Beamforming Insert for Multi-Spot Welding Across Material Geometries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current welding methods lack flexibility and economy in achieving optimal weld quality across different materials and workpiece geometries, particularly for copper, steel, and aluminum materials.
Innovation Solution
A welding optical unit comprising a collimation lens, focusing lens, and a beamforming insert with multiple converging side faces that form a variable number of spots on the workpiece, allowing for adjustable spot spacings and configurations to adapt to various welding situations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If standard welding with a singular spot is used, then the welding process is simple, but the weld quality is not optimal for different materials and geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The processing beam is segmented into multiple spots (one, two, or four spots) using a beamforming insert with multiple reflective facets. This segmentation allows each spot to be optimized for specific welding positions and material types, improving overall weld quality while maintaining adaptability through selective activation of different spot configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding system dynamically selects between different spot configurations (singular, bifocal, quatro-spots) based on the welding application requirements. The beamforming insert can be rotated or repositioned to activate different facets, enabling dynamic adaptation to various materials and geometries without changing the fundamental welding apparatus.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple welding methods with fixed spot configurations are used for different applications, then optimal weld quality can be achieved for specific cases, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single beamforming insert integrates multiple welding methods (singular spot, bifocal spots, quatro-spots) into one device. By incorporating multiple reflective facets on different sides of the insert, the system can perform various welding configurations using the same optical unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining optimal weld quality for different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple welding methods into a single integrated solution by combining different beam forming configurations within one optical unit. The beamforming insert consolidates what would otherwise require separate welding systems, simplifying the overall device while preserving the ability to achieve optimal weld quality across different material types and geometries.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed spot spacings are used in welding methods, then the device is simpler, but the adaptability to different workpiece geometries is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The beamforming insert can be rotated around the beam axis or repositioned to change the active reflective facets, dynamically adjusting spot spacings and configurations. This dynamic capability allows adaptation to different workpiece geometries without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, as the same insert can produce different spot patterns through rotational or positional changes.
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 solution enables simple and flexible welding with improved weld quality and reliability, accommodating different materials and geometries, and ensures high-quality weld seams, including media-tight welds for aluminum materials.
Implementation Method 1
a collimation lens (20)
Implementation Method 2
a focusing lens (30)
Implementation Method 3
a beamforming insert (40) for forming one or more spots of the processing beam on at least one workpiece (5) to be processed. The beamforming insert has a base face and one or more side faces lying opposite the base face, which converge at a common point or in a common plateau of the beamforming insert
Data Source
AI summary
A welding optical unit for shaping a processing beam of a processing head of a welding apparatus includes a collimation lens, a focusing lens, and a beamforming insert for forming one or more spots of the processing beam on at least one workpiece to be processed. The beamforming insert has a base face and one or more side faces lying opposite the base face, which converge at a common point or in a common plateau of the beamforming insert.