Hollow Metal Substrate Cladding With Liquid Cooling at High Deposition Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for depositing metal cladding on hollow metal substrates, such as those used in heavy-caliber munitions, face challenges with low productivity rates and quality issues, particularly when using nickel or nickel alloys, due to high heat generation and inadequate temperature control during plasma-arc welding.
Innovation Solution
A liquid medium based temperature control arrangement is integrated into a plasma-arc deposition system to maintain the substrate at stable temperatures, using a controller to adjust the temperature and flow rate of the liquid medium in real time, allowing for ultra-high deposition rates of metal cladding without defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plasma-arc welding is used to deposit metal cladding at higher rates, then productivity increases, but substrate temperature control becomes difficult leading to quality defects
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid medium (water or dielectric fluid) is introduced as an intermediary between the plasma arc heat source and the substrate. The liquid medium absorbs excess heat through phase change (boiling/evaporation) and carries it away, preventing substrate overheating while allowing high deposition rates to continue
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid medium utilizes phase transition from liquid to vapor (boiling) as a heat absorption mechanism. As the liquid contacts the heated substrate or vaporizes at the liquid-gas interface, it absorbs large amounts of latent heat, effectively controlling substrate temperature during high-rate plasma-arc deposition
2Temperature
If conventional cladding methods are used, then substrate temperature is easier to control, but productivity remains low due to slow deposition rates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a hydraulic system where liquid medium is pumped through channels or applied as a flood to the substrate surface. This hydraulic approach enables efficient heat removal, allowing the use of high-power plasma-arc welding at productivity rates 3-4 times higher than conventional methods while maintaining temperature control
3Productivity
If higher deposition rates are achieved using plasma-arc welding, then production efficiency increases, but material defects such as cracking and oxidation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid medium serves as a protective intermediary between the hot plasma arc and the substrate/cladding materials. It prevents direct exposure to excessive heat that causes cracking and oxidation, while still allowing the high deposition rates needed for increased production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid medium creates a protective environment around the deposition zone, excluding oxygen and other reactive gases from the hot cladding metal. This prevents oxidation defects while enabling faster deposition rates, and the liquid's cooling effect prevents thermal cracking
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
The system enables four-fold productivity increase in heavy-caliber munitions production by maintaining substrate temperature stability, reducing material usage, and preventing defects like cracking and oxidation, while ensuring high-quality metal cladding.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid medium based temperature control arrangement such that an outer surface of the substrate to which metal cladding is to be applied is maintained at appropriate temperatures throughout the cladding process
Implementation Method 2
liquid medium based temperature control arrangement
Implementation Method 3
plasma-arc, additive manufacturing, while temperature of the hollow metal substrate is controlled
Data Source
AI summary
A cladding process for depositing metal cladding onto a hollow metal substrate at ultra-high deposition rates, including: applying softer metal cladding as at least one annular band around a circumferential periphery of the hollow metal substrate using a plasma-arc welding device; circulating a liquid heat transfer medium through an interior space of the harder metal, hollow metal substrate such that an outer surface of the substrate to which metal cladding is to be applied is maintained at desired temperatures throughout the cladding applying step; and controlling temperature of the circulating liquid heat transfer medium to be within a predetermined temperature range. The hollow metal substrate is formed of a harder metal than the metal cladding.