Multi-wire-feeding device and multi-wire-feeding laser processing device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a multi-wire-feeding device and a multi-wire-feeding laser processing device. The multi-wire-feeding device comprises a plurality of wire feeding units. Each wire feeding unit comprises a wire feeding disc used for storing wires, a far-end wire feeding machine used for conveying the wires on the wire feeding disc, a near-end wire feeding machine used for conveying the wires sent out by the far-end wire feeding machine to a machining area, and a buffer arranged between the near-end wire feeding machine and the far-end wire feeding machine. The buffer comprises a fixed pipe, a movable pipe and a position sensor, the movable pipe faces the near-end wire feeder, the fixed pipe faces the far-end wire feeder, the fixed pipe and the movable pipe are movably connected in a sleeved mode, the position sensor detects the position of the movable pipe, and the position sensor is electrically connected with the far-end wire feeder so as to adjust the wire feeding rate of the far-end wire feeder according to the position of the movable pipe. The buffer is arranged between the far-end wire feeding machine and the near-end wire feeding machine, the buffer dynamically adjusts the wire path through stretching and retracting of the moving pipe, the continuity and stability of wire conveying are remarkably improved, and the wire feeding speed of the near-end wire feeding machine is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of laser wire feeding, and in particular to a multi-wire feeding device and a multi-wire feeding laser processing device. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of metal additive manufacturing, the stability of the wire conveying system directly affects the processing quality and production efficiency.

[0003] Traditional filament feeding systems often employ a single-stage system, where the filament feeder is directly connected to the filament feeder, and a motor-driven roller pushes the filament to the processing area. This structure performs stably for short-distance transport, such as in desktop 3D printers. However, as industrial applications expand their processing range, such as welding large workpieces and additive manufacturing of aerospace components, the filament feeding path needs to extend to several meters or even longer. Single-stage filament feeding systems cause the filament to jam, stretch, deform, or even break due to increased frictional resistance during long-distance transport.

[0004] To address the challenges of long-distance wire feeding, existing technologies employ a two-stage wire feeding system. This system integrates a remote wire feeder and a near-end wire feeder between the wire feeding reel and the processing head, improving feeding stability through two-stage coordination.

[0005] However, this structure has significant problems. Traditional two-stage wire feeding systems rely on preset parameters to adjust the wire feeding rate, lacking adjustment for the dynamic changes of the wire in the two-stage wire feeding system and lacking buffer. That is, when the conveying rates of the far-end wire feeder and the near-end wire feeder are mismatched, the wire will accumulate or be overstretched, which will easily cause uneven wire feeding and affect the weld formation quality.

[0006] Furthermore, most existing laser wire feeding processes employ a single-wire feeding method with a single bundle of wire combined with laser processing. However, this single-wire feeding method is insufficient for workpieces with complex shapes and structures. When processing workpieces with curved surfaces, inclined surfaces, or complex features such as grooves or protrusions, single-wire feeding makes it difficult to simultaneously deliver material to the laser action area from multiple angles. This can easily lead to uneven material accumulation, resulting in localized material shortages or excess material buildup, thus affecting processing accuracy and quality.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device that can form a buffer between two-stage wire feeding systems and feed multiple bundles of wire to adapt to processing. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this application is to provide a multi-wire feeding device and a multi-wire feeding laser processing device, which can dynamically adjust the wire material in a two-stage wire feeding system to achieve buffering and adapt to multi-wire feeding methods.

[0009] The above-mentioned objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0010] A multi-feeding device includes multiple feeding units, each of which includes a feeding reel for storing filaments, a remote feeding machine for conveying the filaments on the feeding reel, a near-end feeding machine for conveying the filaments fed by the remote feeding machine to a processing area, and a buffer disposed between the near-end feeding machine and the remote feeding machine.

[0011] The buffer includes a fixed tube, a movable tube, and a position sensor. The movable tube faces the proximal wire feeder, and the fixed tube faces the distal wire feeder. The fixed tube and the movable tube are sleeved together. The wire passes through the fixed tube and the movable tube. The movable tube moves relative to the fixed tube to change the movement path of the wire, thereby adapting to the change in the length of the wire between the proximal wire feeder and the distal wire feeder. The position sensor detects the position of the movable tube and is electrically connected to the distal wire feeder to adjust the wire feeding rate of the distal wire feeder according to the position of the movable tube.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the buffer further includes a slider and a slide rail, the slide rail being arranged along the length direction of the fixed tube and fixedly connected to the movable tube, and the slider being slidably engaged with the slide rail.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the position sensor is disposed along the slide rail, and the position sensor detects the position of the moving tube by detecting the position of the slider.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the slide rail has an intermediate position, and when the near-end wire feeder and the far-end wire feeder have the same wire feeding speed, the slider is located at the intermediate position, and the moving tube has space to move on both sides of the intermediate position along the slide rail direction.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the wire feeding units further includes an ultrasonic sensor, which is located at the wire exit end of the near-end wire feeder, and the wire extends from the near-end wire feeder, passes through the ultrasonic sensor, and enters the processing area.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the proximal wire feeders of the plurality of wire feeding units are integrated into a single proximal wire feeding assembly; the buffers of the plurality of wire feeding units are integrated into a single buffer assembly.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the wire feeding units further includes a wire feeding tube, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the moving tube and the proximal wire feeder, and the wire between the moving tube and the proximal wire feeder passes through the wire feeding tube.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-feeding device further includes a carrier frame, on which the feeding trays of the plurality of feeding units and the remote feeding machine are all mounted.

