Unloading Auger Housing Laser Welds for Durable Flange Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
The unloading auger assembly in agricultural harvesting machines, particularly in combine harvesters, faces challenges due to the weight and complexity of the auger housing arrangement, leading to increased wear rates and potential failure at welded joints, especially when using high-strength steel and conventional welding methods.
Innovation Solution
The use of a laser welding process to secure mounting flange structures to the tube portions from the interior, forming a narrow, deep weld that penetrates through the tube thickness and into the flange, reducing the need for additional filler material and minimizing the heat-affected zone, thereby enhancing the durability and quality of the welds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional welding methods are used to secure mounting flange structures to tube portions, then the assembly process is simpler, but the weld durability and strength are reduced due to increased wear rates and potential failure at welded joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional welding methods with laser welding technology. The laser welding system uses a laser beam to create precise, deep penetration welds with narrow heat-affected zones, substituting the mechanical/thermal process of conventional welding with an optical energy-based process that achieves superior weld durability and strength at the mounting flange structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the welding parameters by using laser welding instead of conventional welding methods. This results in narrow, deep welds with controlled heat input that maintain the high-strength properties of the steel, thereby improving weld durability while managing the complexity through precise parameter control.
2Strength
If high-strength steel is used for tube portions, then the structural strength is improved, but the welding difficulty increases and heat-affected zone expands reducing material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional welding with laser welding to join mounting flange structures to high-strength steel tube portions. The laser welding process produces narrow, deep welds with minimal heat-affected zones, preserving the high-strength properties of the steel while achieving superior weld quality that would be difficult to obtain with conventional welding methods.
3Quantity of substance
If additional filler material is used in welding, then the weld volume and coverage are improved, but the energy requirements and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses laser welding instead of conventional welding methods, which creates narrow, deep welds that penetrate through the tube thickness and into the mounting flange structure without requiring additional filler material. This substitution reduces energy requirements and manufacturing complexity while achieving adequate weld volume and coverage.
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
This approach improves the manufacturing process and the durability of the unloading auger assembly by reducing weight, minimizing energy requirements, and maintaining the high-strength properties of the steel, resulting in a more reliable and efficient grain unloading system.
Implementation Method 1
at least one mounting flange structure, including a first mounting flange structure secured to the outer surface of the first tube portion by a first laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the first mounting flange structure
Implementation Method 2
arranging a laser apparatus with a laser device proximate to the first end of the first tube portion such that the laser device is oriented toward the inner surface of the first tube portion; and generating a laser beam with the laser device onto the inner surface of the first tube portion to form a first laser weld
Data Source
AI summary
An auger assembly for transporting material for an agricultural work vehicle formed by an auger and a housing arrangement having an interior that houses the auger such that rotation of the auger within the housing arrangement is configured to transport the material through the housing arrangement. The housing arrangement includes a series of tube portions including at least a first and a second tube portion, each respective tube portion of the series of tube portions having a first and second end, an inner and outer surface, and a thickness between the inner and outer surfaces; and at least one mounting flange structure, including a first mounting flange structure secured to the outer surface of the first tube portion by a first laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the first mounting flange structure.