Multi-Wire Narrow-Gap Welding Torch Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current welding technologies for large metal shells require significant milling and additional filler material for narrow-gap welding, leading to inefficiencies and increased material consumption.
Innovation Solution
A welding torch design featuring parallel channels for electrode and cold wires, with ceramic and flexible insulation tubes to maintain consistent cold wire melting and electrical insulation, allowing for reduced milling and filler material usage, and the use of two welding torches at angled positions to apply adjacent layers simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional single-wire welding is used for narrow-gap welding, then the welding torch can be positioned in the groove, but significant milling and additional filler material are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple wire electrodes (at least two electrode wires) within a single welding torch to enable multi-wire narrow-gap welding. This merging of multiple welding functions into one torch allows simultaneous deposition of multiple layers, reducing the need for extensive milling and filler material while maintaining access to narrow gaps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multi-wire configuration that adds spatial dimensionality to the welding process. By arranging multiple electrode wires in parallel within the torch, the system can deposit multiple weld layers simultaneously, transforming a sequential single-wire process into a parallel multi-layer process that reduces material removal requirements.
2Productivity
If multiple electrode wires are used to increase deposition rate, then welding productivity improves, but the torch size increases making it unsuitable for narrow-gap welding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests multiple electrode wires and their respective insulation tubes within a compact torch body structure. The insulating tubes are arranged parallel to each other in a space-efficient manner, allowing multiple welding functions to be contained within a small volume that can access narrow gaps while maintaining high deposition rates through simultaneous multi-wire operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin-walled insulating tubes (with wall thickness of 0.5-2 mm) that provide electrical insulation while occupying minimal space. These flexible, thin-film insulation structures enable close spacing of multiple electrode wires within the torch, increasing deposition rate without substantially increasing torch volume.
3Reliability
If insulation means are added to electrically insulate parallel channels, then electrical insulation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses uniform insulating tubes with consistent wall thickness (0.5-2 mm) made from the same insulating material for all electrode wire channels. This homogeneous insulation approach provides reliable electrical insulation across all channels while using a standardized, simple structural element that does not significantly increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the insulation function into separate, modular insulating tubes for each electrode wire channel. Each channel has its own dedicated insulation tube, allowing for simple assembly and maintenance while providing reliable electrical insulation. This segmented approach to insulation manages complexity through modularity and standardization.
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 design enhances welding productivity by minimizing material removal and filler needs, achieving consistent weld quality and reducing welding time through efficient narrow-gap welding capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the second channel is provided with insulation means for electrically insulating the second channel from the first channel
Implementation Method 2
the insulation means comprise a first insulating tube comprising a ceramic material and a second insulating tube comprising a flexible material
Implementation Method 3
A cold wire is well known to the person skilled in the art and is a wire that is melted by the excess heat of the electrode wires
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A welding torch for a welding device is disclosed. The welding torch comprises a first elongated part, a second elongated part and a third elongated part and opposing faces of the first and second part are provided with respective grooves in a longitudinal direction of the welding torch to form a first channel for guiding a first electrode wire through the welding torch and opposing faces of the first elongated part and the third elongated part are provided with respective grooves in the longitudinal direction to form a second channel for guiding a second electrode wire through the welding torch, wherein the first and second channels are parallel to each other, and wherein the first elongated part is provided with a third channel parallel with the first and second channels along the longitudinal direction for guiding a cold wire through the welding torch.