[0019] A multi-wire feeding laser processing apparatus includes the aforementioned multi-wire feeding device and a laser processing device. The laser processing device includes a laser generating device and multiple wire feeding channels. The wire material output from each of the wire feeding units enters one of the wire feeding channels, and the multiple wire feeding channels are all arranged facing the laser generating device.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of the wire feeding channels are arranged around the outside of the laser generating device, and the proximal wire feeder of each wire feeding unit independently controls the wire feeding rate in each wire feeding channel.

[0021] In summary, the beneficial technical effects of this application are as follows:

[0022] 1. This application sets up a buffer between the remote wire feeder and the near-end wire feeder. The buffer dynamically adjusts the wire path by extending and retracting the moving tube, buffering the mismatch in wire feeding rate between the remote wire feeder and the near-end wire feeder during long-distance conveying, significantly improving the continuity and stability of wire conveying, ensuring the wire feeding rate of the near-end wire feeder, and avoiding jamming or breakage caused by excessively long path.

[0023] 2. This application sets a position sensor in the buffer to detect the position of the moving tube in real time and feed it back to the remote wire feeder to adjust its wire feeding rate. By sensing the changes in the wire path in real time through the position sensor, the speed of the remote wire feeder is automatically adjusted so that the two wire feeders are dynamically matched, effectively buffering the fluctuation of wire tension, avoiding loose accumulation or tight stretching, ensuring the uniformity of wire feeding, and improving the processing and forming quality.

[0024] 3. This application sets up multiple independent wire feeding units to support the parallel feeding of multiple bundles of wire. The multiple wire feeding units can independently control the wire feeding from different directions. Each unit's buffer independently adapts to changes in path length, meeting the requirements for synchronous wire feeding at multiple angles and positions, achieving uniform material accumulation for complex features, and significantly improving processing accuracy and forming quality. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-wire feeding device.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the buffer structure.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the buffer.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the near-end wire feeder.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the remote wire feeder.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-wire laser processing device.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a laser processing device.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a laser processing device.

[0033] Reference numerals: 1. Laser generator; 11. Wire feeding electrode; 12. Fiber optic interface; 13. Collimating lens; 14. Focusing lens; 15. Beam splitter; 16. Reflector; 17. Camera; 18. Water inlet; 19. Water outlet; 101. First protective lens; 102. Second protective lens; 103. Third protective lens; 104. Backflush device; 105. Protective cover; 2. Wire feeding channel; 3. Multi-wire feeding device; 31. Wire feeding tray; 32. Remote wire feeder; 321. Remote wire feeding active device. 322. Wheel; 323. Remote wire feeding driven wheel; 33. Remote wire feeding motor; 34. Buffer; 35. Buffer assembly; 36. Fixed tube; 37. Moving tube; 38. Slider; 39. Slide rail; 30. Proximity wire feeder; 31. Proximity wire feeding assembly; 322. Proximity wire feeding drive wheel; 333. Proximity wire feeding driven wheel; 344. Proximity wire feeding motor; 35. Ultrasonic sensor; 36. Wire feeding tube; 37. Carrier; 38. Caster wheel; S. Wire material. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, a multi-feeding device 3 includes multiple independent feeding units. Each feeding unit has a remote feeding machine 32 and a near-end feeding machine 34. The remote feeding machine 32 forms a first-stage feeding at a position far from the processing area, and the near-end feeding machine 34 forms a second-stage feeding at a position close to the processing area. Both stages of feeding provide power for the movement of the filament S. Since the feeding rate of the filament S in the processing area needs to be guaranteed, the feeding rate of the near-end feeding machine 34 needs to be guaranteed.

[0036] Each wire feeding unit is sequentially equipped with a wire feeding reel 31, a remote wire feeder 32, a buffer 33, and a near-end wire feeder 34 along the wire feeding direction S. The wire feeding reel 31 is used to store the wire S, and its axis is mounted via bearings, allowing it to rotate freely to release the wire S. The remote wire feeder 32 adopts a roller structure, and a motor drives the driving wheel and driven wheel to clamp the wire S, pulling the wire S out of the wire feeding reel 31 and conveying it towards the buffer 33. The near-end wire feeder 34 is located near the processing head, such as near a laser cladding head or welding nozzle, and further conveys the wire S conveyed by the remote wire feeder 32 to the processing area of ​​the processing head. The processing area is the area where the wire S is processed, such as the molten pool area where the wire S is clad in a laser cladding head.

[0037] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, each wire feeding unit has a buffer 33 between the remote wire feeder 32 and the near-end wire feeder 34 to realize dynamic adjustment of the wire S conveying path and the wire feeding rate of the remote wire feeder 32, thereby adapting to the rate of the near-end wire feeder 34.

[0038] Specifically, the buffer 33, as a key component connecting the remote wire feeder 32 and the near-end wire feeder 34, includes a fixed tube 331, a moving tube 332, and a position sensor. The fixed tube 331 and the moving tube 332 are coaxially connected and can move relative to each other. The fixed tube 331 is positioned towards the remote wire feeder 32. After the wire S is fed out from the remote wire feeder 32, it enters the buffer 33 through the fixed tube 331. The moving tube 332 is positioned towards the near-end wire feeder 34. After the wire S passes through the internal channel formed by the nested fixed tube 331 and the moving tube 332, it is led out from the outlet of the moving tube 332, extends out, and enters the near-end wire feeder 34, forming a continuous conveying path. When the conveying efficiency of the remote wire feeder 32 and the near-end wire feeder 34 is mismatched, the conveying path or tension of the wire S changes, causing the moving tube 332 to extend or retract into the fixed tube 331. The position sensor is used to detect the position of the moving tube 332 relative to the fixed tube 331 and transmits the detected information to the remote wire feeder 32 to adjust the conveying rate of the remote wire feeder 32 to match the wire feeding rate of the near-end wire feeder 34.

