9 causes the lifting screw 12 to rotate. Through the threaded transmission between the lifting screw 12 and the lifting tube 11, the overall height of the fixing frame 5 and the welding head 26 is adjusted, ensuring the laser beam's focus precisely falls on the preset defocus position on the outer surface of the metal tube 53. After confirming the height position, tighten the locking nut 10 so that its lower end face abuts against the upper end face of the lifting tube 11, locking the axial displacement of the lifting screw 12. According to the deposition process requirements, adjust the eccentric position of the first slider 19 within the adjustment groove of the swing plate 18, setting the stroke of the welding head 26's reciprocating swing to determine the single-pass deposition width; simultaneously, set the rotation speed parameters of the rotary drive device 14 to determine the swing frequency of the welding head 26. The accuracy of this adjustment step directly affects the geometric dimensions and overlap quality of the deposition layer, making it a crucial step in process preparation.

[0076] Step 5: Setting Process Parameters

[0077] In the equipment control system, two sets of rotational speed parameters for the clamping drive device 30 are set: one set controls the rotational speed of the circumferential drive roller 29 (i.e., the drive roller 29 whose rotational axis is parallel to the axis of the metal tube 53) to determine the circumferential rotational speed of the metal tube 53; the other set controls the rotational speed of the axial drive roller 29 (i.e., the drive roller 29 whose rotational axis is perpendicular to the axis of the metal tube 53) to determine the axial feed speed of the metal tube 53. By independently adjusting the above two speed parameters, the preset deposition pitch and weld overlap rate are matched. At the same time, core deposition process parameters such as laser power, powder feeding rate, and shielding gas flow rate are set in the control system. After all parameters are set, the control system performs a consistency check on each parameter, and enters standby mode after confirming that there are no errors.

[0078] Step Six: Automated Welding Process

[0079] The automatic operation program is started, and the clamping drive device 30 drives the two drive rollers 29 at the bottom to rotate synchronously at a preset speed. Through the friction between the anti-slip strips on the outer peripheral wall of the drive rollers 29 and the outer wall of the metal tube 53, the metal tube 53 is driven to rotate uniformly around its own axis, while simultaneously feeding uniformly towards the discharge side along the axial direction. The rotary drive device 14 is started synchronously, and through the sequential transmission of the swing plate 18, the second slider 20, the deflection plate 16 and the third slider 21, the welding head 26 is driven to swing back and forth along the axial direction of the metal tube 53.

[0080] The welding head 26 synchronously outputs a high-power laser beam and alloy powder to form a stable molten pool on the outer surface of the metal tube 53. As the spiral feeding motion of the metal tube 53 is superimposed with the reciprocating oscillating motion of the welding head 26, the molten pool moves continuously along the preset spiral trajectory and cools and solidifies rapidly, forming a continuous, uniform, and flat molten coating on the outer wall of the metal tube 53.

[0081] Throughout the processing, the three clamping wheels 46 of the auxiliary clamping assembly 49 rotate passively with the rotation of the metal tube 53, continuously restraining the radial runout of the discharge side pipe; the sets of lifting rods 52 on the guide rail base 1 roll and support with the rotation of the metal tube 53, effectively suppressing the deflection deformation of the long pipe section. The above-mentioned dual auxiliary support mechanism works synergistically to ensure stable and consistent fusion welding quality throughout the entire pipe length.

[0082] Step 7: Unloading after processing

[0083] Once the preset fusion section of the metal tube 53 has passed through the welding station of the welding head 26, the control system automatically shuts off the laser output and powder feeding system. The clamping drive device 30 smoothly decelerates according to the preset deceleration curve until it stops completely. The operator loosens the locking nut 34, rotates the rotating screw 35 in the opposite direction, and drives the top drive roller 29 to move backward synchronously through the synchronous extrusion assembly 32, releasing the clamp on the metal tube 53; the sliding rod 47 is pulled outward to release the top clamping wheel 46. The processed metal tube 53 is smoothly passed out from the discharge side and unloaded, completing the complete processing cycle of a single tube.

[0084] Step 8: Specification Change and Adjustment

[0085] When it is necessary to change to a metal pipe 53 with a different diameter for processing, simply adjust the radial position of the top drive roller 29 by rotating the rotating screw 35 to change the effective clamping diameter of the fixing ring 28, and adjust the height position of the welding head 26 by rotating the fixing nut 9 to adapt to the surface height change corresponding to the new pipe diameter. This allows for a quick changeover. No tooling parts need to be replaced during the entire changeover process. The equipment has a wide range of adaptability to different pipe diameters, and the changeover operation is simple and efficient.

[0086] This invention provides a laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing. By driving rollers 29, the metal pipe 53 is simultaneously rotated around its own axis and continuously fed axially, allowing the metal pipe 53 to pass through the inside of the device. Its processable length is no longer limited by the effective stroke of the bed guide rails, thus fundamentally overcoming the shortcomings of existing equipment where the weldable section is limited to between the two chucks due to clamping at both ends, and ultra-long pipes cannot be fully clad and welded in one operation. Simultaneously, since segmented clamping and secondary positioning are eliminated, positioning errors introduced by repeated clamping are effectively avoided, ensuring the continuity, uniformity, and dimensional accuracy of the cladding coating throughout the entire pipe length, significantly improving production efficiency.

[0087] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within the present invention.

