Laser Cladding Head With Gas-Jet Powder Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and cost of the feeding passage for cladding material powder in existing laser cladding apparatuses make them expensive and inefficient, as they require a separate powder feeder and flexible tube, complicating the structure.
Innovation Solution
A laser cladding apparatus with a processing head that integrates a powder storage part with a powder feeding port facing the assist gas jet region, allowing the powder to be fed by the assist gas flow, eliminating the need for a separate feeder and simplifying the structure, with adjustable assist gas flow rate to control powder feed rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a separate powder feeder and flexible tube are used to feed cladding material powder, then the powder can be supplied to the processing head, but the feeding passage becomes complex and the apparatus becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the powder storage function directly into the processing head by providing a powder storage part with a powder feeding port that opens to the jet region of the assist gas. This merging eliminates the need for separate powder feeders and flexible tubes, thereby simplifying the feeding passage structure and reducing apparatus cost while maintaining the ability to supply cladding material powder to the laser irradiation point
2Productivity
If the powder storage part is sealed except for the powder feeding port, then the powder can be stored efficiently, but the assist gas flow may discharge air along with the powder, decreasing pressure and reducing powder feed rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the jet quantity (jet velocity) of the assist gas to be within a specific range that balances two competing requirements: it must be sufficient to suction and feed the cladding material powder at the required rate, but not so high as to excessively discharge air from the sealed powder storage part and cause dangerous pressure decrease. By optimizing this parameter, the system maintains both adequate powder feed rate and acceptable pressure inside the container
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 integration simplifies the apparatus structure, reduces costs, and allows for adjustable powder feed rate by varying the assist gas flow, ensuring precise and efficient cladding without the need for a separate powder feeder during the cladding process.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure in a region where a jet of the assist gas is formed becomes negative, so that the cladding material powder stored in the powder storage part is sucked by the jet of the assist gas through the powder feeding port of the powder storage part
Implementation Method 2
the cladding material powder is fed to the substrate that is irradiated with laser light, together with the assist gas, to form a cladding layer on the substrate
Implementation Method 3
laser cladding apparatus for performing precise cladding by welding by way of laser light
Implementation Method 4
heating and melting a cladding material powder with a laser beam
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
A processing head of a laser cladding apparatus, configured to form a cladding layer on a substrate, includes: a laser irradiation part that introduces incident laser light and irradiates the substrate with the laser light; a jet nozzle, into which an assist gas is introduced and which forms a jet of the assist gas around the laser light; and a powder storage part that stores a cladding material powder to be fed to the substrate. The powder storage part has a powder feeding port that is opened facing a jet formation region of the assist gas.