[0039] The position sensor preferably uses a linear potentiometer, whose resistance value changes with the displacement of the moving tube 332. The output is sent to the remote wire feeder 32. For example, for every 10mm extension of the tube, an acceleration command is sent to increase the remote wire feeding rate by 5%, so that the remote wire feeding speed matches the near end and avoids the buffer 33 from over-extension. Conversely, when the moving tube 332 retracts, a deceleration command is sent to prevent the wire S from breaking.

[0040] Furthermore, the fixed tube 331 and the moving tube 332 are made of lightweight, high-strength materials, such as aluminum alloy or carbon fiber composite materials, and the inner wall is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene to reduce the frictional resistance of the wire S.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, the buffer 33 also includes a guide structure, which includes a slider 333 and a slide rail 334. The slide rail 334 is a linear guide rail. One end of the slider 333 is connected to the moving tube 332. The slider 333 and the slide rail 334 are slidably connected. The slide rail 334 and the fixed tube 331 are in the same direction and relatively fixed, so that the moving tube 332 can slide smoothly along the fixed tube 331, while limiting radial sway to avoid wire S-deflection.

[0042] Furthermore, a straight slide rail 334 is connected to the outer side of the fixed tube 331 along its length direction, i.e. the axial direction of the wire S conveying. The slide rail 334 is fixed relative to the fixed tube 331, and the extension direction of the slide rail 334 is coaxial with the wire S conveying path, ensuring that the movement direction of the moving tube 332 is strictly along the axial direction of the wire S conveying. A slider 333 is fixedly connected to the outer side of the moving tube 332. The slider 333 slides with the slide rail 334 to form a linear guide structure.

[0043] Furthermore, the position sensor is installed along the length of the slide rail 334, with its detection end corresponding to the slider 333. The real-time displacement of the moving tube 332 is obtained by monitoring the position of the slider 333 in real time.

[0044] Specifically, the position sensor can be a linear potentiometer or a magnetic grating sensor. The resistive element of the linear potentiometer is fixed to one side of the slide rail 334, and a sliding contact is installed on the slider 333. When the moving tube 332 drives the slider 333 to move along the slide rail 334, the contact slides on the resistive element and outputs a voltage signal proportional to the displacement, for example, a voltage change of 0.1V for every 1mm movement. The magnetic grating sensor has a magnetic grating ruler laid on one side of the slide rail 334, and a magnetic probe is installed on the slider 333 to accurately read the position by detecting changes in the magnetic field.

[0045] Example 1:

[0046] A compression spring is installed at the nesting point of the fixed tube 331 and the moving tube 332. When the feeding speed of the far-end wire feeder 32 is higher than that of the near-end wire feeder 34, the wire S relaxes in the buffer 33, the tension decreases, and the spring force is greater than the tension of the wire S, pushing the moving tube 332 to extend towards the near-end wire feeder 34, increasing the path length of the wire S to absorb the relaxation. Conversely, when the near-end wire feeder 34 pulls faster, the wire S tightens, the tension increases and exceeds the spring force, and the moving tube 332 overcomes the spring resistance and retracts into the fixed tube 331, shortening the path to compensate for the tightening.

[0047] Specifically, when the buffer 33 is assembled, the spring is in a pre-compressed state. One end of the spring is fixed to the limiting boss at the tail of the fixed tube 331, and the other end abuts against the annular baffle of the moving tube 332, so that the moving tube 332 has an initial retraction relative to the fixed tube 331. At this time, the pre-compression force of the spring matches the rated tension of the filament S during stable feeding. When the feeding rates of the remote filament feeder 32 and the near-end filament feeder 34 are mismatched, the tension acting on the filament S changes, the tension of the filament S changes, and thus the spring is compressed or stretched, thereby causing the moving tube 332 to move.

[0048] A position sensor, such as a linear encoder, is mounted on the side of the fixed tube 331. Its reading head moves synchronously with the moving tube 332 to detect the displacement of the moving tube 332 in real time. When the moving tube 332 approaches its travel limit, such as extending to 80% of its maximum length, it indicates that the remote wire feeding is too slow. The controller then instructs the servo motor to accelerate, causing the moving tube 332 to retract and increasing the speed of the remote wire feeder 32; conversely, it decelerates.

[0049] Example 2:

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown, each wire feeding unit is equipped with a wire feeding tube 36, which connects the moving tube 332 to the near-end wire feeder 34. Its two ends are fixedly connected to the outlet of the moving tube 332 and the inlet of the near-end wire feeder 34, respectively, forming a conveying channel for the wire S from the buffer 33 to the near-end wire feeder 34. The inner diameter of the wire feeding tube 36 is 0.2mm to 0.5mm larger than the outer diameter of the wire S, ensuring that the wire S passes through without jamming and reducing interference from radial swaying on the tension detection of the wire S. The near end of the wire feeding tube 36 is tightly connected to the near-end wire feeder 34 via a threaded joint or quick-connect interface, while the far end is welded to the outlet end of the moving tube 332 or fixed via a flange, ensuring that the axes of both are strictly coaxial, allowing the wire S to smoothly transition through the tube without bending or abrupt changes.

