Modular Welding Cart Layout for Safer Cable and Tank Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding support systems lack customization, accessibility, and safety features, such as secure storage, easy equipment handling, and hazard prevention, particularly in dynamic environments like shipyards and oil platforms.
Innovation Solution
A modular welding support system with an angled middle shelf, tool-less tank restraint, telescoping cable boom, integrated forklift pockets, lifting eyes, bullhorn hooks, and removable wheels, enabling customizable equipment configuration, enhanced visibility and access, secure gas tank handling, cable management, forklift transport, and theft prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If welding equipment is stored on traditional horizontal shelves, then storage capacity is maximized, but visibility and accessibility of equipment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The middle shelf is angled at approximately 15 degrees relative to the horizontal plane, creating an asymmetric configuration that improves visibility and accessibility of welding equipment while maintaining storage capacity. This asymmetric angle allows operators to view and access equipment more easily without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If welding support systems are designed as fixed structures, then stability is maximized, but adaptability to different welding equipment configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The welding support system is divided into modular components including the frame, multiple shelves (top, middle, bottom), tank restraint system, cable boom, and wheel assembly. These segmented modules can be independently configured and assembled to accommodate different welding equipment arrangements while maintaining overall system stability through standardized connection points.
3Productivity
If gas tanks are secured using traditional restraint mechanisms, then security is achieved, but loading and replacement speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tank restraint system features a self-contained quick-release mechanism where the restraint arms automatically engage with tanks placed in the recesses. The system serves itself by using the tank's own weight and position to trigger the engagement, eliminating the need for manual adjustment or complex locking procedures while maintaining secure restraint.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If welding cables are allowed to rest on the floor, then cable management is simplified, but tripping and entanglement hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping cable boom elevates cable management from the horizontal floor plane to the vertical space above the work area. By extending the boom upward and providing cable routing along its length, the system moves cables into the third dimension (vertical space), eliminating floor-level hazards while maintaining organized cable management through the added vertical dimension.
5Adaptability or versatility
If welding support systems are designed for permanent installation, then stability is maximized, but mobility and repositionability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel assembly is designed as a dynamic component that can be selectively engaged or disengaged from the frame. When engaged, the wheels provide mobility for repositioning the entire welding support system. When disengaged or locked, the system maintains structural stability for permanent installation. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt between mobile and stationary states based on operational requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A welding support system (100) comprising: a horizontal top shelf (200); a horizontal bottom shelf (115); a middle shelf (117) positioned between the top shelf and the bottom shelf, the middle shelf positioned at an angle relative to the horizontal bottom shelf; and a plurality of legs (110) interconnecting the top shelf, the middle shelf and the bottom shelf.