Arc Cleaning of Aluminium Surfaces With Impurity Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aluminium alloy surfaces often form pores during welding due to contamination, which is difficult to remove using solvents and can lead to health and environmental hazards, and grinding is labor-intensive and generates hazardous particles.
Innovation Solution
A method using an arc or plasma jet from a welding torch to clean aluminium alloy surfaces, with sensors detecting impurities and adjusting the cleaning process to achieve a desired level of cleanliness without significant surface melting, and an exhaust channel to remove evaporated impurities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solvents are used to remove impurities from aluminium surfaces, then impurity removal is achieved, but health and environmental hazards increase and pore formation occurs during welding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning methods (solvents) with a physical cleaning method using an electric arc or plasma jet. The high-energy arc directly evaporates and removes impurities from the aluminium surface through thermal energy, eliminating the need for chemical solvents and their associated health and environmental hazards while preventing pore formation during welding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cleaning mechanism from chemical dissolution to thermal evaporation by applying extreme local temperatures through an electric arc. This parameter change from chemical to thermal energy enables effective impurity removal without introducing harmful chemicals into the process
2Reliability
If grinding is used to remove surface layer and impurities, then impurity removal is achieved, but labor intensity increases and hazardous particles are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical grinding with a thermal field-based cleaning method. The electric arc or plasma jet creates a concentrated thermal field that evaporates impurities and contaminants from the surface, eliminating the need for mechanical contact and the generation of hazardous grinding particles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition (evaporation) to remove impurities. The electric arc heats the surface and impurities to temperatures sufficient for direct evaporation, converting solid/liquid impurities into vapor that can be easily removed, avoiding the particle generation associated with mechanical grinding
3Reliability
If grinding is used to clean surfaces, then impurity removal is achieved, but processing time and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces slow mechanical grinding with a rapid thermal cleaning process. The electric arc delivers concentrated energy that quickly heats and evaporates impurities, dramatically reducing cleaning time and increasing productivity while maintaining effective surface cleaning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic or pulsed arc application to the surface, allowing rapid sequential cleaning of different areas. This periodic action enables high-speed processing while maintaining thorough impurity removal through repeated thermal cycles
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively removes surface impurities from aluminium alloy workpieces before welding, reducing pore formation and health hazards, while minimizing labor and environmental impact, and optimizing the cleaning process for specific conditions.
Implementation Method 1
moving the torch and the at least one workpiece relative to one another to clean the surface by evaporating impurities using the electric arc or plasma jet
Implementation Method 2
Detecting light coming from the electric arc or plasma jet by means of an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor generates at least one output signal indicative of the presence of impurities
Implementation Method 3
generating an arc or a plasma jet by means of a torch
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for cleaning of a surface of at least one workpiece made out of an aluminium alloy, comprising the steps of: generating an electric arc or a plasma jet by means of a torch, applying the electric arc or the plasma jet to the surface, and moving the torch and the at least one workpiece relative to one another to clean the surface by evaporating impurities of the surface using the electric arc or plasma jet, and e.g. detecting light coming from the electric arc or plasma jet by means of an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor generates an output signal indicative of the presence of impurities of the surface evaporated by the electric arc or by the plasma jet.