[0051] When the conveying speeds of the distal wire feeder 32 and the proximal wire feeder 34 differ, the accumulation state of the wire S within the buffer 33 and the wire feeding tube 36 changes: if the feeding speed of the distal wire feeder 32 is higher than that of the proximal wire feeder 34, the length of the wire S pushed to the buffer 33 per unit time is greater than the length pulled by the proximal end. The excess wire S relaxes in the sleeve area between the fixed tube 331 and the moving tube 332, and the length of the wire feeding tube 36 does not change. However, the moving tube 332 can slide axially along the fixed tube 331, and its outlet end is rigidly connected to the distal end of the wire feeding tube 36. Therefore, the position of the moving tube 332... The movement directly changes the effective path length of the filament S within the buffer 33. The filament feeding tube 36, as a near-end fixed channel, maintains a constant length, while the relaxed filament S creates redundancy within the fixed tube 331, pushing the moving tube 332 to extend to accommodate the redundancy of the filament S. At this time, the position sensor detects the movement of the moving tube 332, reducing the filament feeding rate of the far-end filament feeder 32, thus matching the rates of the near-end filament feeder 34 and the far-end filament feeder 32. If the filament feeding speed of the far-end filament feeder 32 is higher than that of the near-end filament feeder 34, then the speed of the near-end filament feeder 34 and the far-end filament feeder 32 are matched in real time.

[0052] Furthermore, the drive structure inside the buffer 33, such as a compression spring, is pre-compressed. One end of the spring abuts against the tail of the fixed tube 331, and the other end acts on the moving tube 332. The drive structure assists the movement of the moving tube 332. When the tension of the filament S is less than the spring force, the spring releases elastic potential energy, pushing the moving tube 332 to slide towards the near end of the filament feeder 34, causing the far end of the filament feeder 36 to extend outward, reducing the overlap length between the fixed tube 331 and the moving tube 332, and extending the path of the filament S inside the buffer 33, thereby accommodating excess slack filament S; conversely, it pushes the moving tube 332 to slide towards the far end of the filament feeder 32.

[0053] See Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 As shown, each wire feeding unit has an ultrasonic sensor 35 installed at the wire outlet end of the near-end wire feeder 34 to improve the state of the wire S entering the molten pool and enhance the wire feeding effect. The ultrasonic sensor 35 is fixed by the housing 341 of the near-end wire feeder 34, and its vibrating end is perpendicular to the axis of the wire S. The ultrasonic sensor 35 effectively transmits vibration energy to the wire S. The ultrasonic sensor 35 includes a high-frequency power supply and a piezoelectric ceramic element. The piezoelectric ceramic element converts the electrical energy of the high-frequency power supply into mechanical vibrations of 20kHz to 40kHz, which are then transmitted to the wire S through contact.

[0054] When the molten wire S enters the molten pool in a high-frequency vibrating state, the vibration energy breaks down the oxide film on the surface of the molten pool, reducing surface tension and making it easier for the molten wire S to bond with the base material, especially effective for easily oxidized metals such as aluminum and titanium. For example, in laser cladding of aluminum alloys, vibration can reduce the wetting angle of the molten pool and improve the bonding strength between the cladding layer and the substrate. During the pause or low-speed phase of wire feeding, the high-frequency vibration of the sensor can break the condensation connection between the end of the wire S and the molten pool, avoiding adhesion. The vibration amplitude can be automatically adjusted according to the diameter of the wire S; a small amplitude is used for thinner wires, and a large amplitude is used for thicker wires. For machining complex curved surfaces or grooves, vibration causes the wire S to oscillate slightly during feeding, widening the material conveying range, avoiding local material shortages or accumulation, and improving the uniformity of material deposition.

[0055] See Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, both the distal yarn feeder 32 and the proximal yarn feeder 34 of the present invention adopt a roller-type drive structure. The distal yarn feeder 32 includes a distal yarn feed drive wheel 321, a distal yarn feed driven wheel 322, and a distal yarn feed motor 323. The distal yarn feed drive wheel 321 is driven by the distal yarn feed motor 323. The output shaft of the distal yarn feed motor 323 is connected to the drive wheel through a coupling or synchronous belt to ensure efficient and stable power transmission. The drive wheel surface is provided with annular knurling or spiral grooves. The groove depth is designed according to the diameter of the yarn S to increase the friction with the surface of the yarn S and prevent slippage during high-speed yarn feeding. The distal yarn feed driven wheel 322 is mounted on the opposite side of the drive wheel through an elastic bracket. The bracket has a built-in compression spring or pneumatic cylinder, which can automatically adjust the clamping force between the driven wheel and the drive wheel to accommodate yarns S of different diameters. The structure of the near-end wire feeder 34 is similar to that of the far-end wire feeder 32. It includes a near-end wire feed drive wheel 342, a near-end wire feed driven wheel 343, and a near-end wire feed motor 344. The near-end wire feed drive wheel 342 and the near-end wire feed motor 344 are directly connected to eliminate transmission gaps, thereby improving the corresponding speed and ensuring the near-end wire feeding rate. The near-end wire feed driven wheel 343 is located on the opposite side of the near-end wire feed drive wheel 342. The wire S is located between the near-end wire feed driven wheel 343 and the near-end wire feed drive wheel 342. The wire S is conveyed by the rolling and squeezing of the near-end wire feed driven wheel 343 and the near-end wire feed drive wheel 342.

[0056] Furthermore, the near-end feeders 34 and buffers 33 of multiple filament feeding units are integrated into a single near-end feed assembly 340 and buffer assembly 330, respectively, to achieve a compact and modular design of the multi-filament conveying system. Each near-end feeder 34 maintains an independent near-end feed motor 344, ensuring that the conveying speed of a single bundle of filaments S can be adjusted individually, while being fixed to the same base by a rigid bracket to form an integral structure. The buffer assembly 330 mounts the fixing tubes 331 of multiple buffers 33 side by side on the same frame, with the axis of each fixing tube 331 aligned with the conveying direction of the filament S of the corresponding filament feeding unit. The moving tube 332 of each buffer 33 moves independently without interfering with each other.

