Multi-Wire SAW Contact Assembly Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-wire Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) devices face inefficiencies in replacing worn-out contact tips, leading to increased downtime and decreased productivity due to cumbersome maintenance procedures and potential inaccuracies in cladding operations.
Innovation Solution
A contact assembly with rectangular-shaped first and second contact bars, featuring grooves and assembly connective means, allows for the secure and efficient housing of multiple continuous-feed electrodes within the electrode head, eliminating the need for individual tip replacement and nozzle movement during maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional techniques with threaded apertures or set screws are used to secure contact tips to the electrode head, then the contact tips can be reliably attached, but the replacement procedure becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The contact tip holder is divided into multiple removable sections that can be independently accessed. Each section can be quickly removed to replace contact tips without affecting other sections, enabling rapid maintenance while maintaining secure attachment during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact tips are extracted from individual threaded apertures and instead are collectively held by a unified contact tip holder structure. This allows all contact tips to be accessed and replaced simultaneously by removing the entire holder assembly, dramatically reducing replacement time while maintaining reliability through the holder's secure engagement with the electrode head.
2Ease of repair
If individual contact tips are replaced by accessing them through the electrode head, then maintenance can be performed, but the nozzle must be lifted which increases downtime and decreases productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The contact tip holder is designed to be accessible from the side of the electrode head rather than requiring access from the top through the nozzle assembly. This dimensional change allows maintenance personnel to reach and replace contact tips without lifting the nozzle, maintaining ease of repair while preserving welding productivity.
3Ease of repair
If the nozzle is moved to access contact tips for replacement, then contact tips can be replaced, but the accuracy of the cladding operation may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The contact tip holder is segmented into accessible sections that can be removed independently without moving the entire nozzle assembly. This allows contact tips to be replaced while keeping the nozzle in its precise operational position, maintaining both ease of repair and cladding accuracy.
4Reliability
If conventional electrode head designs with multiple individual apertures are used, then each contact tip can be individually secured, but the overall device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual contact tip apertures and their separate securing mechanisms are merged into a single unified contact tip holder assembly. This consolidation maintains the reliability of contact tip security while significantly reducing the overall device complexity by eliminating redundant threaded apertures and set screws in favor of a single integrated structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention described herein generally pertains to a welding device that deposits a material onto a workpiece, the welding device having with an electrode head and a contact assembly coupled thereto. The contact assembly can include a rectangular-shaped first contact bar and a rectangular-shaped second contact bar that can be affixed to one another with an assembly connective means in order to encase a plurality of electrodes therebetween. The second contact bar can include a set of grooves in which each groove can correspond to an electrode to provide guidance during a welding procedure.