Flange Fit-Up Sensing for Precise Tubular Section Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The process of attaching a flange to a tubular section is difficult and time-consuming, particularly in instances requiring non-standard geometries, which limits production throughput and increases labor and equipment costs, especially in high-precision fit-up applications.
Innovation Solution
A fit-up system comprising tube rollers, a fitting unit, a sensing unit, and a controller is used to align and attach a flange to a tubular section, utilizing actuators and sensors to control the radial offset between the flange and tubular section, allowing for precise alignment and reduced manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-precision fit-up is implemented to increase fatigue strength and reduce material usage, then structural quality is improved, but production time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated sensing system that uses sensors to detect radial offsets and a controller to calculate and guide positioning. This substitution of mechanical manual operations with an automated sensing-and-control system achieves high-precision fit-up while reducing the time and labor required, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual flange attachment processes are used for non-standard geometries, then flexibility in handling various geometries is maintained, but the attachment process becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing unit enables the system to automatically measure and determine its own positioning parameters without external intervention. The sensors detect radial offsets and the controller automatically calculates target values for positioning, allowing the system to self-adjust to different flange geometries. This self-service capability maintains adaptability to various geometries while dramatically reducing attachment time by eliminating manual measurement and adjustment processes.
3Productivity
If automated sensing and control systems are implemented to reduce alignment errors and labor costs, then production efficiency is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing unit is designed as a multi-functional device that combines radial offset detection, target value calculation, and positioning guidance capabilities in a single integrated system. The sensors can detect various geometric parameters, the controller performs multiple computational functions, and the system adapts to different flange geometries. This universality allows the system to achieve high productivity while managing complexity by consolidating multiple functions into unified components rather than separate systems.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods are directed to automated techniques for fitting flanges to tubular sections used to form tubular structures, such as large-scale structures used in industrial applications (e.g., wind towers and pipelines). As compared to manual techniques for fitting flanges to tubular sections, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure facilitate faster attachment of flanges, which may be useful for achieving cost-effective throughput. By way of further comparison to manual techniques, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure may, further or instead, facilitate achieving tighter dimensional tolerances. In turn, such tighter dimensional tolerances may be useful for forming thinner-walled, lighter, and lower cost tubular structures. Still further or in the alternative, automated techniques for fitting flanges to tubular sections may facilitate attachment of multipiece flanges or other non-traditional flange geometries.