[0057] The integrated design saves 30% to 50% of installation space compared to the distributed design of the proximal wire feed assembly 340 and buffer assembly 330. It is especially suitable for space-constrained scenarios such as the end effector of robotic arms. For example, in a six-axis robotic welding system, the integrated assembly can be directly installed on the robotic arm flange and move flexibly with the end effector, avoiding the pipeline entanglement problem of traditional distributed wire feeders. The proximal wire feeders 34 of each wire feed unit are strictly calibrated within the same assembly to ensure the precise position of the convergence point of multiple wire bundles S, meeting the accuracy requirements of simultaneous fusion of multiple materials in precision machining.

[0058] In a four-wire collaborative laser cladding system, the near-end wire feeding assembly 340 arranges four near-end wire feeders 34 in a rectangular configuration, each feeding wires S of different materials. The final convergence point of each wire S is aligned with the center of the laser spot. The buffer assembly 330 consists of four buffers 33 mounted side-by-side on the equipment frame. The moving tube 332 of each buffer 33 independently extends and retracts according to the real-time tension of its corresponding wire S. Position sensors feed displacement signals back to the four far-end wire feeders 32, achieving dynamic synchronization of the four wire feeding rates. This integrated design enables the equipment to simultaneously deposit multiple metal materials on complex curved workpieces, reducing the uniformity error of the cladding layer composition and improving processing efficiency. By integrating the near-end wire feeders 34 and buffers 33 of multiple wire feeding units into a single component, this invention solves the problems of complex equipment layout, low synchronization accuracy, and difficult maintenance in multi-wire collaborative processing, forming a compact, precise, and adaptable wire feeding system, particularly suitable for high-end additive manufacturing and precision welding scenarios requiring simultaneous wire feeding of multiple materials and from multiple angles.

[0059] The slide rail 334 has a middle position. When the near-end wire feeder 34 and the far-end wire feeder 32 feed at the same speed, the slider 333 is located in the middle position. The detection range of the position sensor is based on the middle position, with equal movement space reserved on both sides. The middle position corresponds to the equilibrium position of the wire S under rated tension. At this time, the moving tube 332 is in the initial pre-compression state, and the slider 333 is located at the midpoint of the slide rail 334. When the speed of the far-end wire feeder 32 matches that of the near-end wire feeder 34, the slider 333 remains stable near the middle position; if the speed mismatch causes the wire S to become slack or taut, the slider 333 will move to one side along the slide rail 334.

[0060] Furthermore, the multi-feeding device 3 also includes a carrier frame 37 for mounting the feeding trays 31 of multiple feeding units and the remote feeding machine 32. Casters 38 are installed at the bottom of the carrier frame 37 to enable movement of the device. The carrier frame 37 adopts a metal frame structure, such as aluminum alloy or steel. The feeding trays 31 of each feeding unit are fixed to the carrier frame 37 via detachable flanges, ensuring smooth and unobstructed release of the filament S. Multiple casters 38 are evenly distributed at the bottom of the carrier frame 37. The casters 38 are made of polyurethane or nylon, possessing wear-resistant and quiet characteristics, ensuring that the carrier frame 37 can still move smoothly after loading multiple feeding units, adapting to movement needs in different directions within the workshop.

[0061] A multi-wire feeding laser processing apparatus includes the aforementioned multi-wire feeding device 3, and also includes a laser processing device, such as... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the laser processing apparatus includes a laser generator 1 and multiple wire feeding channels 2. The laser generator 1 generates a high-energy-density laser beam, which is focused onto the workpiece surface to form a molten pool, providing energy for material melting and processing. The multiple wire feeding channels 2 are arranged in a ring array outside the laser generator 1, and are circumferentially uniformly distributed with the central axis of the laser generator 1 as the center of symmetry.

[0062] This application does not limit the number of wire feeding channels 2. The included angle between adjacent wire feeding channels 2 is set according to the number of channels or according to processing requirements to ensure that each wire feeding channel 2 can transport the metal wire to the laser action area from different directions. Each wire feeding channel 2 is pointed to the focal point of the laser generating device 1, so that the metal wire can be accurately fed into the molten pool formed by the laser to achieve the melting and deposition of the material.

[0063] Specifically, in this application, the wire feeding rate within each wire feeding channel 2 is independently controlled, and its rate depends on the wire feeding rates of the near-end wire feeder 34 and the far-end wire feeder 32, such as... Figure 7 As shown, after the filament S leaves the near-end feeder 34, it is fed into the feed channel 2, and each feed channel 2 corresponds to a near-end feeder 34.

[0064] In the actual processing, the laser beam generated by the laser generator 1 irradiates the surface of the workpiece, forming a high-temperature molten pool. Multiple wire feeding channels 2 feed metal wires into the molten pool from different directions according to the pre-set processing path and process requirements. Since the wire feeding rate of each wire feeding channel 2 can be controlled independently, when processing workpieces with complex shapes, the wire feeding rate of each channel can be adjusted in real time according to changes in surface curvature and processing position to ensure uniform material accumulation.

[0065] When performing multi-material composite processing, the mixing ratio of different materials in the molten pool can be precisely controlled by adjusting the wire feeding rate of each channel, thereby realizing the preparation of gradient materials or functional partitioned materials.

[0066] In all-position machining, such as overhead welding and vertical welding, the influence of gravity and other factors on the molten pool can be overcome by adjusting the wire feed rate, thus ensuring the stability of the molten pool and the machining quality.

