Adaptive Clamping Device for Welding Sheet Metal Degassing Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping devices for welding metal sheets with coatings in the automotive industry face challenges in maintaining a consistent degassing gap, particularly when dealing with varying sheet metal thicknesses and shapes, leading to potential weld quality issues and limitations in accommodating different welding tasks with a single device.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves measuring the actual thickness of the metal sheets to set a precise degassing gap using a clamping device with adjustable pressure elements and a compensating mechanism, allowing for flexible adaptation to different sheet metal combinations and thicknesses, ensuring effective gas escape during welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressure elements are designed as forming rollers pressing metal sheets under high pressure to create zero gap contact, then surface contact is maintained between sheets, but gases produced during welding cannot escape effectively leading to weld seam impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure elements are designed with adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow dynamic adaptation of the gap width between sheets during welding. The distance between opposing pressure elements can be modified to create optimal degassing gaps, transforming the static zero-gap contact into a dynamic controlled-gap system that enables gas escape while maintaining sheet contact
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the critical parameter of gap width between metal sheets from zero (complete contact) to a controlled narrow gap. By adjusting the distance between pressure elements, the system optimizes the balance between maintaining surface contact for structural integrity and creating sufficient space for gas evacuation during welding
2Object-generated harmful factors
If pressure rollers are positioned against preset stops to maintain a defined degassing gap, then gases can escape on all sides, but the solution cannot adequately account for tolerances in thickness and shape deviations of sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through adjustable pressure element positioning that can compensate for variations in sheet thickness and shape. The ability to modify the distance between pressure elements based on actual sheet conditions allows the system to maintain consistent degassing gaps despite manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than relying on fixed preset stops, the invention employs dynamically adjustable pressure element positions that can adapt to varying sheet dimensions. This dynamic adjustment capability ensures consistent degassing gap maintenance across sheets with different thicknesses and shapes
3Device complexity
If a single clamping device with preset stops is used for welding tasks, then device complexity is reduced, but the device cannot accommodate sheet metal combinations of different thicknesses while securing the required degassing gap
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device is designed with adjustable pressure elements that can adapt to different sheet metal combinations and thicknesses. This multi-functionality allows a single device to perform various welding tasks on diverse sheet configurations without requiring multiple specialized clamping devices
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure elements incorporate adjustable positioning mechanisms that enable the device to dynamically adapt to different sheet thicknesses and combinations. This dynamic capability transforms a potentially complex multi-device system into a single versatile device that can handle varying welding requirements
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves pressing contact pressure elements (7,8) which move along with a welding head against the metal plates (2, 3) and then lifting the pressure so that the shape deviations which are formed at the contact points with the plates automatically sets the maximum degasification gap (s2) which can be restricted in size. Independent claim describes device for clamping metal plates for welding wherein one contact pressure element (8) is fixed in a frame to form counter holder for movable contact pressure element . A clamping cylinder (4) with pressure rod (5) is fixed on the frame (1) with the pressure rod connected to the movable contact pressure element and passing through a compensating cage (9). A cylinder (15) with clamping rod (16) and resetting spring (17) arranged on either side of the cage can stop movement of the cage.