Inductive Wire Feeding Layout for Coaxial Laser Cladding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current synchronous laser additive manufacturing technologies face issues with poor coupling accuracy between the beam and wire, leading to poor forming accuracy and uneven cladding layer quality due to molten droplet detachment and fish-scale surface formation, which are not adequately addressed by existing wire feeding devices.
Innovation Solution
An inside-laser wire feeding device with an inductive auxiliary heating function, featuring a laser path unit, wire feeding pipeline, and an inductive heating coil that preheats the wire before entering the molten pool, ensuring coaxial alignment and efficient cladding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If resistance heating is used to preheat the wire in outside-laser wire feeding, then the wire can be preheated, but the preheating efficiency is low and the cost is high due to the wire and substrate forming a circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the resistance heating method (electrical circuit between wire and substrate) with inductive heating (electromagnetic induction field). The inductive heating coil generates an alternating magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the wire, heating it efficiently without requiring electrical contact with the substrate. This substitution eliminates the circuit formation issue and improves preheating efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an inductive heating coil as an intermediary device between the wire and the heating source. Instead of directly forming a circuit between wire and substrate, the heating coil acts as a mediator that transfers energy through electromagnetic induction, enabling efficient and contactless preheating of the wire.
2Loss of substance
If the wire is conveyed rigidly without divergence to achieve 100% material utilization rate, then material utilization is maximized, but the coupling accuracy between beam and wire deteriorates resulting in poor forming accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inductive preheating to the wire before it enters the molten pool. This preliminary heating action softens the wire tip, improving its deformability and enabling better alignment and coupling with the laser beam during the cladding process, thereby resolving the accuracy issue while maintaining rigid wire feeding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the wire through inductive heating. By controlling the preheating temperature, the wire's physical properties (such as softness and deformability) are adjusted, allowing it to maintain rigid feeding for high material utilization while achieving good coupling accuracy with the laser beam at the molten pool interface.
3Device complexity
If molten droplets are allowed to grow and detach naturally at the wire end, then the wire feeding process is simple, but the molten channel becomes discontinuous and the cladding surface becomes uneven with fish-scale shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inductive preheating to the wire before it reaches the molten pool. This preliminary thermal treatment modifies the wire's physical state, improving its deformability and enabling smoother molten droplet formation and detachment. The preheated wire produces more continuous molten channels and reduces fish-scale surface defects while maintaining the simplicity of the wire feeding 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
The device improves wire cladding efficiency and quality by ensuring beam-wire coaxiality and preheating, reducing discontinuities and enhancing the stability of the cladding process while maintaining low costs.
Implementation Method 1
an inductive heating coil arranged on the connecting piece and located in the gap zone
Implementation Method 2
inductive auxiliary heating function
Implementation Method 3
the reflector mirror reflects two or more laser paths downward to form a convergent focus
Implementation Method 4
the beam emitted from the laser forms a parallel beam under the collimation module
Implementation Method 5
Laser additive manufacturing technology uses a high-power laser as an energy source to melt metal powder or wire
Data Source
AI summary
An in-laser wire feeding device having an inductive auxiliary heating function, comprising a wire feeding pipeline and a laser path unit. The wire feeding pipeline comprises upper and lower wire feeding pipes, and a gap zone is formed between the upper and lower wire feeding pipes. The in-laser wire feeding device further comprises a connecting piece which is located on one side of the gap zone and links the upper wire feeding pipe with the lower wire feeding pipe, an inductive heating coil, and a power supply component. The inductive heating coil comprises a coil body and a connecting part. The center line of the coil body, the center line of the upper wire feeding pipe and the center line of the lower wire feeding pipe are collinear, and the inner wall of the coil body can avoid laser beams reflected downwards by a reflecting mirror.