[0067] To achieve high-precision machining of complex-shaped workpieces, multiple wire feeding channels 2 distributed in a ring array feed wire from different directions to the laser action area. With the independently controllable wire feeding rate of each wire feeding channel 2, it can adapt to the machining needs of complex geometric structures such as curved surfaces, inclined surfaces, deep cavities, and suspended surfaces.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, the multi-wire-feed laser head further includes a substrate electrode and a wire-feeding electrode 11. The substrate electrode is rigidly connected to the substrate containing the workpiece via a conductive line, serving as one end of a conductive circuit. The wire-feeding electrode 11 is integrated at the outlet of the wire-feeding channel 2, forming a conductive contact with the wire S fed within the channel, serving as the other end of the circuit. The two electrodes have opposite polarities; for example, the substrate electrode is the cathode and the wire-feeding electrode 11 is the anode. When the tip of the wire S contacts the substrate surface or forms an air gap, current flows through "wire S-substrate" or "wire S-air gap-substrate" to form a closed circuit.

[0069] Specifically, the substrate electrode is made of highly conductive copper with a tin-plated surface to reduce contact resistance and connect to the substrate. The wire feeding electrode 11 is located behind the wire feeding channel 2. Specifically, the wire feeding electrode 11 has a built-in miniature tungsten alloy contact at the outlet of each wire feeding channel 2, which is in close contact with the surface of the wire S, maintaining stable conductivity even during high-speed wire S transport. Because the wire S has a small diameter and a short conductive path, its resistance is significantly higher than that of the large-area substrate. According to Joule's law, the Joule heat generated by the wire S when current passes through is much greater than the heat generated by the substrate, thus achieving a differentiated heating effect of "efficient preheating of the wire S + gentle heating of the substrate".

[0070] This preheating mechanism offers multiple advantages. First, the wire S is preheated before laser treatment, allowing the laser to complete melting only by replenishing its remaining energy. This reduces laser power consumption compared to traditional processes, improving energy efficiency and extending laser lifespan. Second, preheating reduces the temperature difference between the wire S and the substrate, slowing the cooling rate of the molten pool and effectively reducing thermal stress caused by rapid cooling, significantly lowering the incidence of defects such as cracks and porosity. Simultaneously, the oxide film on the surface of the wire S decomposes prematurely during preheating, improving the purity of the molten pool, reducing the number of inclusions, and, combined with a uniform temperature distribution, accelerating element diffusion within the molten pool and reducing compositional segregation. This is particularly suitable for high-quality cladding of multi-element alloy wire S. Furthermore, for high-melting-point materials, preheating lowers the threshold power required for laser melting, expanding the laser's applicability. For thin-plate workpieces with small thicknesses, the slight heating of the substrate avoids deformation caused by localized overheating, reducing flatness errors and significantly improving processing accuracy.

[0071] By configuring the polarity of the substrate electrode and the wire feeding electrode 11 and designing the resistance difference, the system achieves efficient preheating of the wire S and gentle heating of the substrate without increasing the laser power. This reduces overall energy consumption, increases processing speed, and improves the density and tensile strength of the formed parts. It effectively expands the application potential of laser additive manufacturing technology in the fields of high melting point material processing, ultra-thin part forming, and gradient material preparation, and provides a reliable technical solution for scenarios such as aerospace precision component repair and complex curved surface component manufacturing.

[0072] In addition, the electromagnetic force generated by the electric arc in the circuit, namely the Lorentz force, causes the molten pool metal to vortex flow, uniformly distributing alloying elements and reducing compositional segregation.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment of the multi-wire-feed laser head, a water-cooling channel is provided around the laser generating device 1. This water-cooling channel is integrated inside the laser head, forming a ring structure that tightly surrounds the laser generating device 1. Its two ends extend to the outside of the laser generating device 1, forming a water inlet 18 and a water outlet 19, respectively. The water inlet 18 and water outlet 19 are respectively located on opposite sides of the laser generating device 1, and are both situated in the area between two adjacent wire-feeding channels 2.

[0074] Specifically, the water-cooling channel is integrally molded from high thermal conductivity copper. The inner wall of the channel is precision polished to reduce flow resistance. The annular water-cooling channel maintains a uniform distance from the outer surface of the laser generator 1 to ensure efficient heat conduction. Both the inlet 18 and outlet 19 use standard M-thread interfaces for easy and quick connection to external cooling systems. Fluororubber sealing rings are embedded at the interfaces to ensure reliable sealing and resistance to long-term coolant corrosion.

[0075] In terms of spatial layout, the water inlet 18 and the water outlet 19 are located on both sides of the laser generator 1, symmetrically distributed. The water inlet 18 and the water outlet 19 are respectively set between two adjacent wire feeding channels 2, that is, there is a water inlet 18 between two adjacent wire feeding channels 2, and a water outlet 19 between two adjacent wire feeding channels 2 on the opposite side. This layout design not only ensures the symmetry of the coolant flow path and controls the uniformity of the circumferential temperature distribution of the laser generator 1, but also avoids spatial interference between the water cooling channel and other functional components such as the wire feeding system and the electrode system.

[0076] When the cooling system is working, the coolant enters the water cooling channel from the inlet 18 and carries away the heat generated by the laser generator 1 through forced convection along the annular path. Finally, it is discharged from the outlet 19, which effectively extends the service life of the laser generator 1, ensures that it maintains a stable operating temperature during long-term high-power operation, and significantly improves the stability and beam quality of the laser output.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the laser generating device 1 further includes an optical fiber interface 12, a collimating lens 13, a focusing lens 14, a beam splitter 15, a reflector 16, and a camera 17. The optical fiber interface 12, collimating lens 13, focusing lens 14, and beam splitter 15 are arranged sequentially along a first direction, i.e., the direction of the main optical axis of laser transmission (vertical direction in the figure), forming a complete laser transmission optical path. The reflector 16 and camera 17 are located on one side of the laser transmission optical path, forming a beam splitting detection path from the optical fiber interface 12 through the collimating lens 13, focusing lens 14, beam splitter 15, reflector 16, and camera 17.