Claims

1. A laser cladding welding device for metal pipe processing, comprising a guide rail base and a metal pipe disposed above the guide rail base, characterized in that, It also includes a welding mechanism and a clamping drive mechanism; The welding mechanism includes a first fixing plate fixedly disposed in the middle of the guide rail base, a fixing frame disposed in the middle of the first fixing plate, and a welding head disposed above the fixing frame for performing cladding welding on the metal pipe. A clamping drive mechanism is used to drive a metal tube to move along the length of the guide rail base and to drive the metal tube to rotate around its own axis. It includes a second fixed plate disposed on the side of the first fixed plate near the metal tube feeding side. A fixed ring is fixedly connected to the second fixed plate. The axis of the fixed ring is parallel to the axis of the metal tube. Two drive rollers are disposed on both the bottom and top sides of the fixed ring. The rotation axes of the two drive rollers located on the same side of the fixed ring are perpendicular and parallel to the axis of the metal tube, respectively. The distance between the drive roller at the bottom of the fixed ring and the center of the fixed ring is fixed. A synchronous extrusion assembly is disposed on the top of the fixed ring. The synchronous extrusion assembly is used to drive the drive roller located on the top of the fixed ring to move simultaneously toward or away from the center of the fixed ring.

2. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second fixing plate has a T-shaped frame fixedly connected to the fixing ring in the middle. The two ends of the T-shaped frame are respectively rotatably connected to the two driving rollers. The side of the T-shaped frame is provided with a clamping drive device for driving the two driving rollers to rotate around their respective rotation axes. The outer peripheral wall of the driving roller is provided with anti-slip strips extending along its axial direction.

3. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The synchronous extrusion assembly includes transverse frames fixedly connected to both sides of the top of the fixed ring. Each transverse frame has two guide posts slidably connected to it, arranged radially along the fixed ring. The end of each guide post near the center of the fixed ring is connected to the corresponding drive roller. The ends of the two guide posts on the same transverse frame away from the center of the fixed ring are fixedly connected to a fixed rod. A fixed plate is provided on the top of the fixed ring. An auxiliary block that slides circumferentially along the fixed ring is provided between the fixed plate and the transverse frame. A rotating screw is rotatably connected to the middle of the fixed plate. Extension rods are fixedly connected to both sides of the rotating screw. The end of the extension rod is hinged to one end of a first connecting rod. The other end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the side of the auxiliary block near the fixed plate. One end of a second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the side of the auxiliary block near the transverse frame. The other end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the fixed rod. A locking nut for limiting the rotation of the rotating screw is threadedly connected to the middle of the rotating screw.

4. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A placement frame is provided in the middle of the fixed frame, and a transverse positioning rod is provided on the placement frame along the length of the metal tube. A transverse seat is slidably connected to the middle of the transverse positioning rod, and the top of the transverse seat is connected to the welding head. A reciprocating transverse assembly is provided on the side of the fixed frame to drive the transverse seat to move back and forth along the transverse positioning rod.

5. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reciprocating lateral movement assembly includes a fixed post disposed on the side of the fixed frame, the end of the fixed post being rotatably connected to the end of the deflection plate, and a third slider being rotatably connected to the bottom of the lateral movement seat and slidably connected to the deflection plate.

6. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 5, characterized in that, A rotary drive device is provided between the fixed column and the placement frame. The output shaft of the rotary drive device is fixedly connected to a drive shaft, and a swing plate is fixedly connected to the end of the drive shaft. A first slider with an adjustable position along the length direction of the swing plate is provided on the swing plate. A second slider is rotatably connected to the side of the first slider, and the middle part of the second slider is slidably connected to the middle part of the deflection plate.

7. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first fixing plate is provided with a height fine-tuning component in the middle for adjusting the height position of the welding head.

8. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 7, characterized in that, The height fine-tuning component includes a lifting tube fixedly connected to the middle of the first fixed plate, a lifting screw internally threaded onto the lifting tube, and a rotatable connection between the end of the lifting screw away from the first fixed plate and the fixed frame. Limiting rods slidably connected to the fixed frame are provided on both sides of the first fixed plate, and limiting plates are provided at the ends of the limiting rods. A limiting spring is provided between the limiting plates and the fixed frame to drive the fixed frame to move toward the first fixed plate. A fixing nut is fixedly connected to the end of the lifting screw away from the lifting tube, and a locking nut for limiting the extension length of the lifting screw is provided in the middle of the lifting screw.

9. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping drive mechanism further includes an auxiliary clamping assembly for assisting in clamping the metal tube. The auxiliary clamping assembly includes a third fixed plate disposed on the first fixed plate away from the feeding end of the metal tube. A fixed tube is fixedly connected to the middle of the third fixed plate. Rotary seats are disposed on the bottom and upper sides of the fixed tube. A clamping wheel is disposed on the side of the rotating seat near the center of the fixed tube. The rotation axis of the clamping wheel relative to the rotating seat is arranged radially along the metal tube. The rotation axis of the clamping wheel itself is arranged axially along the metal tube. A lifting frame is fixedly connected to the bottom of the fixed tube. The rotating seat near the bottom of the fixed tube is fixedly connected to the lifting frame. Sliding rods arranged radially along the metal tube are slidably connected to the two sides above the fixed tube. The end of the sliding rod near the center of the fixed tube is connected to the corresponding rotating seat. A tightening spring is sleeved on the outside of the sliding rod to drive the sliding rod to move toward the center of the fixed tube.

10. The laser cladding welding equipment for metal pipe processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple fourth fixing plates are also spaced apart on both sides of the guide rail base. One end of the deflection frame is rotatably connected to the middle of each fourth fixing plate, and the other end of the deflection frame is rotatably connected to a lifting rod that cooperates with the metal tube.

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