Modular Welding Torch Body for Gas and Water Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing welding torch designs require separate components for gas-cooled and water-cooled versions, increasing production and storage costs and complexity, as they cannot seamlessly connect to the same handle and hose packages.
Innovation Solution
A modular welding torch design with a plug element featuring a connection channel for cooling mediums on the lateral side, allowing for easy connection of both gas-cooled and water-cooled torch bodies to the same handle, using a rotatable torch closure and coaxial channels for guiding protective gas, welding wire, and cooling medium, enabling tool-free assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate components are designed for gas-cooled and water-cooled welding torches, then each version can be optimized for its specific cooling method, but production costs increase and device complexity increases due to needing multiple component versions
Solution Approach 1:
The plug element is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate both gas-cooled and water-cooled configurations. The lateral side connection channel can be configured to receive either a gas conduit or cooling medium conduits, allowing a single component design to serve multiple cooling methods. This eliminates the need for separate component versions while maintaining optimization for each cooling type.
2Reliability
If separate components are designed for gas-cooled and water-cooled welding torches, then each version can be optimized for its specific cooling method, but production costs increase due to manufacturing and storing multiple component versions
Solution Approach 1:
By designing the plug element with universal compatibility for both gas and water cooling systems, the manufacturer produces only one version of the plug element. This reduces manufacturing costs through economies of scale and eliminates storage costs for multiple component versions, while still allowing optimization for each cooling method through the configurable connection channels.
3Ease of operation
If modular design with rotatable torch closure is used, then ease of operation improves for tool-free assembly and disassembly, but device complexity increases due to additional connection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The torch closure is designed to be rotatable, allowing the user to transition between locked and unlocked states by simple rotation. This dynamic mechanism enables tool-free assembly and disassembly while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The rotational movement provides the necessary locking action without requiring complex fastening mechanisms.
4Manufacturing precision
If the inlet opening is arranged centrally at the distal end of the plug element, then manufacturing precision is simplified, but adaptability decreases for different hose packages
Solution Approach 1:
The solution adds a lateral dimension to the connection system by incorporating a lateral side connection channel in addition to the central distal inlet opening. This allows the plug element to connect to hose packages in multiple orientations and configurations, maintaining simple central inlet positioning while achieving versatility through the additional lateral connection path.
Data Source
AI summary
A MIG/MAG welding torch body includes a second channel, which is arranged coaxially to the central channel, and a further third channel, which is arranged coaxially to the second channel, wherein a connection is provided between the second channel and the third channel. The first channel has an orifice in the center of the receiving part, the second channel has an orifice on the lateral side of the receiving part, and the third channel has an orifice on the lateral side of the receiving part.