[0078] Specifically, the high-energy laser beam first enters the laser head through the fiber optic interface 12, then passes through the collimating lens 13 for beam collimation, the focusing lens 14 for beam focusing, and finally the beam splitter 15 for energy distribution. The beam splitter 15 adopts a fused silica substrate coated with a multilayer dielectric film design, which can divide the laser beam into two parts in a certain proportion: a larger portion of the energy continues to be emitted along the original optical path in the first direction for material processing; the smaller portion of the energy is reflected by the tilted reflector 16 to the camera 17. The camera 17 is a molten pool camera used to monitor the laser spot shape, power density distribution, and plasma state of the processing area in real time.

[0079] In terms of optical path protection and processing environment control, the multi-wire laser head also integrates a three-level protective mirror system and a backflushing device 104. The first protective mirror 101 is installed in a sealed chamber between the fiber optic interface 12 and the collimating mirror 13 to block potentially back-propagating sputtering particles and plasma radiation; its surface is coated with an anti-reflection film. On the side of the beam splitter 15 away from the focusing mirror 14, a second protective mirror 102, a third protective mirror 103, a backflushing device 104, and a protective cover 105 are sequentially arranged along the first direction. The second protective mirror 102 and the third protective mirror 103 are coated with multiple layers of broadband anti-reflection film, forming a double protective barrier to effectively intercept metal vapor and sputtering generated during processing. The backflushing device 104 adopts a Laval nozzle structure, with its inlet connected to a high-purity argon gas source, forming a stable gas curtain in front of the protective mirrors to block contaminants from entering the optical path.

[0080] Preferably, the camera 17 adopts time-division multiplexing optical path and spectral separation technology, which simultaneously realizes the monitoring of laser spot and molten pool morphology. The camera 17 captures the subtle fluctuations on the surface of the molten pool and calculates the length, width, area and aspect ratio of the molten pool in real time through the edge detection algorithm. When the area of ​​the molten pool exceeds the preset threshold, the wire feeding rate compensation mechanism is triggered to deliver the wire S to the part that needs to be fed.

[0081] More preferably, for the coordinated control of multiple wire feeding channels 2, camera 17 employs a region division technique, dividing the processing area into independent monitoring units corresponding to the number of wire feeding channels 2. For example, when a channel feeds wire, it is divided into a sector-shaped area. Each unit independently analyzes the characteristics of the molten pool and generates control commands. When turbulence occurs in the molten pool unit corresponding to a certain channel, only the wire feeding rate of that channel is adjusted, without affecting the stable operation of other channels. By correcting the local wire feeding amount in real time, the deviation of the molten pool width is narrowed compared to traditional open-loop control, and the trajectory tracking error is reduced.

[0082] In laser wire feeding machining, the stability of the molten pool is affected by the combined effects of multiple forces, including the wire feeding impact force, the surface tension of the molten pool, gravity, and the thermal shock force of the laser beam. Traditional single-wire feeding technology, due to its unidirectional wire feeding, concentrates the impact force in a single direction, easily disrupting the force balance of the molten pool, leading to molten pool fluctuations or even spatter. This application's multi-wire feeding and independent rate control achieve a force balance effect. Multiple wire feeding channels 2 are arranged in a ring around the laser generator 1, such as a circumferentially uniform distribution of multiple channels. The wire feeding direction of each channel points towards the laser's active area or towards the center of the molten pool. When each wire feeding channel 2 feeds the wire at the same or matched rate, the impact force generated when the wire enters the molten pool forms a symmetrical force system. The asymmetrical components cancel each other out, retaining only the resultant force consistent with the machining direction, ensuring that the molten pool is mainly subjected to a stable vertical impact force, significantly reducing lateral disturbances. For example, the four wire feeding channels 2 are symmetrically distributed at 90°. When feeding the wire, the impact forces of each channel cancel each other out in the horizontal direction, resulting in a small resultant force that is even close to zero. This retains a resultant force perpendicular to the workpiece surface, which is consistent with the direction of the laser beam, thus avoiding molten pool deviation or splashing caused by unidirectional impact forces.

[0083] By independently controlling the wire feeding rate of each channel, the magnitude of the impact force in each direction can be dynamically adjusted for different processing positions, such as curved surfaces, inclined surfaces, and overhead welding positions, to compensate for the influence of external factors such as gravity and surface tension. For example, in an overhead welding scenario, the lower wire feeding channel 2 can increase the wire feeding rate to enhance the upward impact force and counteract the downward movement of the molten pool caused by gravity; the upper or side channels can reduce the rate to avoid excessive impact force from disrupting the balance of the molten pool.

[0084] When machining asymmetrical structures such as curved surfaces and grooves, the symmetry can be broken by adjusting the wire feed rate of each channel, actively introducing directional auxiliary force to compensate for the interference of the geometric structure on the molten pool. For example, when machining a concave surface, the outer wire feed channel 2 increases its rate to enhance the centripetal impact force, causing auxiliary material to accumulate towards the center of the concave surface; the inner channel decreases its rate to avoid excessive material accumulation, achieving precise forming through asymmetrical force distribution. Furthermore, when the laser head moves along a convex surface, the rate of the outer wire feed channel 2 decreases, while the rate of the inner channel increases to prevent excessive material accumulation on the outer side; the opposite is true when machining a concave surface, compensating for the geometric changes of the surface through the rate difference to achieve uniform forming.

