Brush Seal Fixture Alignment for Automated Laser Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current brush seal manufacturing methods require manual TIG welding, which is time-consuming and costly, and automated laser welding is not feasible due to alignment issues between machined surfaces, often resulting in porosity or improper orientation of the bristle assembly.
Innovation Solution
A brush seal manufacturing apparatus that uses a fixture to align bristles and plates precisely, allowing for automated laser welding by securing bristles directly to a plate, ensuring a flush surface for accurate and precise welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual TIG welding is used to join bristle assembly and plates, then welding can be performed on non-true surfaces, but manufacturing time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The bristle assembly is pre-machined with a true surface before welding operations. This preliminary machining ensures that the surface is sufficiently flat and true to allow subsequent laser welding without porosity, eliminating the need for post-weld machining and enabling automated welding processes
Solution Approach 2:
Manual TIG welding is replaced with automated laser welding. The patent specifies that laser welding is used to join the bristle assembly to the plates, which provides more precise and smaller weld beads while eliminating the need for highly skilled manual welders and reducing manufacturing time
2Productivity
If automated laser welding is used without proper alignment, then welding speed increases, but porosity results rendering the brush seal scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The bristle assembly is pre-machined to provide a true surface before laser welding. This preliminary surface preparation ensures proper alignment between the bristle assembly and plate surfaces, preventing porosity during automated laser welding while maintaining high welding speed
3Device complexity
If bristle assembly orientation is not controlled, then assembly process simplifies, but improper orientation results in scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture includes asymmetric alignment features such as a flat surface on the bristle assembly and corresponding asymmetric surfaces on the plates. These asymmetric features ensure that the bristle assembly can only be positioned in the correct orientation, preventing improper orientation during assembly while maintaining a relatively simple welding process
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
Enables the use of automated laser welding, reducing manufacturing time and cost by preventing porosity and improper orientation, while achieving a more precise and smaller weld bead compared to TIG welding.
Implementation Method 1
A laser welder then welds the bristles to the plate using a weld bead generated by the laser welder
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 2~8
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A brush seal welding fixture (44) comprises a base (48) having first bristle alignment features (54) and a shuttle (46) configured to receive the base (48), the shuttle (46) having second bristle alignment features (67). The fixture further includes a cover (50) secured to the base (48) and configured to retain bristles (60) and a brush seal plate (62) in engagement with one another in a desired orientation in which a flush surface (68) is provided between the bristles (60) and the brush seal plate (62).