[0085] Each wire feeding channel 2 can be loaded with metal wires of different materials, such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, ceramic particle reinforced metal matrix composites, etc., through independent rate control. For example, in the repair of aero-engine blades, the wire feeding rate of wear-resistant alloy is increased sequentially from the matrix to the surface to form a gradient structure of "tough matrix - transition layer - wear-resistant surface layer". Another example is that the material ratio can be adjusted as needed in different areas of the same part, such as feeding cemented carbide in the cutting edge area of ​​the mold and tough material in the matrix area to improve the overall performance.

[0086] In dissimilar material welding, the mixing ratio of materials in the molten pool can be controlled by adjusting the rate of adjacent wire feeding channels 2, optimizing the diffusion of interfacial elements and avoiding the formation of brittle phases. For example, in steel-aluminum dissimilar metal welding, nickel-based transition alloy wires are simultaneously fed in the interfacial region, and a gradient interface of "steel-Fe-Ni-Ni-Al-aluminum" is formed by independent rate control, which significantly improves the joint strength.

[0087] This application controls the wire feeding rate in each wire feeding channel 2 to specifically control the molten pool morphology and optimize the aspect ratio. In thin plate welding, reducing the front wire feeding rate and increasing the side wire feeding rate makes the molten pool expand more fully in the lateral direction, which can avoid burn-through. This application controls the wire feeding rate in each wire feeding channel 2 to precisely control the penetration depth. In thick plate welding, increasing the back wire feeding rate enhances the energy distribution at the bottom of the molten pool and improves the consistency of penetration depth.

[0088] Preferably, the multi-wire-feeding laser head of this application also includes an infrared thermal imager, which is used to monitor the temperature of the molten pool in real time. When the temperature of the molten pool is detected to be too high, the wire feeding rate and the laser power are reduced to reduce heat input. When incomplete fusion defects are found, the wire feeding rate is locally increased and the laser scanning speed is reduced to ensure that the material is fully melted.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, the camera 17 is equipped with infrared monitoring capabilities. The monitoring range of the camera 17 is larger than the molten pool area, covering the area being printed, thereby achieving comprehensive monitoring of the molten pool during and after its formation. By receiving multi-band light, including infrared light, the actual location of the molten pool is obtained, thereby determining whether defects have occurred during the printing process.

[0090] Because the brightness is extremely high during the printing process, in order to avoid strong light interference, a filter is installed in front of or behind the lens of camera 17 to filter out other interfering light and only allow light of the required wavelength, such as the infrared wavelength, to enter camera 17, so that camera 17 can clearly capture the state of the molten pool and improve the stability and accuracy of monitoring.

[0091] The embodiments described in this specific implementation are preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-wire feeding device, characterized in that, It includes multiple wire feeding units, each of which includes a wire feeding reel (31) for storing wire (S), a remote wire feeder (32) for conveying the wire (S) on the wire feeding reel (31), a near-end wire feeder (34) for conveying the wire (S) fed by the remote wire feeder to the processing area, and a buffer (33) disposed between the near-end wire feeder (34) and the remote wire feeder (32); The buffer (33) includes a fixed tube (331), a movable tube (332), and a position sensor. The movable tube (332) faces the proximal wire feeder (34), and the fixed tube (331) faces the distal wire feeder (32). The fixed tube (331) and the movable tube (332) are connected. The wire (S) passes through the fixed tube (331) and the movable tube (332). The movable tube (332) moves relative to the fixed tube (331) to change the movement path of the wire (S) and adapt to the change in the length of the wire (S) between the proximal wire feeder (34) and the distal wire feeder (32). The position sensor detects the position of the movable tube (332) and is electrically connected to the distal wire feeder (32) to adjust the wire feeding rate of the distal wire feeder (32) according to the position of the movable tube (332).

2. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer (33) further includes a slider (333) and a slide rail (334). The slide rail (334) is arranged along the length direction of the fixed tube (331). The slide rail (334) is fixedly connected to the moving tube (332). The slider (333) slidably cooperates with the slide rail (334).

3. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The position sensor is disposed along the slide rail (334), and the position sensor detects the position of the moving tube (332) by detecting the position of the slider (333).

4. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The slide rail (334) has an intermediate position. When the near-end wire feeder (34) and the far-end wire feeder (32) have the same wire feeding speed, the slider (333) is located in the intermediate position. The moving tube (332) has space to move on both sides of the intermediate position along the slide rail (334).

5. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the wire feeding units further includes an ultrasonic sensor (35), which is located at the wire exit end of the near-end wire feeder (34), through which the wire (S) extends from the near-end wire feeder (34) and enters the processing area via the ultrasonic sensor (35).

6. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The proximal feeders (34) of the multiple wire feeding units are integrated into a single proximal feed assembly (340); the buffers (33) of the multiple wire feeding units are integrated into a single buffer assembly (330).

7. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the wire feeding units further includes a wire feeding tube (36), the two ends of which are connected to the moving tube (332) and the near-end wire feeder (34), respectively, and the wire (S) between the moving tube (332) and the near-end wire feeder (34) passes through the wire feeding tube (36).

8. The multi-wire feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a carrier (37), on which the wire feeding discs (31) of the plurality of wire feeding units and the remote wire feeder (32) are mounted.

9. A multi-wire laser processing apparatus, comprising the multi-wire feeding device (3) according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, It also includes a laser processing device, which includes a laser generating device (1) and multiple wire feeding channels (2). The wire (S) output by each wire feeding unit enters into one of the wire feeding channels (2), and the multiple wire feeding channels (2) are all arranged facing the laser generating device (1).

10. The multi-wire laser processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, Multiple wire feeding channels (2) are arranged around the outside of the laser generating device (1), and the proximal wire feeder (34) of each wire feeding unit independently controls the wire feeding rate in each wire feeding channel (2).

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